Most assuredly, I say to you, he who hears My word and believes in Him who sent Me has everlasting life, and shall not come into judgment, but has passed from death into life. – John 5:24
One benefit of finding new life in Christ is called in the Bible “everlasting [eternal] life.” The character of this great reality may be summarized by carefully looking at each word. The word “life” stresses the quality of this new relationship to God (John 10:10). It does not mean, of course, that we are not physically alive before salvation; it simply stresses the fact that we enter a new, personal relationship with God that gives us a fullness of spiritual vitality that we lacked before (John 17:3).
The word “everlasting” emphasizes life without end. Though it will not be completely fulfilled until our future bodily redemption (Rom. 8:23), it is still a present possession that can never perish (John 10:28).
Everlasting life must not be thought of as an exclusively future possession. Rather, its possession is clearly seen in our actions. Thus, “no murderer has eternal life abiding in him” (1 John 3:15). Indeed, love is the confirming evidence that we do, in fact, have eternal life (1 John 3:14).
The greatness of this spiritual reality constitutes a wonderful incentive to vigorously proclaim the gospel to those who are still “dead in trespasses and sins” (Ephesians 2:1).
This article is an excerpt from the NKJV, Open Bible. The Open Bible offers clean and easy navigation through the connectivity of Scripture with a time-tested complete reference system trusted by millions. It is now available wherever Bibles are sold.
