Outline
Ⅰ
The divine life may be considered as the first and the basic attribute of God:
A
God's life is the unique life.
B
Ephesians 4:18 is the unique verse that speaks of the life of God: "Being darkened in their understanding, alienated from the life of God because of the ignorance which is in them, because of the hardness of their heart."
C
In the whole universe only the life of God can be counted as life—1 John 5:12.
D
In the sight of God only His life is life; therefore, when the life of God is mentioned in the New Testament, it is treated as if it is the unique life—John 1:4; 10:10; 11:25; 14:6.
E
The life of God is uncreated, without beginning or ending, existing by itself, and ever, unchangeably existing.
F
From the standpoint of eternity, only the life of God is life.
Ⅱ
The eternal life is the life of God with the divine nature:
A
The eternal life, the life of God:
１
Obtaining eternal life in this age:
ａ
Eternal life being the life of God—1 John 1:1-2.
ｂ
Eternal life being in the Lord Jesus—5:11-12; John 1:4.
ｃ
Eternal life being given freely by God—Rom. 6:23; 1 John 5:11.
ｄ
Eternal life being obtained at the time of believing—John 3:16, 36; 5:24.
ｅ
Eternal life being known in the present age—1 John 5:13.
ｆ
Having eternal life and never perishing—John 10:28-29.
Morning Nourishment
John 1:4 In Him was life, and the life was the light of men.1 John 5:12 He who has the Son has the life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have the life.
Eternal life is a great topic in the Bible; it is the greatest blessing that God gives us in His salvation. Obtaining eternal life and enjoying the blessings of eternal life are divided into three different periods. The first period involves obtaining eternal life in this age, the second involves obtaining eternal life in the coming age, and the third involves the enjoyment of eternal life in eternity. We obtain eternal life in this age when we believe. When we believe in the Lord in this age, we obtain eternal life. We do not have to wait for the next age or for eternity to obtain it.
Many misunderstand and think that eternal life involves a blessing in eternity. Actually, the Bible shows that eternal life is not a blessing in eternity; rather, it is the life of eternity. This eternal life was from the beginning [1 John 1:1]. Only the life of God was from the beginning. Therefore, the eternal life is just the life of God, which existed before the universe and time began. (CWWL, 1932-1949, vol. 3, “Crucial Truths in the Holy Scriptures, Volume 1,” p. 222)
Today’s Reading
Eternal life is the life of God because God is eternal [1 John 1:2]…God is eternal, without beginning and without end, so His life is also eternal, without beginning and without end. The life of God, which has no beginning and no end, is the eternal life.The Son of God is God incarnated, God Himself embodied in His Son; therefore, the life of God is also in His Son [5:11-12]. This life, which is in God’s Son, is the eternal life. The incarnated Lord Jesus is the Son of God, so God’s life, the eternal life, is in Him [John 1:4]. When we receive Him and obtain Him, we also obtain the eternal life in Him.
God considers His life, the eternal life, to be a gift freely given to us in the Lord Jesus [Rom. 6:23]. We do not need to pay for it; as long as we receive it, we obtain it. Since the eternal life, the life of God, was given to us by God, it is God’s gift, not God’s reward, to us [1 John 5:11].
God loves us and gives us His life, the eternal life, which is in His Son for us to receive [John 3:16]. The way to receive eternal life is to believe in His Son. As soon as we believe in His Son and receive His Son by faith, we obtain the eternal life that is in the Son. Since the eternal life of God that is in His Son is a gift, as soon as we believe into His Son and obtain His Son, we spontaneously obtain the eternal life within His Son [v. 36].
When we hear the Lord’s word, the gospel, and believe in Him, we immediately have eternal life [5:24]. Many think that even though we believe in the Lord now, we do not obtain eternal life until some time in the future. They do not realize that there is no time between believes and has…As soon as we believe in the Lord, we have eternal life. After we believe, we do not need to wait, for even the slightest moment, to obtain eternal life. There is no need to wait for what we are immediately given.
In Christianity many think and suggest that those who believe in the Lord cannot know whether or not they have eternal life in the present age. However, 1 John 5:13 clearly says that the Word of God, the Bible, enables us to know that we have eternal life. Because the life we obtained is eternal, we will never perish. This life’s eternal nature ensures that we will never perish. Moreover, once we have eternal life, we are in the hands of the Lord and the Father, so no one can snatch us away [John 10:28-29]. We have the eternal life of God to uphold us inwardly, and we have the Lord’s and the Father’s hands to protect us outwardly. How can we perish? (CWWL, 1932-1949, vol. 3, “Crucial Truths in the Holy Scriptures, Volume 1,” pp. 222-224)
Further Reading: CWWL, 1932-1949, vol. 3, “Crucial Truths in the Holy Scriptures, Volume 1,” ch. 12