What is Eternal Life?

Eternal life is one of the central themes of the bible and the teachings of Christ. Eternal life has two words namely, "eternal" and "life". The word eternal means it is something never ending, as opposed to the temporal life which has an end. The word eternal is used in the bible to describe God.

1 Timothy 1:17

Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory for ever and ever. Amen

Deuteronomy 33:27
The eternal God is your refuge

Genesis 21:33

Abraham planted a tamarisk tree in Beersheba, and there he called upon the name of the LORD, the Eternal God.

Psalm 90:2

Before the mountains were born
or you brought forth the earth and the world,
from everlasting to everlasting you are God.

God alone is eternal.  

So eternal life is synonymous with God-life. God life is synonymous with Christ-life. One of it's implication is that it cannot be had apart from God, apart from Christ.

Consequently, we can have eternal life by entering into a relationship with the eternal God, who has manifested himself to us, through Christ.

No one has ever seen God, but the one and only Son, who is himself God and is in closest relationship with the Father, has made him known. John 1:18

Again Jesus in John 17:3 says

"Now this is eternal life: that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent."

In this context, to know someone is to have a close, intimate relationship with them. For us humans, this is God's will, this is Salvation, to have an intimate relationship with God. 

If you have a relationship with God, you have eternal life. You can have eternal life only as long as you are in relationship with God. You can come as you are, recognizing and accepting your sinfulness, with a repentant heart and God will accept you as you are based on what Christ did for you on the cross. Faith is the arm with which we receive this relationship with God. It means you believe that Christ is God and he died for you, out of love for you and because of your sins. When you repentantly believe that, God accepts you, your guilt is destroyed, your conscience is cleansed and you receive the Holy Spirit. God gives you a new nature. He gives you a new life, eternal life, abundant life lived in this relationship with him. 

Do you have a relationship with God through Christ, by faith? Do you have eternal life? It's free for all. Come! your creator is calling you! He is love eternal and give life eternal to everyone who believes in Christ.