June 7, 2022

John 17: 3 (NIV)

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

His company makes Heaven.*

What’s so great about eternal l life? The first thoughts that come to my mind are: 

· the alternative is eternal suffering; 

· eternally dead wouldn’t be so bad but it makes life on earth pointless; 

· being in God’s presence is a neverending worship service; 

· I have no idea. 

Someone has suggested that we might get a better understanding of eternal life by looking at its opposite (eternal death),* but we have already determined that being dead forever wouldn’t be the worst fate. We might think that Jesus is telling us in this verse that we have to know him and God in order to attain eternal life. While it is true that we can’t have eternal life without such knowledge, that’s not what he said.

Jesus gives a really big hint as to the answer to my original question: what’s so great about eternal life? He says eternal life is for us to know him and God. We already know him, don’t we? Yes, we have met him. We can spend our lifetime getting to know him better. But eternity is not enough time to know all about him. Eternity is this: increasing our knowledge of God. 

So what’s so great about eternal life? Nothing - if you don’t crave to know the Father as intimately as possible. If you aren’t seeking a closer walk with him daily, you are missing out on the richest earthly life available. If you are satisfied with your relationship with him now, you might be disappointed in eternity.

Eternal life . . . is not mere conscious and unending existence, but a life of acquaintance with God in Christ.*