What is the meaning of John 17:3? Now this is eternal life • Eternal life is not merely endless existence; it is a present possession (John 5:24) and a future promise (John 6:40). • Scripture equates eternal life with receiving God’s gift through faith in His Son (John 3:16; Romans 6:23). • It begins the moment we believe and continues forever, underscoring the assurance Jesus offers (1 John 5:11-13). that they may know You • “Know” speaks of personal relationship, not detached information (Jeremiah 9:23-24). • Salvation is relational: God calls us into fellowship with Himself (1 Corinthians 1:9). • Obedience flows from this knowledge; those who know Him keep His commands (1 John 2:3-4). • The Lord delights in being known by His people (Hosea 6:6), so eternal life centers on intimate communion. the only true God • Scripture affirms the exclusivity of the one living God (Deuteronomy 6:4; Isaiah 45:5). • All other “gods” are idols; the Father alone deserves worship (1 Corinthians 8:4-6). • Eternal life rests on recognizing God’s uniqueness and rejecting counterfeit deities (Psalm 115:3-8). • This declaration guards the faith from syncretism and underscores the trustworthiness of the biblical revelation. and Jesus Christ • Eternal life cannot be separated from Jesus, the incarnate Word (John 1:14). • He is “the way and the truth and the life” (John 14:6), the one mediator between God and humanity (1 Timothy 2:5). • Redemption is in His blood (Colossians 1:19-20), and salvation is found in no one else (Acts 4:12). • Knowing God necessarily includes knowing His Son, for the Father is made known through Him (John 14:9). whom You have sent • The Father’s mission for the Son underscores divine initiative (Galatians 4:4-5). • Jesus’ sending fulfills prophecy and reveals God’s love (Isaiah 61:1-2; 1 John 4:9-10). • His works and words confirm His heavenly commission (John 3:34; 5:36-37). • Belief in the sent Son unites us to the Father, anchoring eternal life in the completed mission of Christ (John 20:21; Hebrews 9:26). summary Eternal life, according to Jesus, hinges on a living relationship with the one true God made possible through the sent Son, Jesus Christ. It is present and assured, rooted in God’s exclusivity, revealed through intimate knowledge of Him, and secured by the accomplished mission of His Son. |
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