Eternal life is a central tenet of Christian theology, representing the promise of everlasting life with God. This promise is extended to the saints—those who have been sanctified through faith in Jesus Christ. The concept of eternal life is woven throughout the Scriptures, offering hope and assurance to believers.

Biblical Promises of Eternal Life

1. John 3:16 · One of the most well-known verses in the Bible, John 3:16, encapsulates the promise of eternal life: "For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that everyone who believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life." This verse highlights the unconditional love of God and the gift of eternal life through belief in Jesus Christ.

2. John 10:27-28 · Jesus assures His followers of eternal security: "My sheep listen to My voice; I know them, and they follow Me. I give them eternal life, and they will never perish. No one can snatch them out of My hand." Here, the imagery of the Good Shepherd emphasizes the protective and enduring nature of the promise of eternal life.

3. Romans 6:23 · The Apostle Paul contrasts the consequences of sin with the gift of God: "For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord." This verse underscores the grace of God in offering eternal life as a gift, contrasting it with the death that sin brings.

4. 1 John 2:25 · The Apostle John reiterates the promise given by God: "And this is the promise that He Himself made to us: eternal life." This assurance is a cornerstone of the faith, providing believers with hope and confidence in their salvation.

5. Titus 1:2 · Paul speaks of the hope of eternal life, which God, who does not lie, promised before the beginning of time. This verse emphasizes the reliability and eternal nature of God's promise, rooted in His unchanging character.

The Nature of Eternal Life

Eternal life is not merely an unending existence but a quality of life that begins in the present and extends into eternity. It is characterized by a relationship with God, as seen in John 17:3: "Now this is eternal life: that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom You have sent." This verse highlights that eternal life is fundamentally about knowing God and being in communion with Him.

The Assurance of Eternal Life

Believers are encouraged to have confidence in the promise of eternal life. In 1 John 5:11-13, the Apostle John writes: "And this is that testimony: God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life. I have written these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, so that you may know that you have eternal life." This passage provides assurance to believers, affirming that eternal life is a present reality for those who have faith in Jesus Christ.

Living in Light of Eternal Life

The promise of eternal life calls believers to live in a manner worthy of their calling. In 2 Peter 3:11-13, Peter exhorts the saints to live holy and godly lives as they look forward to the new heavens and new earth, where righteousness dwells. The anticipation of eternal life motivates believers to pursue holiness and to remain steadfast in their faith.

The promise of eternal life is a profound and transformative aspect of the Christian faith, offering hope, assurance, and a call to live in accordance with God's will. Through faith in Jesus Christ, believers are granted the gift of eternal life, a promise that is both a present reality and a future hope.1 Timothy 4:8
For bodily exercise profits little: but godliness is profitable to all things, having promise of the life that now is, and of that which is to come.
Torrey's Topical Textbook

2 Timothy 1:1
Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, according to the promise of life which is in Christ Jesus,
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Titus 1:2
In hope of eternal life, which God, that cannot lie, promised before the world began;
Torrey's Topical Textbook

1 John 2:25
And this is the promise that he has promised us, even eternal life.
Torrey's Topical Textbook

On Counter Promises.
... with Christ in God, ie, in that eternal life), there will ... of the apostles, entertain
the hope that the saints will eat ... it will be the bread of life, which may ...
/.../origen/origen de principiis/chapter xi on counter promises.htm

Perseverance of the Saints Proved.
... and perseverance in holiness to the end of life. ... We have seen that election is eternal;
therefore election ... Again: Christians and saints, and the children and ...
/.../finney/systematic theology/lecture xlviii perseverance of the.htm

Perseverance of Saints.
... Can the assurance of eternal salvation through the blood ... nevertheless the sheet anchor
of the saints in hours ... be deprived of the bread of life, because sinners ...
/.../finney/systematic theology/lecture l perseverance of saints.htm

Twenty-Sixth Lesson. I have Prayed for Thee;'
... to continue His work, after the power of the eternal life. ... it unto the prayers of
all the saints upon the ... by giving and maintaining His prayer-life within them ...
/.../with christ in the school of prayer/twenty-sixth lesson i have prayed.htm

Faith and Life
... Once aliens, but now fellow-citizens with the saints and of ... people; for, "Ye are
dead, and your life is hid ... One with Jesus, by eternal union one, married to him ...
/.../spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 10 1864/faith and life.htm

The Kingdom Given to the Saints at the Resurrection of the Just.
... which the righteous dead and the living saints are made ... when it said: "And also I
have established my ... of the dead Israel, whose lot is eternal life, and those ...
/.../bliss/a brief commentary on the apocalypse/the kingdom given to the.htm

The Fifth Season,
... The appetites of saints after earthly things should not be ... are your best security
for eternal life; and it ... God, and the sweet experiences which have gone along ...
//christianbookshelf.org/flavel/on keeping the heart/v the fifth season.htm

The Importance of Leading a Heavenly Life Upon Earth.
... when he is sitting upon a case of life and death ... he is taking a survey of his eternal
rest, give ... and this employment is one of the saints' chief preservatives ...
/.../baxter/the saints everlasting rest/chapter xi the importance of.htm

Vision Second. Again, of his Neglect in Chastising his Talkative ...
... up are the days of repentance to all the saints; but to ... These have saved you, if
you remain stedfast ... every form of wickedness, and will abide unto eternal life. ...
/.../pastor/the pastor books first second third/vision second again of his.htm

Another Mode of Justification
... For St. Peter St. Paul, and saints like them cannot boast that God owes them eternal
life for their martyrdom, nor have they relied on their works ...
/.../melanchthon/the apology of the augsburg confession/part 9 another mode of.htm

What is the water of life? | GotQuestions.org

Questions about the Christian Life (All) | GotQuestions.org

Is there life after death? | GotQuestions.org

Life: Dictionary and Thesaurus | Clyx.com

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