What is eternal life?
Quick Answer
Eternal life is the gift of endless, unbreakable fellowship with God through faith in Jesus Christ - beginning now and continuing forever in the resurrection.
Understanding Eternal Life
Eternal life is more than endless existence - it is a quality of life defined by knowing God and Jesus Christ (John 17:3). This life begins the moment a person believes in Christ, not at death or resurrection. Believers already possess eternal life as a present reality while awaiting its fullest expression in the age to come. Eternal life is the opposite of perishing (John 3:16) and stands in contrast to eternal death. It is characterized by fellowship with God, freedom from sin's penalty and power, and ultimate freedom from sin's presence. Eternal life cannot be earned; it is received as a gift through faith. Once received, it cannot be lost - believers are secure in Christ. The final state of eternal life involves resurrected bodies, a new creation, and the unending enjoyment of God's presence.
In the Old Testament
The Old Testament speaks less explicitly of eternal life, focusing more on covenant blessings in this life and the continuation of one's name through descendants. Yet glimpses appear: the tree of life in Eden (Genesis 2-3), Enoch walking with God and being taken (Genesis 5:24), resurrection hope in Daniel (12:2), and Psalmists expressing confidence in God's presence beyond death (Psalm 16:11, 73:24). The phrase 'eternal life' does not appear in the Old Testament, but the hope of ongoing relationship with God does.
In the New Testament
Eternal life becomes a central theme in Jesus' teaching, especially in John's Gospel where the phrase appears 17 times. Jesus defines it as knowing the Father and Son (John 17:3). It is received through faith (John 3:16, 36), and those who have it will never perish (John 10:28). Paul contrasts eternal life (the gift of God) with death (the wages of sin) in Romans 6:23. First John emphasizes that eternal life is bound up with having the Son - no Christ, no life. The hope of eternal life in the age to come motivates perseverance through present sufferings (Titus 1:2, 3:7).
Key Scripture References
“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”
Read full commentary →John 17:3“And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.”
Read full commentary →John 10:28“And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand.”
Read full commentary →Romans 6:23“For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.”
Read full commentary →1 John 5:11-12“And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life.”
Read full commentary →John 5:24“Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.”
Read full commentary →Related Concepts
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