The Gift of Eternal Life

Nowhere in the Old Testament can we find a reference to "eternal life," but the New Testament is brimming with the phrase.  Three of the Gospels tell of a man who comes to Jesus and says, "Master, what must I do to inherit eternal life?" 

At what point did the phrase come into use?  Had Jesus already spoken of "eternal life," or had the Jews come to a concept of eternal life on their own?  In the first three Gospels, Jesus tells the rich young man, who had kept the commandments all his life, that one thing more was necessary---to sell what he had, give to the poor, and come follow Him.  Obviously, the man had not found "life" in his possessions, or he would not have been asking about 'eternal life.'

In the Gospel of John (Chapter 17), Jesus says, "Now this is eternal life, that they should know you, the only true God, and the one whom you sent, Jesus Christ."  And He said that He would give eternal life to all who the Father gave to Him.  Here, He does not speak about selling everything and giving to the poor, but only about receiving the gift He gave.  Later in Chapter 17, the night before He died, Jesus said, "I have given them Your Name, the Name that was with me from the beginning."  To know God's name is to know Him, and thus to have eternal life.

If only we knew that it is not religion but relationship that is the key to eternal life.  That God would want us to know Him is amazing.  That He would reveal to us His inmost thoughts, that He would teach us to love what He loves is miraculous.

God will reveal Himself to all who seek Him.  To cry out to Him, to ask to know Him, is to begin receiving eternal life.  He is more eager to know us, to have fellowship with us, than we are with Him.  And even in this life, we begin to taste eternal life, life that nothing can destroy.  And that life comes to us in His Son, who reveals to us His Father's Name:  ABBA!