Eternal Life: The Believer’s Present Possession

When I was very much younger and in primary school, l learnt a song alongside my mates that helped darken my understanding of eternal life till I came face to face with the Word of Christ.

What was this song? If you passed through the Nigerian educational system, you are likely to be familiar with it. Below are the lyrics of the song.

Eternal, eternal life (2x)

I want to live eternal life

God save my soul

I want to live eternal life

God save my soul

Oh my saviour

When you want to collect your people

Remember me oh Lord (2x)

When you want to collect your people

Remember me oh Lord, my Lord

As harmless as this song looks, it gives you the impression that eternal life is a futuristic event. Something you can’t have now until Jesus returns for His people on earth.

The song also makes you believe your Saviour for one reason or the other can forget you (i.e leave you behind) on earth when He comes for His people so you need to constantly plead or beg Him not to. You need to keep begging so your name will be on the list of those He will take along with Him even though you’ve already confessed Him as your Lord and Saviour. That’s exactly the thought pattern that song forms within you as you sing it.

Over the years, I have seen believers hold strongly to these notions to the point it limited their spiritual growth and deprived them of the assurance of their Salvation.

What does the Bible really teach concerning eternal life?

Let’s start with Jesus.

Joh 3:16  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.

Joh 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. 

“He that believes in me shall have everlasting life.”

To prove to you He wasn’t making a reference to the future but at the point of Salvation, chapter 5 verse 24 of that book of John expressly tells you whoever believes in Him already has eternal life within Him. Take a look at that one more time.

Joh 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. 

Paul the apostle in his epistles puts it this way.

Rom 6:22  But now being made free from sin, and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life. 

Rom 6:23  For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. 

The word “end” in that verse 22 simply means “outcome” or “result”. Paul was simply saying in those verses “Having being made free from sin (saved), you were sanctified (made holy) and were given an eternal life.” Notice how he began that statement with “but now.” To tell you he is talking about present reality, not just some future events.

To further confirm this, the apostle John in his epistles also puts it this way.

1Jn 5:10  He that believeth on the Son of God hath the witness in himself: he that believeth not God hath made him a liar; because he believeth not the record that God gave of his Son. 

1Jn 5:11  And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. 

1Jn 5:12  He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life. 

1Jn 5:13  These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God. 

Without mincing words, John presents this beautiful truth to us telling us “He that has the Son of God in him already has eternal life within himself.”

Does this mean the believer can no longer pass through physical death?

Eternal life is much more than just living forever without dying, although it is a part of it and shall be fully activated on our mortal bodies at the return of Christ. But even more than that, it is the very life of God NOW resident within the believer, separating him from all forms of condemnation which is eternal death.

1Jn 3:14  We know that we have passed from death unto life, because we love the brethren. He that loveth not his brother abideth in death. 

The Man in Christ has eternal life. Not tomorrow, next year or even after his death. He has it now, today, this hour and minute. You have it now beloved. Be assured in this.

I hope this blesses you. Glory to God!