5/5/2025 Daily Devotion: Jesus' Definition Is Better

John 17:3 - “And this is eternal life, that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent.”

John 3:16 tells us that God so LOVED the World that He GAVE Jesus to die for our sins & conquer death SO THAT whoever would put their FAITH in Him would have ETERNAL LIFE!

• How do we most often explain Eternal Life? … living in Heaven forever?

• For God so loved the world that He gave His Son, so that whoever believes in Him would not perish but … live in Heaven forever.

• That’s how we often think about it … right? If we’re honest … isn’t that how we explain it to non-believers? “If you died today, are you sure you’d go to Heaven? …”

That is not how Jesus defines Eternal Life!

Jesus defines ETERNAL LIFE for us here in John 17 … He literally says “this is what eternal life is” … no parable, no metaphor, no simile … This. Is. Eternal. Life.

• And how does Jesus define eternal life? … TO KNOW GOD.

• Doesn’t that bring so much more LIFE to John 3:16?!?!

• For God so loved the world that He gave His Son, so that whoever believes in Him would not perish but … KNOW GOD.

The Christian life is not simply deciding to pre-register a reservation for yourself in Heaven … the Christian life is the opportunity to KNOW GOD HIMSELF and grow in relationship WITH HIM.

• The Christian life is not an investment that kicks in when you die … it is a RELATIONSHIP that starts now!

• If you have put your full Faith in Jesus … ETERNAL LIFE has already begun for you!

A limited view of Eternal Life creates a Christian who isn’t really sure what to do before Heaven but tell people about Heaven being better than Hell … a FULL view of Eternal Life as Jesus describes it creates a Christian passionately developing a relationship with God Himself and introducing people directly to Him!