8/25/2025 Daily Devotion: But ... What Actually Is Eternal Life?

John 3:14-17 NASB - As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up; so that whoever believes will in Him have eternal life. For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life. For God did not send the Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world might be saved through Him.

John 17:1-3 NASB - Jesus spoke these things; and lifting up His eyes to heaven, He said, “Father, the hour has come; glorify Your Son, that the Son may glorify You, even as You gave Him authority over all flesh, that to all whom You have given Him, He may give eternal life. This is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent.”

John 3:16 is the most well known verse in the Bible and 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!

• Jesus coming is the central theme of the entire Bible … the central theme of all of HISTORY! And this verse tells us WHY Jesus came! … Jesus came SO THAT you and I could have Eternal Life.

But … what IS 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 17:3 … 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.

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

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

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, except 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!