Life came from God: Genesis 2:7. “Then the Lord God formed the man of dust from the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living creature.”
He sustains that life: Job 12:10. “In his hand is the life of every living thing and the breath of all mankind.”
Eternal life is given to those who believe:
1 John 5:10–13. “Whoever believes in the Son of God has the testimony in himself. Whoever does not believe God has made him a liar, because he has not believed in the testimony that God has borne concerning his Son. And this is the testimony, that God gave us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life. I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life.”
Jesus declared that eternal life is not about eating, drinking, or moving about . . .
John 17:1–3. When Jesus had spoken these words, he lifted up his eyes to heaven, and said, “Father, the hour has come; glorify your Son that the Son may glorify you, since you have given him authority over all flesh, to give eternal life to all whom you have given him. And this is eternal life, that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent.
The proof of knowing God and having this life is shown in the way I live:
1 John 2:3–6. And by this we know that we have come to know him, if we keep his commandments. Whoever says “I know him” but does not keep his commandments is a liar, and the truth is not in him, but whoever keeps his word, in him truly the love of God is perfected. By this we may know that we are in him: whoever says he abides in him ought to walk in the same way in which he walked.
Much more can be said about the life that God has and shares. The physical life I have is not mine to control; it is sustained by God and when the time comes, I will die. Some say suicide is ‘God playing’ because I’m not to take that matter into my own hands. Spiritual life is not mine either; it is from Him — however it involves a choice. God says in the OT:
Deuteronomy 30:19-20. “I call heaven and earth to witness against you today, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and curse. Therefore choose life, that you and your offspring may live, loving the LORD your God, obeying his voice and holding fast to him, for he is your life and length of days . . . .”
Because of sin’s power, the NT says no one seeks God. Sin makes us choose to go our own way. To solve that problems of our choice of sin over Him, He did the most remarkable thing . . .
John 15:15–16. No longer do I call you servants, for the servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all that I have heard from my Father I have made known to you. You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name, he may give it to you.
God reaches out and chooses, inviting us to respond, even enabling us to respond. In grace, we are offered eternal life. John 3:16 says it well: “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.” And this life is now, not a future gift . . .
John 5:24. Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life. He does not come into judgment but has passed from death to life.
GAZE INTO HIS GLORY. When reading these verses I feel as if I am looking at the Lord, His generous hands have reached out to me with the amazing gift of Himself and all that He is. Because His life is pure, righteous and holy, He can tell me, even expect me to be holy, righteous and pure — not in myself but in Him. And because He is life eternal, I have eternal life.
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