You've Got Eternal Life!

"I write these things to you who believe

in the name of the Son of God,

so that you may know that you have eternal life."

(From 1 John 5:9-13)

Elaine's mother had a household rule: never call between 7:00 and 7:30!

Jeopardy! is on!

I wonder if her mother got to the pearly gates, asked St. Peter which room Jeopardy! was on at 7:00.

There's a big difference between heaven's’ pearly gates and eternal life 

The Bible describes heaven as mainly God's dwelling place.

As Cleland Boyd McAfee describes in his hymn, “There is a place of quiet rest, near to the heart of God.”

It’s where Elijah was taken in a whirlwind and the Spirit in Revelation 14:13 says, “they will rest from their labor.”

In heaven, God is surrounded by angels in a community of peace, love, and worship.

Eternal life is something very different.

In John 3:16 and in 1 John 5:13, eternal life isn’t referring only to life beyond the grave.

Eternal life is full life, now and in the world to come.

Both the Gospel of John and 1 John understand eternal life to be a present reality as well as future promise for those who believe in Jesus Christ. 

“Life” in this sense has to do with a quality of existence that death cannot destroy.

That is, it is “eternal,” not in the sense of lasting forever, but in its quality, in its appearance here and now.

Recognize God’s life-giving Spirit among us reveals the eternal life we already have.

It’s like Elaine’s mother sitting before the TV watching Jeopardy! excited at one winner, but disappointed at another.

God’s life-giving Spirit among us is God’s gift of eternal life.