The Holy Nation
Today’s Focus: Concept of Eternal Life in the Kingdom of God
Scripture: John 17:1-3
Greetings Kingdom Citizens
Now the question we left off the last message with was, is it possible to have eternal life in the earth, right now? Before we answer we need to know what our perception of eternal life is. For the majority of people, eternal life is the life after we leave this world. Many see eternal life in Heaven. However, what does the Bible say? Moreover what did our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ say eternal life is and when do we receive this life. Let’s look at this set of scriptures:
John 17:1-3: These words spake Jesus, and lifted up His eyes to heaven, and said, Father, the hour is come; glorify thy Son, that thy Son also may glorify thee: As thou hast given Him power over all flesh, that He SHOULD GIVE ETERNAL LIFE TO AS MANY AS THOU HAST GIVEN HIM. AND THIS IS LIFE ETERNAL, THAT THEY MIGHT KNOW THEE, THE ONLY TRUE GOD, AND JESUS CHRIST, WHOM THOU HAST SENT.
Now the first part of this scripture says that Jesus Christ has been given power to give eternal life to all of those whom the Father has given to Him. Now the revelation and this is good. The scripture tells you what eternal life is: They (the sons and saints) shall know the Father and the Son, Jesus Christ who the Father sent. So nothing about this scripture says future tense. Very simple, Jesus gives eternal life to those who know the Father and the Son. As simple as that may sound we have made it this extravagant future life. Eternal life is available to us on Earth NOW! Yes, it is available now to everyone that calls on the name of Jesus and is reconciled back to the Father. Do not let anyone fool you about this. This is the words of the Lord.
Remember we talked and discussed extensively about the components of mankind being flesh, spirit and soul. Remember our spirit is who we truly are. We are spirits enclosed in flesh. Our flesh is simply our housing, it is not who we are. This is why Paul could tell the church at Galatia in Galatians 3:28 that there is neither Jew nor Greek, bond nor free, male nor female. All of these things correspond to the flesh. But He tells them that we are all one in Christ. The key word is in Christ and we will look at this in the next message.
Romans 8:14,16: For as many as are led by the Spirit of God they are the sons of God. 16-The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit that we are the children of God.
Question, do the children of God have eternal life? Of course, if they are in the image and after the likeness then if the Father is eternal, the children must be eternal. What religion has done is made eternal life a future reality and not a present day reality and when it is a future reality how are you to walk eternally today? The Kingdom of God is an eternal government. The House of God is a eternal family. Our fellowship is not a carnal relationship but an eternal relationship with Holy Spirit who assembles us in the Body of Christ. So everything about understanding eternal life is understanding that we are spirits enclosed in flesh. Until we migrate to spirit first, flesh last mentality we will always question our salvation and whether we have eternal life. Jesus said that the devil savours the things of man and not the things of God. Hence he entices us with worldly riches and pleasurable things of this world to get our concentration from being lead by the Spirit to being lead by the flesh.
In the next message we will continue our discussion on the concept of eternal life.
At Our Father’s Service,
Elder Calvin Calhoun, Jr.
