(a 14-minute podcast)
If God sent God’s Son into this world so that we might have eternal life, then it’s absolutely crucial that we understand what John meant by “eternal life.” Now you might think that the answer is obvious. Perhaps you grew up with the same understanding of eternal life I did. I was told that God sent God’s son in to the world so that if we believe in him, when we die we would go to heaven and live with God forever. In other words, eternal life means going to heaven after death and living forever in God’s presence.
And if you, like me, grew up with the King James Version, that understanding seems right on target. Do you remember how the KJV translates these last two words? “Everlasting Life.” Now “everlasting” means lasting forever with no end or death. So once again it would seem that John is talking about a life with God after death in heaven that never ends. But as you may suspect by now, there is more to the phrase “eternal life” than we might think.
The Greek words John chose are zoen aionion. The zoen part of that phrase means “life.” The aionion part comes from the word aeon from which we get our word “eon” as in a set period of time with distinctive characteristics. For example, we might speak of the Greek eon referring to that period of history when Greek culture was prevalent and influential in the world. So literally what eternal life means in John’s Gospel is a life lived in a certain age/eon. Now what age would that be? Jesus claimed that with him the tide of history had turned. With him the old age dominated by sin, greed, fear, death, and violence was coming to an end and a new age, what he called the Kingdom of God, had dawned. So eternal life means a life lived in the new age of God’s Kingdom. The phrase contrasts life as lived by the world (controlled by the evil principalities and powers) with a life lived out of a relationship with God and according to God’s will. It is a life that is full and overflowing. Jesus said that he came to bring abundant life—a full and joyful life that the world knows nothing about. It is a life lived on a higher plane—a life centered in an interactive relationship with God and with Jesus. Brian McLaren defines it as “an extraordinary life lived to the full in relationship with God.”
Later in John’s Gospel, Jesus gives a similar definition of eternal life in his “high priest” prayer: “This is eternal life: that they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent.” (John 17:3) We should remember that in Scripture “to know” often means to experience and to be in relationship with. (In the Hebrew Scriptures it can even mean a type of intimate knowledge/experience involving sexual intercourse. Genesis 4:1 states that “Adam knew his wife Eve and she conceived and bore Cain.”) So to have eternal life is to experience and to be in an interactive relationship with God and Jesus. That’s why John maintains that eternal life begins in the here and now. Right now we can experience and be in a relationship with God. And because God loves us, we can trust that this experience and relationship will never end. So, yes, eternal life is “everlasting,” but it’s everlasting because it is sharing in the life of God in Christ. In the New Testament the focus of eternal life is not on how long it lasts—the focus is on the quality of that kind of life. If eternal life is sharing in the life of God in Christ, then it is a life overflowing with love, joy, peace, compassion, forgiveness, mercy, truth, and sharing. It is living according to the nature of God we see in Christ. Remember that Jesus’ ethical teachings were unique. He called us to live a certain way and do certain things not because God commands us to do so, but because that’s the way God is. We are to be like the God we see in Jesus. Such a life flows from our relationship with God in Christ. That is the real import of eternal life—it reflects the qualities of God. It is a life lived right now because we have entered God’s Kingdom and trust God with our destiny. Such a life goes on beyond death because God’s love and faithfulness will never abandon us. But such an “everlasting” life must of necessity be a life which reflects the nature of God we see in Christ.
Now let’s switch gears for a moment and look at one other passage which refers to eternal life. (Read Matthew 25:31-46.) We need to note the context of our passage. It begins with a gathering of all the “nations” before the throne of God at the time of judgment. The term translated “nations” is the Greek word used by Jews for pagan gentiles. It is the Greek equivalent of the Jewish term goyyim. So, the ones being gathered for judgment are the gentile pagans. Jesus is not referring here to Jews, his followers, or Jewish proselytes and gentile converts to Christianity. He is referring to pagan gentiles. There was some debate within Judaism regarding the eternal fate of these pagans. Many ancient Jewish texts express concern for “righteous gentiles.” There were many Jews scattered throughout the Roman Empire who lived in contact with pagans. And these Jews observed that, despite their idolatry, some pagans were genuinely good people. Was it fair for them to be eternally damned?
Jesus seems to address this question in our passage, and he does so in a most surprising way. He says that those pagan gentiles who feed the hungry, welcome the stranger, clothe the naked, visit the sick, and minister to those in prison are allowed to enter into “eternal life.” He goes on to say that all those in need in this world are his brothers and sisters. Even though they have no conscious relationship with him, they are his representatives. When they are cared for, he is cared for. Although those pagan gentiles did not know it, they were serving Christ by helping those with whom he identified. Brian McLaren says that perhaps we could call them “anonymous Christians.” I think there are many anonymous Christians in this world. They are ministering to Christ as they care for others, and they don’t even know it. But God knows it—God knows what is in their hearts. They already possess eternal life in a limited way. (Do I have to tell you that this is one more passage which speaks to whether you have to believe in Jesus in the Evangelical sense to be “saved”? Here Matthew presents pagans from all over the world who enter eternal life. Our often rigid ideas about judgment, heaven, hell, and salvation are too limited even for the Bible!)
So if this passage is about pagan gentiles, does this let us Christians off the hook? Does this mean we don’t have to feed the hungry, clothe the naked, welcome the stranger, minister to the sick, and visit those in prison? Is Jesus demanding more from pagans who have never heard of him than he demands from his own followers? Of course not. This passage presents what God expects from those who have never heard of Jesus. We might call this the bare minimum of being like God. (As I write that last sentence a cold chill goes up my spine. How many Christians, including me, live up to this bare minimum?) The followers of Jesus are expected to live a fuller Christ-like life. Did you notice there was nothing in Matthew 25 about loving your enemies or taking up your cross daily and following Jesus? It’s not there because Jesus is referring to pagan gentiles who have not encountered God’s great revelation in Christ. As Jesus’ followers we are expected to love our enemies and take up our cross as we follow him. Matthew has already made it plain that as followers of Jesus we will be judged by the criteria established by the Sermon on the Mount and other teachings of Jesus. It is assumed that we will do all we hear in Matthew 25—that is the bare minimum. As followers of Jesus more is expected of us. We are to seek first the Kingdom of God and its righteousness/justice before everything else in this life—including our country, our families, and even our own selves. That’s why it breaks my heart to see churches who don’t even understand that feeding the hungry is the bare minimum—the bare minimum not for us, but for those who don’t even know Jesus. Feeding the hungry and much more is expected of us who claim to know and love the Lord.
So does this mean that we must earn eternal life? No. It comes to us as we experience and enter into a relationship with God through Christ. But if we know God and are in a relationship with God which surpasses all other attachments, commitments, and allegiances, then out of that shared life with God we will live a God-like life as modeled by Jesus. Eternal life is God’s gift, but it is a gift that must be received, allowed to grow, and bear fruit. (I believe it was Jesus who said, “You will know them by their fruit.”)
So what is eternal life? It is a life lived in the Kingdom of God—a life characterized by what we see in Jesus—a life full and overflowing as we join God in this radical eon of the Kingdom breaking into time and space where all things become new, whole, healed, and redeemed. It is a quality of life worthy of being everlasting because it is of, through, and with God.
[Although much of what I have written in this sermon series reflects my own interpretation of the Bible and my own theology, there are parts that have been influenced by the writings of Brian McLaren. I highly recommend his books to anyone who wants to become more informed and more committed in their discipleship. If you choose to read his books, I recommend you start with The Secret Message of Jesus which was one of his earlier books. If you want a real treat and your mind and heart stretched, read his latest book entitled The Great Spiritual Migration which is absolutely amazing.]
