Many places in Scripture we find these words "everlasting life," and it appears that they are interpreted differently by some who read them. The Greek word in question is aionios, and is mostly translated everlasting, or eternal. It means endless, perpetual, or ever enduring, and is used in Scripture to describe persons and things of that character.

We will concern ourselves only with the "life" that is everlasting in this short treatise. First, the source of this life is God, and it is revealed in His Son, Jesus Christ (1 John 1:4; 1 John 5:11,12,20). God sent His Son into the world that man might also have this life which is eternal (John 3:16).

The moment a man believes on the Lord Jesus Christ as his personal Saviour, trusting Him and His finished work on Calvary completely for salvation, eternal life is received as the gift of God (Rom. 6:23). Thus, everlasting life is the actual present possession of every child of God (1 John 5:13; John 3:36). It is a new, divine life received at new birth, that will never end (John 5:24). The life has no beginning nor end itself, for it was always in Christ, the eternal One. However, the believer knows a beginning as to participation in it and possession of it, but will know no end, for it is everlasting life (John 17:3).

It is impossible for anyone who has received eternal life as a gift from God to ever lose it or have it taken from him, for then it would not be eternal (John 10:28,29). Every believer has everlasting life now, and he always will have it. Scripture is very clear in regard to this most blessed truth, especially as seen in the apostle John's writings, and supported throughout the whole of God's Word. Any apparent contradiction one might find is only a misunderstanding of the context of the portion. But let there be no mistake about this, dear believer, "For God so loved he world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but HAVE EVERLASTING LIFE" (John 3:16).

It is interesting to note that the apostle Paul refers to the "hope of eternal life" (Titus 1:2; 3:7). The teaching here is that though the believer has everlasting life as a present possession, he will only fully realize and enter into its complete blessedness when in the presence of the eternal Saviour in glory. In this sense it is also a future possession, to be enjoyed by every child of God in the soon-coming realm of eternal life in heaven.

—T.D.J.