Natural life is associated with natural birth: "That which is born of the flesh is flesh." Spiritual life, that is, life communicated by the Spirit of God, is connected with new birth: "That which is born of the Spirit is Spirit" (John 3:6). Christ Himself is the source of this life: "In Him was life" (John 1:4).

Terms such as "divine life," "spiritual life," and "eternal life" mean the same thing.

It is "divine," as coming from God—"According as His divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him that hath called us to glory and virtue" (2 Peter 1:3).

It is "spiritual life," in contrast with physical or natural life—"Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God" (John 3:5).

It is "eternal life," in contrast with natural life which begins and ends in time—"And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of My hand" (John 10:28).

These expressions always mean the life that God communicates to men through His Son, and by the Holy Spirit. We are recipients of that life at new birth: "Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ is born of God" (1 John 5:1), and "He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life" (John 3:36). Faith is the principle upon which this life is received (John 20:31). Every soul born of God possesses this eternal life—"These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life" (1 John 5:13). The life will develop in God's children as they grow (2 Peter 3:18), but it is always eternal life—in the weakest child of God or in the most advanced.

—A.E. Booth