“And this is eternal life, that they know You the only true God,
and Jesus Christ whom You have sent.”
(John 17:3)
The Word of God teaches that eternal life is the opportunity believers have to live forever with Christ in glory under the gaze and favor of the living God. This priceless gift is ours as the result of a personal relationship with the true God and Jesus Christ whom He has sent. And without this relationship, eternal life is not possible.
The character, nature, and glory of God, as well as what He requires from us in order that we might know Him, is clearly revealed in Scripture. And yet, knowing what the Bible says about God is not the same as knowing God. Knowledge alone is not salvation, and biblical literacy is not spiritual life.
In other words, it is possible to accumulate biblical facts, memorize doctrines, and even learn the principles found in Scripture while remaining spiritually dead. Eternal life is awarded only to those who come to know God through a personal, covenantal relationship with the risen Redeemer.
One may be successful, influential, and seemingly self-sufficient. But unless they have been redeemed by the blood of the Lamb, they have no hope of eternal life. Sadly, they also have no purpose. For even the purpose of life here on earth is not found in self-expression, ambition, or legacy. We were made to glorify God and to enjoy Him forever. “All other teachings and righteousnesses belong to death, since outside of this righteousness there is no life but only death.”[1]
The Father appointed the Son from all eternity to redeem those He chose in Him before the foundation of the world (Eph. 1:4). And the eternal Son took upon Himself human flesh, submitted to the law, bore the curse, and rose again to secure eternal life for His people.
And now, by the Word of God and the operation of the Spirit, sinners are brought to a saving knowledge of the Father through the Son. That is to say, through Christ we come to know God. In Christ, we find life. And because of Christ, we will live forever.
Contemplation:
- Knowing about or knowing truly. I often mistake familiarity with truth for a relationship with God. I read the Bible, I hear good teaching, and I even agree with it. But do I know the God of that truth? Do I commune with Him, walk with Him, trust Him, and submit to Him? I don’t want a cold orthodoxy; I want living fellowship with the living God through His Son.
- The purpose of my life. I admit that I sometimes live as if my goals, dreams, or work are the true ends of my life. But the Bible reminds me that glorifying God and enjoying Him forever is why I exist. If I lose that purpose, I gain nothing in life. I want every breath I take to move me closer toward God and magnifying His Son.
- Jesus, the only Mediator. I try too often to approach God by my own works, feelings, or knowledge. But only through the work of Christ can I come to the Father. Jesus is the only bridge across the gulf of my sin. He is not just a guide; He’s my Savior. He’s not just an option; He’s our only hope.
- Gratitude for eternal life. I did not choose God; He chose me and drew me to Christ. He gave me His Word, and through it He gave me life. That I know Him at all is grace upon grace. I want to spend the rest of my life thanking Him not only with words, but with joyful obedience and holy reverence.
Prayer (Thanksgiving):
Father of all mercy, I thank You. I thank You that You made Yourself known. You opened the heavens and spoke to Your people. More than that, You made the way of life clear. You revealed Yourself through Your Son.
Thank You, Lord, that eternal life is not a mystery shrouded in uncertainty. It is not earned nor discovered by the strength of man. It is found in Christ alone, whom You freely offered. I praise You that He is the Savior, the Mediator, the Word made flesh.
You gave Him from eternity and appointed Him to bring many sons to glory. You gave Him a people to redeem, a work to finish, a kingdom to establish. And I, an undeserving sinner, am blessed to be part of that redemptive plan.
Thank You for the incarnation. Thank You that the Son, co-equal with You, took on flesh and walked among us. Thank You that He obeyed where I failed, that He suffered where I deserved judgment, that He rose so I might live.
I thank You that this salvation is personal. You brought me near. You called me by name. You opened my heart, like Lydia of old, to attend to the Word of grace. You have shown me that life is found not in success or pleasure but in the knowledge of You through Christ.
Thank You that You made me to know You. Thank You that, though I was dead in trespasses and sins, You made me alive with Christ. Thank You for eternal life—not only the hope of heaven, but the joy of communion with You now.
Let me never grow cold in this knowledge. Let me never lose sight of this mercy. Let me live every day in thankfulness for Your grace, walking in joyful obedience, offering back to You the life You purchased. Let my soul praise You even in the night and my lips speak of Your righteousness all day long.
You are good. You are true. You are faithful. And I will bless Your name forever.
In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.
Further Scripture References for John 17:3:
1 John 5:20; John 17:8; Hos. 6:3; Mark 12:29; John 11:27; 1 John 5:11.
[1] Martin Luther, Luther’s Works, Vol. 17: Lectures on Isaiah: Chapters 40-66, ed. Jaroslav Jan Pelikan, Hilton C. Oswald, and Helmut T. Lehmann, vol. 17 (Saint Louis, MO: Concordia Publishing House, 1999), 252.
