Eternal Life

What is the Meaning of Eternal Life? Why Does This Matter?

Apologetic Message Series for Relentless Youth

Prepared by Kevin S. Johnson

John 3:16 “Forever”

Forever seems like a long time.

One time I went to Blockbusters and asked if I could rent Batman Forever...

The man at the counter said, “NO! You can only rent it for the week”!

What is the Meaning of Eternal Life?

Eternal Life | Death | Meaning

Eternal Life

Eternal Death and the Lake Of Fire

Meaning - Inescapable Certain Future

Eternal Life

Eternal Life.

Mode of existence referred to in Scripture characterized by either timelessness or endlessness, and especially by a qualitative difference from mortal life.

God’s gift to those who are obedient and follow Him, is this eternal life. Life without Ending. FOREVER

It is referring to “The age which is to come.”

The primary elements in the concept of eternal life clearly shows that it is not simply an endless or everlasting life. Although there are no final boundaries to eternal life, the Bible’s primary emphasis is on the quality of life, especially its redemptive elements. Eternal life is the importation (bringing of goods, services, from a distant location, for the benefit of it’s recipients) of the qualities of the age to come into the present.

Eternal Life Not Just To Come

John 17:3 “Eternal Life is to Know You”

John 17:3 ESV

And this is eternal life, that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent.

The original sense of this statement is “To Know (Experientially)” γινώσκωσι

You can experience this eternal life NOW on this side of mortality in the flesh, through KNOWING and EXPERIENCING GOD

John 14:6 “I AM the WAY, the TRUTH, and the LIFE!”

Life, and everything that GIVES LIFE, is HIM!

To KNOW HIM is to KNOW HOW TO LIVE!

So what about the opposite of Life?

Daniel 12:2

LAKE OF FIRE (λίμνη του̂ πυρός, limnē tou pyros).

Lake of Fire. Final abode of Satan, his servants, and unrepentant human beings.

This place is mentioned only in Revelation 19:20; 20:10, 14, 15; 21:8, but it's terrible nature is abundantly clear.

It is described as a lake of fire or lake of burning sulphur into which are cast Revelation 20:10

Revelation 20:10 ESV

and the devil who had deceived them was thrown into the lake of fire and sulfur where the beast and the false prophet were, and they will be tormented day and night forever and ever.

(1) the “beast” and his “false prophet” after the Lamb defeats them,

(2) Satan after his last rebellion,

(3) Death and Hades Revelation 20:14

Revelation 20:14 ESV

Then Death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire.

(4) all whose names are not found in the “book of life.” It is called the second death, for it is the ultimate separation from God beyond the resurrection and final judgment. Revelation 20:15

Revelation 20:15 ESV

And if anyone’s name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.

Why Is Eternal Death, Living Forever? And Not Dead Nothingness?

Revelation 20:10;15

Revelation 20:10 ESV

and the devil who had deceived them was thrown into the lake of fire and sulfur where the beast and the false prophet were, and they will be tormented day and night forever and ever.

Revelation 20:15 ESV

And if anyone’s name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.

Jesus, He’s a cool guy. This Hell for eternal punishment doesn’t sound like the Jesus that sat with sinners and ate with them.

Matthew 25:31-46

Emphasis on Matthew 25:41-46

Matthew 25:41–46 ESV

“Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. For I was hungry and you gave me no food, I was thirsty and you gave me no drink, I was a stranger and you did not welcome me, naked and you did not clothe me, sick and in prison and you did not visit me.’ Then they also will answer, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not minister to you?’ Then he will answer them, saying, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to me.’ And these will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.”

Why?

Sin is:

More serious than we realize!

the revolt against God is more serious than we think it is. An insurrection against an infinitely worthy Creator is an infinitely heinous offense. We know something of this intuitively. This is why, in our human sentences of justice, we sentence a man to one punishment for threatening to kill his co-worker and another man to a much more severe punishment for threatening to kill the nation’s president.

Imagine getting a 300 year sentence, and then during that the new millennium.

Sin Does NOT Disappear!

The sinner in hell does not become morally neutral upon his sentence to hell. We must not imagine the damned displaying gospel repentance and longing for the presence of Christ. They do indeed, as in the story of the rich man and Lazarus

Luke 16:19-31

Luke 16:19–31 ESV

“There was a rich man who was clothed in purple and fine linen and who feasted sumptuously every day. And at his gate was laid a poor man named Lazarus, covered with sores, who desired to be fed with what fell from the rich man’s table. Moreover, even the dogs came and licked his sores. The poor man died and was carried by the angels to Abraham’s side. The rich man also died and was buried, and in Hades, being in torment, he lifted up his eyes and saw Abraham far off and Lazarus at his side. And he called out, ‘Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus to dip the end of his finger in water and cool my tongue, for I am in anguish in this flame.’ But Abraham said, ‘Child, remember that you in your lifetime received your good things, and Lazarus in like manner bad things; but now he is comforted here, and you are in anguish. And besides all this, between us and you a great chasm has been fixed, in order that those who would pass from here to you may not be able, and none may cross from there to us.’ And he said, ‘Then I beg you, father, to send him to my father’s house— for I have five brothers—so that he may warn them, lest they also come into this place of torment.’ But Abraham said, ‘They have Moses and the Prophets; let them hear them.’ And he said, ‘No, father Abraham, but if someone goes to them from the dead, they will repent.’ He said to him, ‘If they do not hear Moses and the Prophets, neither will they be convinced if someone should rise from the dead.’ ”

Seek for an escape from punishment, but they are not new creations. They do not in hell love the Lord their God with heart, mind, soul, and strength.

Instead, in hell, one is now handed over to the full display of his nature apart from grace. And this nature is seen to be satanic (John 8:44). The condemnation continues forever and ever, because the sin does too. Hell is the final “handing over” (Romans 1) of the rebel to who he wants to be, and it’s awful.

But What Does It All MEAN?

Story Reprieve Ending

Ever have something coming up that you CAN’T AVOID!

Introverts Nightmare!

There is a Fear that in a healthy manner, should grip you.

No one escapes judgment.

Everyone enters into eternity

Either With God having received his forgiveness of sins through CHRISTS Sacrifice and payment. Which only He could pay.

Or we keep the penalty and punishment of our eternal sin which we suffer unending eternal damnation, suffering, and death without ceasing, along with every other demon and wicked person throughout all of history.

Eternal Life Is Both FOR TODAY and FOREVER

Through EXPERIENTIALLY KNOWING GOD now day to day And Knowing and BEING KNOWN By Him Forever in The Age To Come Or Everlasting Punishment for Sin that could’ve been wiped clean by saying Yes, To Jesus

God sends no one to Hell and punishment.

Mankind willingly walks through the front doors

The decision isn’t waiting for you. Sin and this fallen world would love to take you out BEFORE you can make your choice.

And there is a day when Christ will return. You, having heard the gospel but not following it, will forever have missed your chance.

Like the rich man and lazarus.