The Special of the Day… From the Orange Moon Cafe…
"Eternal Life - The Essence"
The Lord Jesus Christ declared the essence of eternal life to be a relationship rather than a durationship.
"This is life eternal, that they might know Thee, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom Thou hast sent" (John 17:3)
Certainly, those who know God through faith in the Savior will enjoy the grace of "your heart shall live forever" (Psalm 22:26). However, the Who we will know in that forever far transcends in glory the everlastingness of our existence. We will know God the Father, through God the Son, as revealed in our hearts by God the Holy Spirit. In fact, such relationship has already begun for born again believers in the Lord Jesus.
"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" (I John 5:13; emphasis added).
Our hearts are not waiting for eternal life in Heaven. We already "have eternal life," again, in its essence of relationship and fellowship with God. The experience is presently limited as we "walk by faith, not by sight" (II Corinthians 5:7). It is real and living nevertheless as "the Spirit Himself beareth witness with our spirit that we are the children of God" (Romans 8:16). Indeed, ask any born again believer in the Lord Jesus, "Do you know God?" The saint will answer, not in arrogance, but in the deepest humility, "Yes, I do. And even more, in the most marvelous grace and mercy, He knows me as His trusting child in Christ." As the Apostle Paul wrote to even the wayward Galatian believers, "After that ye have known God, or rather are known of God" (Galatians 4:9).
We must have much confidence in our Heavenly Father's relating to us, and also a more challenging truth to believe, our Christ-enabled capability to relate in response to Him. Our experience ebbs and flows in this present life, based to a significant degree on our expectation. Do we believe we presently "have eternal life," that is, the real relationship with God that constitutes its essence? Is the indwelling Holy Spirit capable of overcoming our native fleshly inclination to run from God rather than to Him? He most certainly is. In fact, the Spirit resides in our hearts for the primary purpose of leading us in fellowship with the Father, through the Son. "The communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all" sought the Apostle Paul for the Corinthians, seeking our Father's grace revealed in the Spirit's ability to motivate and empower our walk with God as we trust and submit to Him (II Corinthians 13:14).
Believers know nothing yet as we ought to know (I Corinthians 8:2). We do know God, however. One cannot be a believer apart from this most sublime reason for our existence and salvation. Take a moment and prayerfully ponder this. Then, in much humility, but also much confidence, arise in the expectation of our Father's drawing us to Himself for fellowship through the Spirit, by His Word, with His children, and along the providentially- ordered and allowed pathways of life. Our hope will not be disappointed because to whatever degree we rejoice in fellowship with Him, He rejoices more. Ponder that thought for another moment. Utter awe and amazement ensue, but then the determination so beautifully declared by the Psalmist who, even before the advent of the Lord Jesus and the indwelling Holy Spirit, knew the essence of eternal life…
"When Thou saidst, Seek ye My face, my heart said unto Thee, Thy face, Lord, will I seek."
(Psalm 27:8)
"And I have declared unto them Thy name, and will declare it, that the love wherewith Thou hast loved Me may be in them, and I in them."
(John 17:26)
Weekly Memory Verse
The law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death.
(Romans 8:2)
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