Christians Have Eternal Life (Without Beginning or End)
Why is that important – Because it clarifies whose life we have been given. It’s not Everlasting (with a beginning, but no end) – because that would just be your life, prolonged.
The idea that Christians have eternal life is sadly overlooked by the church and it causes us to fail to understand what we really have been given. What does the word “eternal” mean? It means WITHOUT beginning or end. God is eternal. We all know that as Christians we have everlasting life (no end) but did you know that we also have life without a beginning? The life we received when we put our faith in Jesus is not our life prolonged, but Jesus’ life in us. We get His life! That’s what God sees when He looks at us. Jesus. Not our old self and our current battle with sin.
Let’s go back to the word “eternal”. How can I say you had no beginning? I could only say that if the life you now live is Christ’s life. Yes, that’s what you have and this is not just symbolic.
[1 John 5:13] These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, so that you may know that you have ETERNAL life.
[John 10:28] and I give ETERNAL life to them, and they will never perish; and no one will snatch them out of My hand.
Eternal life is about a life that was lost in the garden, and how that life is NOW restored to us in Jesus Christ. It’s a flesh life. It’s a Spiritual life. The new Spirit you have been given is Jesus.
So it’s really important that when we say we have eternal life that we realize not only what we have been given but also WHO we have been given. We have a person. We have Jesus living in us. It’s the life you now have!
In Galatians 2:20 Paul said “I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.
Again, this is NOT symbolic. The old you is dead. The new is here. God does NOT see your struggles with sin when He looks at you. He sees His son. This is why I can so boldly say we can’t out sin the grace of God, or where sin increased grace abounded all the more (Rom 5:20).
Thanks be to God for our new life in Jesus!
Author: Mike Cynar
Mike Cynar was raised in a church setting where he frequently noticed that many attendees would eventually drift away. The church labeled these individuals as ‘back sliders’ or ‘fake Christians’ just looking for ‘fire insurance’. However, Mike realized the issue was rarely with these individuals but instead with the church’s message itself. The teachings heavily emphasized behavior improvement and one’s flaws, with only a fleeting mention of one’s identity in Christ. It felt as though every sermon was tailored to the church of Corinth, who as we know or committing sins that even unbelievers don’t partake in. This trend was noticeable not just in one denomination, but across Baptist, Catholic, Pentecostal, and many other churches. Upon understanding the true essence of the gospel – that our righteousness comes from Jesus’ actions, not our own – Mike was inspired to liberate believers from lifeless sermons and reconnect them with the genuine teachings of Jesus. He believes that one can nurture a vibrant and growing bond with Jesus, unhindered by rigid religious practices. And thus, “Jesus Without Religion” was born.
It turns out that it is grace that leads to repentance. And if our heart is to get others to walk in the Spirit and live a godly life, then the best approach is not a beat down sermon, but rather to remind other that it is only when we understand our true identity in Christ that we will live it out. Yes, it’s true, if you’re convinced that God thinks you’re a dirty sinner, you will ultimately continue a lifestyle that mirrors that view, but if you truly believe that even on your worst day, you are called holy, sanctified, justified, and will be presented blameless in the end, well, it turns out this is the secret to living out on the outside what has been worked in to the inside.
