Alan,
Do you believe in eternal life? Most people think they do, but don't. Look in the dictionary. Eternal does not mean "from here forward" but infinitely, in BOTH directions. Webster dictionary says everlasting, perpetual, continued without intermission, timeless. Now if I believe in eternal life in that I know I have always had a spirit given me by God, and always will, but will choose to acknowledge that eternal life, or to believe in death (not life) which one of us is not taking the scripture literally? If our life is eternal, perpetual, infinite, timeless, we had it before Jesus arrived, and we are sons too. Jesus reminded us that we had fallen asleep to life, and lived in death. All we need to do to have eternal life is to understand that we already have it. So said Jesus to us, and so said Glenda the Good Witch to the Lion. Just because Eve and Sleeping Beauty ate of the carnal (bodily) apple and fell asleep doesn't mean that we cannot awaken, and release its hold over us. We are not our body. Belief in the body is belief in death, and lack of light and life. Life is spirit. Spirit is eternal. Always had it, always will. If one believes that life or spirit can be taken away, it is only a sign that one has not released the belief in death and darkness. One cannot BE and BE 'NOT' at the same time.
Belief in the reality of Jesus's body is far less important to the idea of salvation than the belief or lack of belief in our own. Jesus = He's Us. Consuming the body of Jesus does us no good because it is gone. If we consume our own in the fire of life and light, we defeat death, by believing in the light instead.
Mt 19:16 And, behold, one came and said unto him, Good Master, what good thing shall I do, that I may have eternal life?
Mt 25:46 And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal.
Mr 10:17 And when he was gone forth into the way, there came one running, and kneeled to him, and asked him, Good Master, what shall I do that I may inherit eternal life?
Mr 10:30 But he shall receive an hundredfold now in this time, houses, and brethren, and sisters, and mothers, and children, and lands, with persecutions; and in the world to come eternal life.
Lu 10:25 And, behold, a certain lawyer stood up, and tempted him, saying, Master, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?
Lu 18:18 And a certain ruler asked him, saying, Good Master, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?
Joh 3:15 That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life.
Joh 4:36 And he that reapeth receiveth wages, and gathereth fruit unto life eternal: that both he that soweth and he that reapeth may rejoice together.
Joh 5:39 Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me.
Joh 6:54 Whoso eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day.
Joh 6:68 Then Simon Peter answered him, Lord, to whom shall we go? thou hast the words of eternal life.
Joh 10:28 And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any [man] pluck them out of my hand.
Joh 12:25 He that loveth his life shall lose it; and he that hateth his life in this world shall keep it unto life eternal.
Joh 17:2 As thou hast given him power over all flesh, that he should give eternal life to as many as thou hast given him.
Joh 17:3 And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.
Ac 13:48 And when the Gentiles heard this, they were glad, and glorified the word of the Lord: and as many as were ordained to eternal life believed.
Ro 2:7 To them who by patient continuance in well doing seek for glory and honour and immortality, eternal life:
Ro 5:21 That as sin hath reigned unto death, even so might grace reign through righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord.
Ro 6:23 For the wages of sin [is] death; but the gift of God [is] eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
1Ti 6:12 Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, whereunto thou art also called, and hast professed a good profession before many witnesses.
1Ti 6:19 Laying up in store for themselves a good foundation against the time to come, that they may lay hold on eternal life.
Tit 1:2 In hope of eternal life, which God, that cannot lie, promised before the world began;
Tit 3:7 That being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life.
1Jo 1:2 (For the life was manifested, and we have seen [it], and bear witness, and shew unto you that eternal life, which was with the Father, and was manifested unto us;)
1Jo 2:25 And this is the promise that he hath promised us, [even] eternal life.
1Jo 3:15 Whosoever hateth his brother is a murderer: and ye know that no murderer hath eternal life abiding in him.
1Jo 5:11 And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son.
1Jo 5:13 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, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God.
1Jo 5:20 And we know that the Son of God is come, and hath given us an understanding, that we may know him that is true, and we are in him that is true, [even] in his Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God, and eternal life.
Jude 1:21 Keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life.
Peace,
Darrin |
