Words of Hope

A Word Study on the Biblical Word "Hope"

Study #63 - The Hope of Eternal Life (Part III)

This is our third post on the subject of the hope of eternal life as referred to in Paul's epistle to Titus:  "In hope of eternal life, which God, that cannot lie, promised before the world (or this age) began;" (Titus 1:2); and, "That being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life" (Titus 3:7).  In our last post we left off by noting that the Biblical concept of "life" often includes much more than the thought of mere animal existence, but involves the possession of "life real and genuine ... a happy life and every kind of blessing" (Thayer).  We wanted to explore this idea a little further.  There is a great contrast presented in the Bible not only between the life of the believer and the unbeliever in eternity (which we have already discussed), but in the quality of life possessed by the saved and the unsaved in this present world.  For example, the Bible describes the condition of the unbeliever as being "dead in trespasses and sins" (Ephesians 2:1,5).  Likewise, "But she that liveth in (sinful) pleasure is dead while she liveth" (I Timothy 5:6).  Just as we have considered the "death" of the unredeemed in hell as meaning separation from God for all eternity, so the unsaved sinner is spiritually dead or spiritually separated from God even while he is physically alive in this world.  There is no true life apart from being in fellowship with God through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ!  But once we have accepted Christ as our Savior and Lord, He imparts spiritual life unto us and we are spiritually born:  "And you hath he quickened (made truly alive) who were dead in trespasses and sins" (Ephesians 2:1,5).  The Bible presents this "quickening" under three figures:  1) Regeneration or the New Birth (John 1:13; 3:3); 2) Resurrection or being "made alive" in Christ (John 5:25; Romans 6:13; Colossians 3:1); and 3) Re-creation or becoming a new creature (II Corinthians 5:17; Ephesians 2:10).  Thus the eternal life of the believer begins at conversion and lasts for eternity.  The present aspects of eternal life are described in numerous passages of scripture, in both the Old and New Testaments.  In Psalm 73:24-24 Asaph wrote:  "Nevertheless I am continually with thee: thou hast holden me by my right hand. Thou shalt guide me with thy counsel, and afterward receive me to glory."  In John 17:3 Christ said: "And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent."  John Walvoord commented on this verse by noting that "eternal life is described in its experiential aspect of knowing God and having fellowship with God through his Son, Jesus Christ" (emphasis mine).  This is what the Lord Jesus meant when He said, "I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly" (John 10:10).  This is an echo of the cry of Wisdom in the book of Proverbs:  "For whoso findeth me findeth life, and shall obtain favour of the LORD.  But he that sinneth against me wrongeth his own soul:  all they that hate me love death" (Proverbs 8:35,36).  It is a profitable study just to look at all the verses in the Bible where "life" means so much more than merely "being alive" but that is beyond the scope of this post.  But we must also note that the gift of eternal life means much more than merely existing forever. Unger speaks to this matter very plainly:  "Life is endless in every human being, saved or unsaved.  Natural life has a beginning but no end.  For the saved it involves eternal life or endless union and fellowship with God.  For the unsaved it involves eternal existence in separation from God.  (Eternal life) must not be confused with mere endless existence ... it involves the endless continuance and perfection of blessedness and communion with God ..." (emphasis mine).  Thus the Psalmist wrote:  "Thou wilt show me the path of life: in thy presence is fulness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore" (Psalm 16:11).  Some of the "pleasures" the believer will enjoy for all eternity are described as "everlasting habitations" (Luke 16:9); an "eternal inheritance" (Hebrews 9:15); "eternal glory" (I Peter 5:10); and participation in an "everlasting kingdom" (II Peter 1:11).  Quoting Unger once again, "Immortality, then, is not simply a future conscious condition, however prolonged, but a state of deliverance, of bliss, due to redemption and the possession of a glorified body, united to the soul and the spirit ... a glorified body that is immortal, deathless, painless and sinless ..." (emphasis mine).  So much more could be said about this indescribable gift of eternal life promised to those who will receive it by faith in Christ.  But we will close this post with the invitation and ultimatum that God gave to mankind long ago:  "I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life ... that thou mayest love the LORD thy God, and that thou mayest obey his voice, and that thou mayest cleave unto him: for He is thy life ..."  (Deuteronomy 30:19,20). 

Words of Hope

A Word Study on the Biblical Word "Hope"

Study #62 - The Hope of Eternal Life (Part II)

In our last post we looked at the promise of eternal life granted by God's grace to those who have believed the Gospel of Jesus Christ (Titus1:2; 3:7).  But what exactly does this promise mean?  As John Walvoord states, "Both the terms 'eternal' and 'life' are difficult to define except descriptively" (Evangelical Dictionary of Theology).  The phrase "eternal life" is made up of two Greek words:  "aionios" (eternal) and "zoa" (life).  The Greek word "aionios" according to Thayer's Greek Lexicon may mean: 1) without beginning or end, that which always has been and always will be; 2) without beginning; or 3) without end, never to cease, everlasting.  In the first meaning it is used only of God (Romans 16:26).  The second meaning is found in our text in Titus 1:2 and is translated by the KJV as "before the world began".  This speaks of the "eternal promise" of God found in the Gospel which was established in the eternal counsels of God before the beginning of time (or the ages).  It is the third usage that is applied to the life of the believer both presently and after physical death.  John 3:36 states: "He that believeth on the Son hath (as a present possession) everlasting life:  and he that believeth not the Son shall not see (now or in the future) life; but the wrath of God abideth (now and forever) on him."  Those who refuse the gift of eternal life in this world will never experience it after death.  This is the "perishing" that is spoken of in John 3:16 that is only escaped through faith in Christ:  "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life."  There is everlasting life and there is everlasting death:  "For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord" (Romans 6:23).  "And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire.  This is the second death.  And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire" (Revelation 20:14,15).  Death in the Bible never means "to cease to exist" but always refers to a "separation" of some sort.  Physical death is the separation of the soul from the body.  Spiritual death is the separation of the soul from God.  And the second death is the eternal separation of the unsaved from God in hell:  "Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power" (II Thessalonians 1:9).  The Lord Jesus made it very clear that everyone will live forever somewhere, either in heaven or in hell.  No one simply ceases to exist after this life is over:  "And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal" (Matthew 25:46).  The words "everlasting" and "eternal" are exactly the same in the Greek text.  You cannot limit the one and not the other.  Both the believer's life in heaven and the unbeliever's punishment in hell are eternal and without end!  Leon Morris wrote:  "In the NT there is no indication that the punishment of sin ever ceases."  And so, at the very least, the promise of eternal life includes the believer's escape from the eternal penalty of hell.  But there is even more in this promise of eternal life that is implied in the very word "life" as it is used in the Bible. Once again we may cite Thayer on the meaning of the Greek word "zoa". While this word may refer to the mere physical life or animation of the body, it is also used in the New Testament to refer to "life real and genuine ... a life active and vigorous, devoted to God, blessed, the portion even in this world of those who put their trust in Christ, but after the resurrection to be consummated by new accessions (among them a more perfect body), and to last forever" (Thayer's Greek Lexicon).  It is this expanded definition of "life" that we wish to explore in our next post.

Words of Hope

A Word Study on the Biblical Word "Hope"

Study #61 - The Hope of Eternal Life

In our last post we considered the hope of salvation in its past, present and future aspects.  One of the future aspects of the believer's salvation is the hope of eternal life in heaven with God.  This aspect of hope is set forth twice in the Epistle to Titus:  1)"In hope of eternal life, which God, that cannot lie, promised before the world began;" (Titus 1:2); and 2) "That being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life" (Titus 3:7).  We must immediately state that once again the word "hope" in the New Testament speaks not of "wishful thinking" but of "confident expectation."  In other words, the Apostle Paul fully expected to inherit eternal life along with the all the believer's at Crete.  In the first reference the Apostle Paul spoke of his apostolic calling and ministry as being "in" or more literally "resting upon" (Greek - epi) this hope.  Lenski gives the following comment:  "The thing that Paul wants to emphasize in view of what he here writes for the benefit of the recently formed churches in Crete is his connection with the entire gospel and its eternal blessings and with all true Christians who are joined with him in all that this gospel bestows on them .... Paul is God's slave and Christ's apostle 'on the basis of (the) hope of life eternal ....'".  This hope is said to have been "promised" by the God who "cannot lie" making the reality of it a certainty.  God cannot lie since to do so would be contrary to His very nature and character, thus making Him to be something less than He truly is!  To doubt God's promise or word therefore is to call Him a liar.  Perish the thought!  The God of the Bible is the "God of truth" (Psalm 31:5) and His Holy Word, the Bible, is the "word of truth" (II Timothy 2:15).  We have the very promise of the never-lying God!  Furthermore, this promise is said to have been made "before the world began" or literally "before eternal ages"!  This makes the plan of redemption pre-date the present eons of time and places it within the eternal counsels of the Godhead.  While this is hard for us to comprehend other passages speak in these same terms (compare Romans 16:25 and II Timothy 1:9 which use the same Greek phrase).  The Eternal God views all time as one eternal "now" and only such a God who is eternal in Himself could grant such a gift as eternal life to us!  But what are the conditions for receiving such a wonderful promise?  The context provides the answer:  "according to the faith of God's elect, and the acknowledging of the truth which is after (i.e. accords with) godliness" (verse 1).  We are also not left wondering what this "truth" is we must acknowledge and place our faith in:  "But hath in due times manifested his word through preaching ..." (verse 3).  The promise of eternal life is therefore found in believing the gospel which Christ and His apostles preached which in time was recorded in the Word of God, the Bible.  And this gospel may be found spelled out in connection with our second text as well:  "But after that the kindness and love of God our Savior toward man appeared, not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our savior; that being justified freely by his grace we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life" (Titus 3:4-7).  So many wonderful truths are found in this passage, but the essential facts are:  1)  Eternal life is a gift of God's grace and mercy (we do not deserve it!); 2) Eternal life is granted apart from our own works or efforts (we cannot earn it!); 3) Eternal life comes to us solely through the Lord Jesus Christ (we cannot save ourselves!  Christ must save us!); and 4) Eternal life is a life-changing gift that is the product of a new birth imparted by the Holy Spirit of God (He must wash us and renew us!).  If we have placed our faith in the Person and Work (sacrificial death and resurrection) of the Lord Jesus Christ then God has saved us by His grace and we have been made His child and therefore heirs of eternal life!  And we may confidently expect (hope) to obtain this inheritance because we have the eternal promise of the never-lying God! Have you received His promise of eternal life?