03 Life Eternal

Life Eternal

Eternal life is God’s best gift to sinners condemned to eternal death! In giving this — he consulted the needs and desires of our nature, and displayed the wondrous riches of his grace! For the bestowment of this gift, he . . .
provided before time,
promised it to us in his beloved Son,
and then sent him to confer it upon us. The knowledge of God as revealed in Jesus — is the beginning, the pledge, and the way to the enjoyment of eternal life in its best and highest sense. Therefore he shines into our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of his glory, in the face of Jesus; makes it the medium of communicating unto us all things that pertain to life and godliness; and bids us not to glory in our wisdom, wealth, or fame — but to glory in our knowledge of himself. This also led our Lord to say, "And this is life eternal — that they might know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent" (John 17:3) The OBJECTS to be known. "The Father as God, the one only living and true God; not to the exclusion of the Son, who is called "the true God, and eternal life," but excluding all false gods — all the idols of the nations. The Father maintains the rights, the dignity, and glory of the eternal throne. The Father is, and always has been, invisible. "No man has seen God at any time." But he has revealed himself in Jesus, reconciling sinners to himself in Jesus. In the economy of redemption . . .
the Father chooses his people,
the Son redeems them, and
the Holy Spirit applies redemption to them. From the Father, all proceeds,
through the Son of God, all flows, and
by the Spirit of God, all is revealed and brought home. But the Father is to be known as a Father, in his paternal character. In which character he . . .
loves his people infinitely and eternally,
reconciles them to himself honorably, and
wisely secures at once, his own glory and their salvation. But Jesus is to be known too as the Sent One — sent by his Father as his Apostle and Ambassador, to be our Mediator and Savior.

Here is Jesus’ antiquity: he was — before he engaged in the covenant to come. He was in the beginning with God, and he was God. His goings forth were of old, even from everlasting.

Here is Jesus’ incarnation: the Word was made flesh. God sent forth his Son, made of a woman. He came into our world in our nature, to work out and secure our salvation.

Here is Jesus’ office: he was God’s ambassador, sent to speak of him, to negotiate for him, and to maintain the honor and dignity of his government.

Here is Jesus’ authority: the Father commissioned him. He came in his Father’s name. The Father, therefore, must be known — through the Son who reveals him. It is life eternal to know the Father in his Godhead, love, and grace; and to know the Son as sent by him to be the Savior, Mediator, and Friend of men. The NATURE of the knowledge intended. Not speculative or theoretical — but experimental and practical. Not merely an intellectual acquaintance with the doctrine — but a heart-affecting knowledge of the Father and the Son. To know, not merely by hearing or reading — but by personal dealings with the Father and the Son.

Christ being glorified — sends his Word and Spirit: the Word contains the representation, and the Spirit comes to give us a vivid, realizing conception of it. The Spirit, by the Word — teaches us to know the Father and the Son. The knowledge we acquire includes . . .
credit — we believe the revelation;
confidence — we trust in God as made known;
affection — we love God as he is revealed to us;
reverence — we are profoundly affected with a sense of his greatness and goodness;
worship — we adore and praise, we pray and plead with our God and Father;
obedience — we do his will, and do it from the heart;
acknowledgment — we confess both the Father and the Son. The true knowledge of God always . . .
consecrates the heart to God, and
devotes the life to the service of God. In the knowledge of God we find . . .
peace and joy,
pleasure and satisfaction,
holiness and devotion.

If our knowledge of God were perfect — our happiness would be complete. Knowing God,
we approach him through Jesus;
we hold sweet and hallowed communion with him;
we receive light and power from him, and
become gradually and increasingly conformed to him. In the unveiled face of the Son — we behold the glory of the Father, and are changed into the same image, from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.

Here we see Godloving — and as the effect of his love, sending his Son into the world, that we may live through him. "Herein is love, not that we loved God — but that he loved us, and gave his Son to be the atoning sacrifice for our sins."

Here we see the Son of Godstooping — for being in the form of God, and thinking it not robbery to be equal with God — he made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men; and being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.

What a wondrous stoop!

What profound humility!

What surprising grace!

Here we see truthflowing — flowing from the heart as well as from the lips of Him who was full of grace and truth. The truth that flows from Jesus comes from God; and it is designed to lead us back to God; which if it does — it sanctities us, and stamps the image of God upon us.

Here we see manrising — rising . . .
from death to life,
from degradation to glory,
from the dunghill to the eternal throne. To know God — what a privilege! To possess and enjoy eternal life through the knowledge of God — what a blessing! To know God, so as to come into fellowship with God, and to enjoy communion with the Father, with the Son, and with the Holy Spirit — what dignity is this!

Here we see Heavenopening — for what is Heaven, but to . . .
know God,
enjoy God,
be with God,
be like God?

What more than this, will Heaven be? For the knowledge of God in perfection, and the enjoyment of God without interruption — will exclude all sin, all care, all anxiety, and all sorrow; and will fill us with knowledge, joy, and purity!

O Savior, how much we owe you!

O Holy Spirit, increase our knowledge of God, and of Jesus Christ whom he has sent!

O Father of mercies, come unto us, manifest yourself, and make your abode with us!

Reader! Do you have this knowledge? Do you know God as the only true God — and worship, love, and obey him? Do you know Jesus as the Sent One, sent to save sinners, just such sinners as you are? And do you trust your soul in his hands, that he may cleanse, adorn, and perfect it, presenting it at last faultless before the glorious presence of his Father, with exceeding joy? This is life eternal — and without it we are in a state of death!