Today I am meditating on the wonderful promise made by Jesus in John 6:38-40 NIV:
[38] "For I have come down from heaven not to do my will but to do the will of him who sent me. [39] And this is the will of him who sent me, that I shall lose none of all those he has given me, but raise them up at the last day. [40] For my Father's will is that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in him shall have eternal life, and I will raise them up at the last day.”
Talk about a reassuring promise and statement of the Father's heart and His will! Jesus makes it all very clear here, It is the "Father's will that everyone who looks to (beholds) the Son (Jesus) and believes in Him shall have eternal life". The Greek word here translated looks is the word Theoreo and it is defined as follows:
1) to be a spectator, look at, behold
a) to view attentively, take a view of, survey
b) to view mentally, consider
2) to see
a) to perceive with the eyes, to enjoy the presence of one
b) to discern, descry
c) to ascertain, find out by seeing
And the word here translated believe is the Greek word Pisteuo and it is defined as follows:
1) to think to be true, to be persuaded of, to credit, place confidence in
a) of the thing believed
1) to credit, have confidence
b) in a moral or religious reference
1) used in the NT of the conviction and trust to which a man is impelled by a certain inner and higher prerogative and law of soul
2) to trust in Jesus or God as able to aid either in obtaining or in doing something: saving faith 1bc) mere acknowledgment of some fact or event: intellectual faith
2) to entrust a thing to one, i.e. his fidelity
a) to be entrusted with a thing
This is clearly the foundation that Paul uses when He describes our salvation as dependent on our faith. We must be presented with Jesus, look at Him and at what He did. We must ascertain if what He said and what He did is true, and if we do, then our confidence must be placed in Him. I have heard it said before that Jesus either is who He says He is, or He isn't, and if He is, then our choice should be clear.
The promised reward is eternal life, and this is not just everlasting life, as we sometimes would think and as the Greek word literally means 'without beginning and end', but according to Jesus and other New Testament writers, also has to do with the quality of one's life. Here is how Jesus defines eternal life, with an obvious point back to these original statements, later in John 17:2-3 NIV:
[2] "For you granted him authority over all people that he might give eternal life to all those you have given him. [3] Now this is eternal life: that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent." The Greek word, here translated know, is Ginosko and it is defined as the following:
1) to learn to know, come to know, get a knowledge of perceive, feel
a) to become known
2) to know, understand, perceive, have knowledge of
a) to understand
b) to know
3) Jewish idiom for sexual intercourse between a man and a woman
4) to become acquainted with, to know
It is clear this refers to a growing intimacy in relationship. We learn, we come to know, we grow in knowledge of, we experience, we perceive, all of which are in the context of relationship. The idea that Eternal life is a a never-ending relationship with Jesus, His Father and the Holy Spirit, spent enjoying them, enjoying their life, sharing in their joy, is so much more than a life that never ends. This is the promise given to us by Jesus, and it is the will of the Father! If the Father wills it and if Jesus is always obedient, and has all authority on Heaven and Earth, then it is going to happen! That is really good news!
So today, I am encouraged that I am going to inherit Eternal life, because I have looked at Jesus and I have placed my confidence in Him, and it is the Father's will! That is a good way to start a Wednesday!
Thank You Lord for Your precious words, and Your eternal promise that one day I will enjoy!
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