ETERNAL
LIFE
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By John W. White
We should establish at the beginning that salvation is based upon
the finished work of Jesus Christ on the cross and not on the basis of our own
good works. Salvation has been provided by God and man either accepts or
rejects His plan of salvation. Romans
5:8 "But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet
sinners, Christ died for us."
In Acts 16:30, 31 is the only place
in the Bible where saved is in the
question and saved is in the answer.
"... Sirs, what must I do to be
saved? And they said, Believe on
the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved,
and thy house." Paul used the aorist tense of the verb 'believe' and not the present tense.
The aorist tense is graphed by using a dot (·), an
event. The present tense is graphed by
using a line (¾), which expresses continuous action. You believe one time and you are saved and
you do not have to continue to believe to stay saved, as would be the case if
the present tense of the verb 'believe'
were used.
Jeremiah 15:16 "Thy words
were found, and I did eat them; and thy word was unto me the joy and
rejoicing of mine heart: for I am called by thy name, O LORD God of
hosts." Words caused the heart of Jeremiah to rejoice, and that can happen
to us if we would take the time to examine words. Psalms 12:6 "The words of the LORD are pure words: as silver tried in a furnace of earth,
purified seven times. "The Holy Spirit purified each word seven times
which is an indication that each word is of tremendous importance and not to be
taken lightly. Maybe it would be profitable for us to look at each word seventy
times seven. The study of words will help us to rightly divide the Word of God.
When
you study words of the Bible you find out that those who translated those
Hebrew and Greek words did not do it with consistency. In many cases, you can
not tell from one passage of scripture to the next if you are looking at the
same Greek or Hebrew word by the way it was translated. If there had been more
consistency in the translation of words, then there would be less confusion as
to the meaning and interpretation of
the Bible.
For example the word cari", which
is the Greek word for grace, has
been translated twelve different ways: acceptable, benefit, favour, gift,
grace, gracious, joy, liberality, pleasure, thank, thanks, and thankworthy. It
is very difficult for you to know when you are reading the word cari" when it translated so many different ways.
Those who know the Greek language know when they are reading the word ca>ri", but those who depend upon the translated word can not tell by the
translation.
The
words aijwJn and aijwvnio" is another example of the confusion caused by the way they
have been translated. The word aijwJn,
a noun, has been translated twelve different
ways: ages, course, eternal, ever, for
ever, evermore, never, world, world began, beginning of the world, while the
world standeth, and world without end. The word aijwvnio", an adjective, has been translated five different ways:
eternal, for ever, everlasting, world, and world began. The translations of
these words can be confirmed in the Greek dictionary of the Strong's
Concordance under the numbers 165 - aijwJn, and 166 - aijwvnio".
What is the meaning of the words aijwJn and aijwvnio"?
According to Lexical Aids For Students of New Testament Greek, by Bruce M.
Metzger, page 11, the root meaning of the word aijwJn is "an age (aeon)". This is not eternity, but an
undefined period of time. The word aijwJn is used in Matthew
28:20 "... lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end [suntelei>a] of the world [aijwJn] Amen." The use of aijwJn in this context indicates that there is an end to this age. In Hebrews 9:26 "... since the foundation of the world [kosmo"]: but now once
in the end of the world [aijwJn which is plural, ages] hath he appeared to put away sin by
the sacrifice of himself." From Genesis 1:1 until John 19:30 there has
been more than one age. Translating aijwJn as world is
interpretation and not translation which causes error.
The root Greek word for aijwvnio" is the noun aijwJn. Taking a noun and translating it as an adjective can
become a little awkward. In The Emphasized Bible by Joseph B. Rotherham, Kregel
Pub.; the word aijwvnio"
is translated "ageabiding", and others have translated it
"agelasting". How ever you translate the word aijwvnio", being an adjective, it must describe the noun which it
modifies.
The koine Greek does not have a word for eternity. The only
possible exception might be the word aidio which is only used two times. In Romans 1:20, and Jude 6.
In Romans it is translated eternal and in Jude is translated everlasting. The
expression for eternity in the New Testament, as we normally think of eternity,
is: eijv to\u aijwvna tw\n aij>nwvn",
and literally translated it would be "unto
the ages of the ages". An example of this is in Galatians 1:5 "To whom be
glory for ever and ever. Amen."
As you can see the word aijwJn
has been translated "ever" and
even then the plural of the word has not been indicated. The Greek language
expressed eternity with the phrase "the
ages of the ages" and not by just one word for eternity.
Having
a better understanding of the words aijwJn and aijwvnio"
it will help us to comprehend what is meant by eternal life. Most people associate "eternal life" with
salvation. In the following verses we will be able to see that works are
necessary when it comes to having eternal life or better, agelasting life.
DON'T STOP READING now. Many hard passages will be explained when you
understand the meaning of the words aijwJn and aijwvnio".
The
first example is in Romans 2:6,7 "Who will render
to every man according to his deeds: To them who by patient continuance in well doing seek for glory and honour and immortality [afqarsiva, incorruption], eternal
[aijwvnio" = agelasting] life:" This is obviously not
salvation, because those who continue "in well doing" are seeking "for glory, honor, and
incorruption" and they will be rewarded agelasting life according to his deeds, as stated in verse 6, and not
salvation.
The second
example is in Galatians 6:7 - 9
"Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth [works], that shall he also reap. For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption [fqorav", the opposite of incorruption]; but he that soweth to the
Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life
everlasting. And let us not be weary in
well doing: for in due season we
shall reap, if we faint not." The sowing in verses seven and eight is
the "well doing" in verse
nine. If we faint in well doing we
will not reap agelasting life. Our
salvation is not dependent upon our performance but upon Christ's finished work
on the cross. Treasures in heaven and rewards are dependent upon our
performance.
The third
example is in 1 Timothy 6:17 - 19 "Charge
them that are rich in this world,...
That they do good, that they be rich in good works, ready to distribute, willing to communicate; Laying up in store for
themselves a good foundation against the
time to come, that they may lay hold
on eternal life." The rich are instructed to take their riches and use
it for ministry. Giving generously as they are led of the Lord. By doing good
works they may lay hold on agelasting life. The man of God is also instructed
to lay hold on agelasting life in 1
Timothy 6:11, 12 "... O man of
God, ..follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience,
meekness. Fight the good fight of faith, lay
hold on eternal life,..." If
agelasting life is salvation, why would a man of God have to lay hold
upon something that he already has?
In Matthew 19:16-21 We see
how the Lord responded to a rich man who wanted to know how to have eternal
life or life for the age. The Lord
told him two basic things he had to do if he expected to have treasure in
heaven. First, to be just and second, to live by faith.
Galatians 3:11 "But that no man
is justified by the law in the sight of God, it is evident: for, The just
shall live by faith."
Matthew
19:16, 17 "And,
behold, one came and said unto him, Good Master, what good thing shall I do, that I may have eternal life? And he said
unto him, Why callest thou me good? there
is none good but one, that is, God:
but if thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments." Matthew 19:20 "The young man saith
unto him, All these things have I kept
from my youth up: what lack I yet?" This man was just because he was
obedient to the commandments of the Lord. Being just will not provide you with treasure in heaven. This man, being
just, was not willing to live by faith and trust the Lord for his needs, then
to follow the Lord. Matthew 19:21
"Jesus said unto him, If thou wilt be perfect (complete, and "wanting
nothing", James 1:4), go and sell that thou hast, and give to the
poor,..." This is not what one must do to be saved. Salvation is not in
the context. Treasure in heaven is in the context and the Lord told him what he
had to do to have treasure in heaven.
Paul gave this council to the rich in 1 Timothy 6:18. If you sell all that
you have and give to the poor, then you have to trust the Lord for your needs.
This is living by faith. If we are just and are living by faith, then we will
be diligently seeking him and then we will have treasure in heaven. Heb. 11:6 "...he is a rewarder of
them that diligently seek him." The Lord told him that if he would give
what he had to the poor and follow Him that "...Thou shalt have treasure
in heaven: and come and follow
me." in the last part of Matthew
19:21. To have life for the age is to have treasure in heaven. Treasure in
heaven is rewards.
The Lord amplified upon the rich man's request
for agelasting life in Matthew 19:23, 24
"Then said Jesus unto his disciples, Verily I say unto you, That a rich man shall hardly enter into the
kingdom of heaven...." The Lord was talking about entering into the kingdom of heaven and not seeing the Kingdom of Heaven. There is a difference. For one to
see the kingdom of heaven he must be
born from above. John 3:3
"Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except
a man be born again, he cannot SEE
the kingdom of God." (The kingdom of heaven and the kingdom of God are
used interchangeably.) To have agelasting life is to qualify to enter; that is to participate as a Lord
or a King, in the coming kingdom of heaven.
2 Peter 1:10, 11 "Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to
make your calling and election sure: for if
ye do these things, ye shall never fall: For so an entrance shall be ministered unto you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom (Christ will reign
for 1,000 years after the tribulation.) of our Lord and Saviour Jesus
Christ."
Peter, understanding that he and the rest of the
apostles were doing what the rich man would not do, asked the Lord; Matthew 19:27 "...Behold, we have forsaken all, and followed thee; what shall we have therefore?" The Lord told Peter and the
rest of the apostles what they would have and when they would receive it. Matthew 19:28 "And Jesus said unto
them, ..., That ye which have followed
me, in the regeneration when the Son
of man shall sit in the throne of his glory, ye also shall sit upon
twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel." To sit upon
thrones is to enter into the kingdom of heaven. Matthew 19:29 "And
every one that hath forsaken... shall
inherit everlasting life." The
Lord used words to help us to understand that agelasting life is a family
matter when he used the word inherit. Before
one can be just and follow the Lord he must be in the family. You do not
inherit unless you are in the family. Inheritance is also rewards. Colossians 3:24 "Knowing that of
the Lord ye shall receive the reward of the inheritance: for ye serve the Lord
Christ." Agelasting life is a reward based upon service. That is the
reason that one works for agelasting life. The rich man was told to "come and
follow Him in Matthew 19:21. To follow the Lord is to serve Him.
Mark 10:30 "But he shall receive.. in the world to come eternal [aijwvnio", agelasting] life."
Mark's account indicates when life for the age is
received and we do not receive this life for the age now. The word
"world" is the Greek word aijwJn and should be translated "age" to be
consistent. The phrase "to come" is a present participle and should
be translated "the one coming". To make this simple, the apostles
will sit on twelve thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel during the
millennial reign of Christ. The
millennium is the age that is coming
and that is when agelasting life
will be received, and not now.
What does the phrase hath everlasting life
mean? John 6:47 "Verily, verily, I say unto you,
He that believeth on me hath everlasting life." This passage is not dealing with
salvation. The verb believeth [pisteuw] is in the present tense and not
aorist tense as in Acts 16:31. The verb hath [e[cw] is in the present tense and the
meaning could be better expressed in the translating it esteemeth or counteth.
An example of this meaning is found when Herod would have killed John the
Baptist in Matthew 14:5 "..he
feared the multitude, because they counted
[e[cw] him as a prophet." One who holds a life of honor
and glory in the coming millennial age in high esteem will be encouraged to be
faithful in believing. This is consistent with what Mark 10:30 and the fact
that we do not have agelasting life now.
Here are
some interesting insights from Pastor S .S. Craig in 1916, Dualism of Eternal life.
The Latin
Vulgate translated the Greek adjective aiwnion to the Latin aeternus
in which we get the English word eternal and eternity.
The KJV
translators instead of going back to the original Greek and translating the
Greek adjective aijwvnion, went to
the Latin Vulgate and translated the Latin aeternus. This is why
the world eternal has been misunderstood by the English reader. If they would
have gone to the Greek they for sure would have translated it as many
translators such as Rotherham and Young, namely, age lasting or life for the
age (eis ton aiwnion).
It
is equally a fact that the theology of the West was not that of the Greek
Church but that of Roman Catholicism. It was Latin theology. And just as it is beyond doubt that the
revisers, translators, and lexicographers, were chiefly influenced by the Latin
language and Latin translations. It is admitted that the theology of Calvin was
derived from Saint Augustine, modernized and extended.
“It was
absolutely essential to Augustinian theology with its blightening emphasis on the
doctrine of predestinarianism to mistranslate the Greek adjective aiwnion, and put
on it a meaning which the Greek will not for a moment allow in its respective
applications to salvation and judgment.
And
that was essential to Augustianian theology was equally essential to Latin
Christianity from the days of Augustine to those of Calvin and Luther. And the
same exists in the Reformed Theology from then till the present.
To say
nothing of other words, the Calvinist simply cannot, dare not, face an honest
and truthful interpretation of the two frequently occurring words with which we
are now dealing with, namely “eternal life.”
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