6 Words That Will Change Your LifeSample

What comes to mind when you think of “eternal life”? Heaven, God on His throne in all His grandeur? Seeing Jesus face-to-face? Stock images of angels and pearly gates? 

For many years, my concept of “eternal life” was entirely focused on what happens after we die. When I talked to others about the gospel, I was all about that fateful determination of whether they would go to heaven or hell for all eternity. I was focused on the quantity of life and being with Jesus FOREVER.  

And no doubt about it, this is an incredibly important dimension of eternal life with Christ.  

But then I met my good friend, Zane Black, who was all about telling others about the abundant life that Jesus talks about in John 10:10. Zane loved to tell people about the quality of life available to them when they put their faith and trust in Jesus. Zane had always lived life on the edge, looking for all the crazy excitement and adventure life has to offer. But he had ended up “going all in” for the wrong things. And it had almost cost him his life. 

But after years of living for cheap thrills and temporary highs, Zane experienced a radical encounter with Jesus that changed his life forever. Zane is passionate about telling those who are struggling with life in the here and now about the freedom they can have in Christ NOW and about the new life and purpose Jesus brings to us HERE when we choose to follow Him. 

Zane’s perspective reminded me that God wants even more for us than “just” an eternity with Him in heaven after we die. We can experience “eternal life” from the very first moment we put our trust in Jesus. That’s why Jesus describes eternal life as knowing “the only true God and Jesus Christ.”  

And my perspective on heaven and hell reminded Zane that doing life with Jesus IS a far better way to do life, but the gospel is about far more than the here and now—it’s about all of eternity! 

Beautifully, it’s BOTH/AND, because life with Jesus starts now and lasts forever.  

Reflect on these questions: 

Which do you tend to emphasize when you think about life with Jesus—quality or quantity? 

Does your perspective need to be rebalanced? 

Do you ever talk to others about eternal life? If not, why not? 

Watch this short video. Consider sharing it as a conversation starter with someone who needs to get to know “the only true God” who offers eternal life that starts now and lasts forever.