Salvation of Self
“And this is eternal life, that they may know Thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom Thou hast sent.” John 17:3 NASB
This – How do you define eternal life? Before you quickly say something like “being saved,” or “having a right relationship with God,” or “knowing Jesus as my Savior and Lord,” you might want to consider Yeshua’s definition of the term. Even the Greek text makes it abundantly clear that eternal life is not tied up with heaven, forgiveness, a saving knowledge of Jesus or life after death. “This is” translates the Greek aute estin – a straightforward declaration that everlasting life (zoen aionion) is knowing the one true God and His Messiah. Of course, Yeshua would have used the Hebrew verb yada (to know) in its rich and full sense. To know the one true God is to have an intimate, personal relationship with Him. But maybe there’s a bit more here than that common understanding.
First, we should notice that knowing the one true God is a declaration against all forms of idolatry. There is only one true God. If I do not know Him, I am an idolater. The God of Israel is the only true God. Yeshua’s declaration begins where the Decalogue begins. “You shall have no other gods before Me.”
Secondly, let’s notice that this definition entails knowing Yeshua HaMashiach as the One sent by the Father. No use knowing Yeshua as a great teacher, a sage, a prophet. If He isn’t the Messiah, then we miss the mark. And He is the Messiah because the one true God sent Him. “Jesus” without the connection to His role as the Jewish Messiah isn’t the person we need to know. He is the Jewish Messiah or He isn’t the One God sent.
Finally, and this is the big one, did you notice that the Messiah’s definition of everlasting life isn’t about what you and I get out of this. There is not a word about reward, heaven, crowns, salvation, victory, mansions or anything personal here expect to have an intimate relationship with the Father and the Son. This raises an incredibly important point, our motivation for seeking this relationship.
“One of the failures of Western man is due to the equation of religion and self-interest, whether it is the survival of the people within the Jewish context or the personal salvation that is the center of concern in Christianity.”[1] Heschel’s point is that we often do not seek a relationship with God for His sake. We seek it for our interests, whether as Jews we wish to preserve our culture or as Christians we wish to receive forgiveness. Heschel’s insight reminds us that we should seek a relationship with God simply because He is the one true God. We are His creation. We are indebted to Him. He is our sovereign Lord. That should be enough, more than enough, especially when we realize that He desires this relationship.
Are you able to truly put aside all of the other motivations that lurk under the surface of your religious desire? Don’t be too quick to claim purity of intention. Are you sure you aren’t really expecting something from God for all the effort you’ve put in? Are you sure you really aren’t planning on heaven or a mansion in the sky or some reward before you die? Are you quite sure that you don’t anticipate compensation for your struggles? Just how much of your religious fervor is really motivated by your need to feel guilt-free?
Is your definition of eternal life as pure as the one Yeshua gives?
Topical Index: eternal life, this is, aute estin, motivation, John 17:3
[1] Abraham Heschel, A Passion for Truth, p. 316.
Skip, a great reminder here. This thought was also captured in the 17thCentury in the Westminster Catechism, first question: “What is man’s chief end? Answer: To glorify God and fully enjoy Him forever.”
To do that, you need to take “ownership” of these words (Rom. 6): “6 We know that our old self was put to death on the execution-stake with him, so that the entire body of our sinful propensities might be destroyed, and we might no longer be enslaved to sin. 7 For someone who has died has been cleared from sin. 8 Now since we died with the Messiah, we trust that we will also live with him. ”
There are no degrees of deadness! We joke about being half-dead, but Rabbi Sha’ul is not joking here. Dead! You old self cannot be half dead. It’s either alive or fully dead, killed on the execution-stake. Sinful propensities destroyed! What does that mean for the yetzer ha’ra? Washed clean, whiter than the snow. No longer enslaved to sin. The old self put to death with him.
What can we expect? Now two things are possible: glorify God and fully enjoy Him forever. But you cannot enjoy someone you do not know. Back to Skip’s text!
Ian, Help me out here. I do not mean to be contentious, but quoting the 1st article of the Westminster Catechism seems to me to be contrary to the argument Skip is postulating. At least the part about man’s chief end (purpose, intention, goal) is to “fully enjoy G*D forever”. That appears to give license to propagate the error of the “Me-centric” gospel. What am I going to get from this … relationship, this my service, the fruit of my efforts, this religion, this god.
Perhaps my understanding of the Reformed Church’s statement to “fully to enjoy him forever” is flawed by my own theology and personal experience. I am not saying that I don’t “enjoy” my fellowship with Yah, and that it is not my most prized relationship. (I would add aside from my wife, but I don’t think most readers, even here, would understand or agree with my “revelation”) But my enjoyment of YHWH does not influence, amend, increase, decrease, modify, affect or alter my love and obedience toward YHWH one iota. (and needless to add visa versa) In fact there are times when I don’t ‘enjoy’ Him (and sadly, obey Him) and I know there have been plenty of times He hasn’t “enjoyed” me- but that is another topic coming under the heading of hesed.
So in opposition to the 364 year old position of the Reformed Community, Presbyterians, Calvinists et all: It is either ALL about YHWH and His Messiach or it is ALL about me and what I can get by “accepting Jesus” as my Saviour.
Some may claim it is a synchrony of the two, but I would question their theology, if not their motive.
While it is not my place to judge the intent of a man’s heart Yeshua plainly stated that you cannot serve two masters. We are a “Master” unto ourselves until we by His grace shema His voice to follow His Anointed One and keep Torah in Spirit and truth.
Finally, notice what Joshua said in the book bearing his name in chapter 24 verse 15 …but as for me and my house, we will SERVE the LORD … (not enjoy Him).
“enjoy” is probably a word that has undergone considerable re-definition in the last 200 years. I would suggest that we use the biblical word avad – to work/worship/serve as the basis for our understanding of our relationship to God and His purpose for us. Since the same Hebrew word is used for the assignment and effort of men, the obedience expected of men and the act of honoring the Creator, it seems an appropriate addition (correction) to the idea of enjoyment. In fact, if avad is properly expressed in life, it is the source of delight and blessing, and I would suggest, that is the true meaning of enjoyment. In other words, joy is the by-product, not the goal, of a life focused on avad.
” To know the one true God is to have an intimate, personal relationship with Him. ”
Once had a conversation with someone who’s Bible read “And this is eternal life, that they may have knowledge of the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom he has sent.”
I was amazed at how much difference there can be in a translation and how much open doors for idolatry it can leave.
Once more we learn to discern what we read, even in Scripture. Too bad the Church didn’t teach all of us to read Greek and Hebrew. I wonder why?
Brilliant question to ask ourselves indeed!
oops, meant to add, loved this piece, Skip!
Skip, I really loved this (and passed it around to all the NCS national leadership). You capture the three most important and hardest things in knowing (aka “loving unconditionally”) God:
1. No agenda
2. No agenda
3. No agenda
It also puts a really sharp point on the New Canaan Society theme song–“Knowing You” by Graham Kendrick http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oxpPIa-BskY
I believe it is also how we are called to “love our neighbor” (and spouse, children, the poor etc.)–no agenda. Unconditional=no agenda=really hard.
Oswald Chambers expressed it like this:
July 12: “The essential thing is my personal relationship to Jesus Christ ‘That I may know Him.’ To fulfill God’s design means total abandonment to Him. Whenever I want things for myself, the relationship is distorted. It will be a big humiliation to realize that I have not been concerned about realizing Jesus Christ, but only realizing what He has done for me. ‘My goal is God himself, not joy or peace, nor even blessings, but Himself, my God’.
Keep writing!
Thanks Paul. I am super glad it was helpful.
Beautifully amazing! When reading John 17, one may see “I” repeatedly in the text as Christ shared His message, however, when we look at the person of Yeshua, and truly “see” Him, YHWH is always brought to the forefront. Like the Spirit, He testifies of the Father. The person of Christ flowed outward to others as He proclaimed…We have no other G-d!
No graven images, no substitutes…Christ is the Way THE straight path to the Creator of all things!
Skip, we must put away all bitterness toward the church. What were the words of our Master-Teacher? “I will build my church” and “the zeal of the LORD will perform this. No worries,no anxieties, no anxious thoughts or fears for He has said (O isn’t this the key?) -“He has said..”- He has said, (are we listening?)- I will build my church.
The assembly, the called-out ones, the Ecclessia, the (now) children of G-d and the (then) bride of Christ. -Oh yes!- there is going to be a wedding feast and a honeymoon that will only last forever..- (nothing to get excited about though..)
Meanwhile..- back on the planet. Back to reality and Tuesday mornings in the kitchen with the wife and kids. Bills on table and the yard needs attention.
Here is a question for all the theologs (of which there are not a few). Is “eternal life” a quality or a quantity? (this is a trick question..). It is not either or- it is both. Both, both, both, yes, yes, and yes. Salvation, dear friends is to the Jew first. Always has been- always will be. But (and how I love those Bible “buts!”) Salvation/deliverance is also (praise G-d!) to the Goy, the Greeks, the Gentiles, Pagans, Hooligans, Scallywags, Ragamuffins, “Sinners,” and best of all- “whosoever will.”
Don’t go to thinking this gift of G-d is to “my little corner of the world”, only. My Baptist group, my family, my neighborhood, or exclusively “me.” No, no and no. Open the eyes of your hearts dear friends and know (yes, experientially), “G-d SO LOVED the world.” This is the scope of salvation- “whosoever will.” Having trouble believing this? – Why?
Does G-d love the Jew? (I speak as a fool..) Yeshua wept over Jerusalem.- Yes, ask the question- “why?” Why did He weep? Find out the answer to this and it will be “one giant leap for mankind..”- because G-d SO LOVED- He gave.. This dear ones, is Love we will never fathom. Yes, ask the question- Why, my G-d did You die for me? Why did you allow Your Son and Your Self to be tormented by demon inspired men? to endure the mocking, the scourging, the rejection? What was His motivation? Why did He endure the cross, despising the shame?-
Because G-d SO LOVED is why.. G-d SO LOVED (the Jew) He gave.. For thousand of years a sacrifice was made for the atonement of sins. During the feast of the Passover a lamb was slain. Not just any lamb- a family pet- one that was allowed to live with the family so everyone could become attached to it. An innocent animal was killed and lamb’s blood was given for the atoning (the covering) of the sins of the people. “without the shedding of blood is no remission of sins”. Blood must be shed.
“For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your forefathers.., (1 Peter 1.18) Does this include the Jew? -Yes, it does. Does this “empty way of life” include the Catholics? Yes, it does. Does this “empty way of life” include Solomon?- (vanity of vanity- all in vanity..declares the Preacher)- Solomon knew and he was (at the time) the wisest man who ever lived. -Who am I to debate with such a one? I agree, I concur, I confess- without Christ- (outside of Christ) (location, location,location..) all is empty, vain and meaningless. Oh -the fulness of His love! Haven’t you ever wondered,-how does anyone “make it” without Him? – Now we see where the songwriter’s inspiration- “without Him I’d surely fail..”
So, what’s the “rest of the story?” We are not redeemed with silver or gold but with what? Verse 18 is followed by verse 19. (forgive my simplicity..)- “It was the precious blood of Christ, the sinless, spotless Lamb of G-d.”
-Hallelujah for the cross! Oh, precious is the flow- that makes me white as snow. No other ‘fount’ I know..- nothing but the blood.. of the sinless, spotless Lamb of G-d.
The master theme of our ‘Him Book’ is: “Behold the Lamb.”
“And they sang a new song, (who are these people?- they is us!) saying, “Worthy are You to take the scroll and to open its seals, for You were slain, and by Your blood You ransomed people for G-d from every tribe and language and people and nation,” (Revelation 5.9)