Eternal life traditionally refers to continued life after death, as outlined in Christian eschatology. The Apostles' Creed testifies: "I believe... the resurrection of the body, and life everlasting." In this view, eternal life commences after the Second Coming of Jesus Christ and the resurrection of the dead, although in the New Testament's Johannine literature there are references to eternal life commencing in the earthly life of the believer, possibly indicating an inaugurated eschatology.
According to mainstream Christian theology, after death but before the Second Coming, the saved live with God in an intermediate state, but after the Second Coming, experience the physical resurrection of the dead and the physical recreation of a New Earth. The Catechism of the Catholic Church states, "By death the soul is separated from the body, but in the resurrection God will give incorruptible life to our body, transformed by reunion with our soul. Just as Christ is risen and lives for ever, so all of us will rise at the last day." N.T. Wright argues that "God's plan is not to abandon this world... Rather, he intends to remake it. And when he does, he will raise all people to new bodily life to live in it. That is the promise of the Christian gospel.".
In the Synoptic Gospels and the Pauline Letters, eternal life is generally regarded as a future experience, but the Gospel of John differs from them in its emphasis on eternal life as a "present possession".Images of Salvation in the New Testament, by Brenda B. Colijn 2010 pages 87-90 Raymond E. Brown points out that in the Synoptic Gospels eternal life is something received at the final judgment, or the Age to Come (Mark 10:30, Matthew 18:8-9) but the Gospel of John positions eternal life as a present possibility, as in John 5:24.The Westminster Theological Wordbook of the Bible by Donald E. Gowan 2003 pages 115-116
Thus, unlike the synoptics, in the Gospel of John eternal life is not only futuristic, but also pertains to the present. In John, those who accept Christ can possess life "here and now" as well as in eternity, for they have "passed from death to life", as in John 5:24: "He who hears my word, and believes him that sent me, has eternal life, and comes not into judgment, but has passed out of death into life." In John, the purpose for the incarnation, death, resurrection and glorification of The Word was to provide eternal life to humanity.
In the New Testament Scholars such as John H. Leith assert that eternal life is never described in detail in the New Testament, although assurances are provided that the faithful will receive it.Basic Christian doctrine by John H. Leith 1993 page 296Eerdmans Dictionary of the Bible 2000 page 430 Other scholars such as D. A. Carson suggest that eternal life is explicitly defined in John 17:3, where Jesus says in his High Priestly Prayer, "Now this is eternal life: that they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent." Carson says of this verse that "Eternal life turns on nothing more and nothing less than knowledge of the true God" and that it is "not so much everlasting life as personal knowledge of the Everlasting One."D. A. Carson, The Gospel According to John (Apollos, 1991), p. 556. The Eerdmans Dictionary of the Bible on the other hand, contends that "the nature of eternal life is only sketched in its essential elements in the New Testament".
John W. Ritenbaugh says that eternal life is knowing God, and that Jesus implies an intimate relationship with God that matures over time.
While the Synoptic Gospels are seen as focusing on the proclamation of the Kingdom of God, some scholars see eternal life as the central theme of Jesus' preaching in the Gospel of John,A theology of the New Testament by George Eldon Ladd 1993 pages 290–293 where receiving eternal life is seen to be synonymous with entering the Kingdom.A theology of the New Testament by George Eldon Ladd 1993 page 70 In Christian teachings, eternal life is not an inherent part of human existence, and is a unique gift from God, based on the model of the Resurrection of Jesus, viewed as a unique event through which death was conquered "once for all", permitting Christians to experience eternal life. This eternal life is provided to believers, generally assumed to be at the resurrection of the dead.Mercer dictionary of the Bible by Watson E. Mills, Roger Aubrey Bullard 2001 page 513
In New Testament theology, in addition to "life" (zoe, i.e. ζωὴ in Greek), there is also a promised spiritual life sometimes described by the adjective eternal (aionios i.e. αἰώνιος in Greek) but other times simply referred to as "life". In both John and Paul the possibility of attaining eternal life and avoiding the wrath of God is dependent on believing in Jesus, the Son of God. For John abiding in Christ involves love for one another, as in John 15:9-17, and John 5:24. The existence of divine love in believers, then facilitates the influence of the gospel on the world, and lead to widespread salvation. 1 John 3:14 then manifests "the already but not yet" acquisition of eternal life by referring to the acquisition of eternal life as a once for all (ephapax) event, and the role of love in attaining it: "We know that we have passed from death to life, because we love each other. Anyone who does not love remains in death", somewhat reminiscent of the words of Jesus in John 5:24.1-3 John by Robert W. Yarbrough 2008 page 200
Pauline letters
In the Pauline epistles, eternal life becomes possible in the person of Christ, where by the grace of God and through faith in Christ humans can receive the gift of eternal life.The Bible Knowledge Word Study by Darrell Bock 2006 page 162 For Paul (as in Galatians 6:8) future eternal life arrives as a result of the indwelling of the Holy Spirit during the present life.The Theology of Paul the Apostle by James D. G. Dunn 2006 page 479 Paul views sin as an obstacle to attaining eternal life, as in Romans 6:23. For Paul eternal life is a future possession and "the eschatological goal towards which believers strive." Paul emphasizes that eternal life is not merely something to be earned, but a gift from God, as in Romans 6:23: "wages of sin is death; but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord." Romans 6:23 thus also counter-positions sin and eternal life: while sin results in death, those who are "in Christ" will reap eternal life.Paul's Letter to the Romans: A Commentary by Arland J. Hultgren 2011 page 264
Paul also discusses the relationship of eternal life to the Holy Spirit, stating that to be with the Spirit and to think with the Spirit leads to eternal life, e.g. Galatians 6:8: :"he who sows to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap eternal life." For Paul future eternal life arrives as a result of the indwelling of the Holy Spirit during the present life, and the inter-related statements about the present life, the Spirit and future life form a key element of the teachings on the topic in Galatians.
1 Timothy 1:16 characterizes Christians by reference to eternal life and calls the followers of Jesus: "an ensample of them that should thereafter believe on him unto eternal life." and 6:12 advises them to "fight the good fight of the faith, lay hold on the life eternal".
Synoptic Gospels
The New Testament includes fifteen occurrences of the word life, eight of these including the adjective eternal.The Westminster theological wordbook of the Bible by Donald E. Gowan 2003 pages 296–298
There are parallels in how the synoptics refer to "being saved" and John refers to eternal life, as in the table below:Three views on the origins of the Synoptic Gospels by Robert L. Thomas 2002 pages 33–34
Matthew 16:25Mark 8:35Luke 9:24John 12:25... whosoever shall lose his life for my sake shall find it.... whosoever shall lose his life for my sake and the gospel's shall save it.... whosoever shall lose his life for my sake, the same shall save it.... he that hates his life in this world shall keep it unto life eternal.
In the Gospel of Luke, the Parable of the Good Samaritan begins with a question about eternal life in 10:25 when a lawyer asks Jesus what he needs to do to "inherit eternal life".
The Gospel of Matthew includes references to eternal life, in 19:16, 19:29 and 25:46. The reference in Matthew 19:16 is within the parable of Jesus and the rich young man which also appears in Mark 10:17–31 and Luke 18:18–30.Matthew by David L. Turner 2008 page 469 This parable relates the term "eternal life" to entry into the Kingdom of God.Matthew by David L. Turner 2008 page 473 The parable starts by a question to Jesus from the young man: "what good thing shall I do, that I may have eternal life?" and Jesus advises him to keep the commandments, and then refers to entry into the "Kingdom of God" in the same context.
Johannine literature
The Johannine concept of eternal life differs from the synoptic view.International Standard Bible Encyclopedia: E-J by Geoffrey W. Bromiley 1982 page 161 Johannine writings specifically present the view of eternal life as not simply futuristic, but also pertaining to the present, so those who hear the words of Jesus and trust in Yahweh can possess life "here and now" as well as in eternity, for they have "passed from death to life", as in John 5:24. Overall, the New Testament balances the present and future with respect to eternal life: the believer has passed from death to eternal life, but this remains to be totally realized in the future.Eerdmans Dictionary of the Bible summarizes this as follows: "The NT searches for a balance on eternal life between present and future - the believer has passed in Christ from death to eternal life, but this remains to be fully realized in God's future, specially in the Resurrection and new creation at the eschaton".
There are about 37 uses of the word life in the Gospel of John, of which about half refer to eternal life.Mercer dictionary of the Bible by Watson E. Mills, Roger Aubrey Bullard 2001 Entry for "eternal life", pages 264–2651, 2, and 3 John by John Painter, Daniel J. Harrington 2002 pages 195–196Note: Different authors provide slightly different counts for the use of the term life in John, e.g. 37 in The Westminster theological wordbook of the Bible vs 36 in Painter and Harrington's book There are six appearances in 1 John. The concept so permeates Johannine writings that in many cases one may just read life as eternal life.
Reformed evangelical theologian D. A. Carson sees as giving the "strongest affirmation of inaugurated eschatology in the Fourth Gospel": it is not necessary for the believer to "wait until the last day to experience something of resurrection life."D. A. Carson, The Gospel According to John (Apollos, 1991), p. 256. George Eldon Ladd points out that, like the Kingdom of God, eternal life is "not only an eschatological gift belonging to the Age to Come; it is also a gift to be received in the old aeon". In this context, the gift of eternal life in the old aeon in which sin and death are still present is contrasted with eternal life in the new aeon of life and righteousness, the World to Come to which the faithful will belong.A theology of the New Testament by George Eldon Ladd 1993 page 528The international standard Bible encyclopedia by Geoffrey W. Bromiley 1995 page 525
However, although as in John 3:16 God has provided the gift of eternal life to believers, the possibility of perishing (απόληται) remains if one rejects Jesus. According to John 3:36, "He that believeth on the Son hath eternal life; but he that obeyeth not the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abideth on him."