The Evangelical Universalist Forum

What is "Eonian Life"?

Theology Soteriology
#1

Jesus speaks of eonian life quite often. (Eonian life is absent from most modern translations, since they mistranslate ‘aionios’ as eternal, instead of ‘eonian’) So what does eonian life mean? I will give my opinion, but I would love to hear yours as well!

Here is my opinion. We are told that the First Resurrection will happen just prior to the Millenium, and the faithful will be those who are raised at this time. The wicked will not be raised until after the Millenium. We are told that at our resurection, we will be clothed with immortality. We are told that we will be kings and preists during this time, helping to reconcile the nations of the world with God through Christ. This is Eonian Life, in my opinion. We will never again know death, since we will then be clothed with immortality. What a blessing it will be to be used by god in such a way for His grand plans during the Millenium.

“This is eonian life, that they should know you, the only true God, and him whom you sent, Jesus Christ.” (John 17:3)

#2

I think Jesus defined “eternal life” pretty good when He said, “And this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent.” (Jn. 17.3).

“Eternal (eonian) life” is knowing God, being reconciled to God and having a person relationship with Him, participating in the kingdom, rule and reign of God! This is eternal life! Repent for the kindgom of God is at hand; it is within reach! You car grasp it now, participate in it now! Eternal life is not about going to heaven someday, but about participating in heaven today until we come into the full reality of it!

#3

I am sorry, but I must disagree. Eonian life is something we gain in the next age. We only get a foretaste of it now. We cannot experience it in full until the age to come (the Millenium).

While I respect your opinion, I must respectfully disagree. Eonian life is something we can only get tastes of in this lifetime. It wont be fully manifested until the eon to come, that is the Millenium. The life we have now is only temporary, only a shadow of what is to come. The life we will have then after we are raised will be Eonian. This is why Paul speaks of having a hope for eonian life, because it isn’t something we yet have. (Titus 1:2, 3:7)

The Lord be with you!
Byron

#4

Byron, it’s ok to disagree with me; no worries. I certainly don’t think I have it all figured out. My point was that eternal life is having a restored relationship with God, knowing God. We likely do not fully realize that relationship until we have shed these bodies of corruption, but the relationship we can have with God now is just as real as the relationship we’ll have with God in the age to come, however that works out. And I believe Jesus defining eternal life as “knowing God” is very significant, especially for John who quoted Jesus speaking of eternal life more than any other writter. So for John, eternal life has this emphasis of relationship with God. Matthew, having a very strong Jewish message, likely has in mind more of the concept of the Messianic, this world, age to come; or that is what would have been assumed by his audience I think. Mark writing to the Romans and Luke to a Greek would have possibly implied more of the concept of a netherial heavenly age to come; or maybe that’s what their audience would have heard, assumed.

I find the concept of eternal life to be very broad, though, I suppose like John, I like to emphasize the present reality of having a vibrant living relationship with God today! Mark’s quote is interesting, “in the eon to come, eonian life”. Jesus affirms the blessings for and challenges of following Him in this life, and gives what seems to be a indistinct promise of blessing in the eon/age to come, eonian life. Paul speaks of both “laying hold of eternal life” and “hope of eternal life”. For me, eternal life is “present reality with a future hope of an even more awesome reality!” Relationship with God is now the foundation of my life today, and I look forward to the day when I see Him in all His awesomeness! I’ve dove in and am smimming further and further from shore, going deeper and deeper into His presence, His glory.

It is interesting to note how much the different authors speak of eternal life:
Matthew - 3
Mark - 2
Luke - 4 (3 in Luke, 1 in Acts)
John - 15 (9 in John, 6 in 1John)
Paul - 7
Jude - 1

Eternal life is a major theme of John, so John quoting Jesus saying that eternal life is knowing God is significant in understanding what he, John, meant to emphasize in using that word, I think. Eternal life is a present reality, it is experiencing the present reality of the kingdom of God, the present reality of having a relationship with the living God, a relationship that only gets better and more impacting to us the closer we get. How that all works out, I don’t know. Shall it be an “age” to come on this earth, or other, I don’t know; but my hope is in Him. And I’ve very thankful for the very present reality of relationship with Him!

#5

In john 17:3, I don’t think jesus is defining eonian life, but rather, he is saying how we obtain it, that is by knowing God and Jesus Christ.

#6

I would say it’s both, Byron. The clue is the word “is”. If one says something “is” something, that is definitive. In this case, it’s also describing the means. John seems to be saying that knowing God and Christ is eonian life because that is how one obtains it.

#7

I believe we are challenged in understanding and speaking of the “eternal realm”. We exist in time and are bound by it; but I think that “eternity” transcends time. How this operates, I don’t understand and don’t think anyone does. Often I think we are like blind men arguing over shades of green". We are now seated with Christ in heavenly places even though I’m seated on my back porch taking care of a toddler.

#8

Yes, and I believe this is the reason for the “already/ not yet” tension that we find in scripture.
We in the West particularly are prone to compartmentalizing things, whereas the backdrop of the eternal is much more wholistic.