I propose a premise from which I hope to expound and attain a conclusion on a topic in dire need of understanding. I’m doing this in conscious knowledge that the cognizance of this matter is the pillar upon which the grace of God and salvation – the true meaning of human existence –  hang.

No matter where we look, the sum total of eternal life, which itself is eternal, is God’s own kind of life. It bears a relationship with immortality, but it’s more than that as it is not merely perpetuation of existence or deathlessness. …..Now unto the king eternal, immortal,invisible, the only wise God….As God alone has immortality so does; eternal life,  He alone has His own unique life which He is interested in sharing with man after taking him through processes well defined by him. …. the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord

The prominent use of this in the Pauline epistles is in 2Corinthians 4:18 where it’s placed in sharp contrast with things that can be seen…..for things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal

Eternal life is the crowning end journey of the believer in the trio of honour, glory and immortality. To them who by patient continuance in well doing seek for glory and honour and immortality, eternal life (Romans 2:7). We shall do well to take this in hand as we go along. My intervention in this piece came purely because of what is trending presently on social media. The argument has been on whether a believer can lose his salvation or not. This is a question that belongs to the jurisdiction of the Holy Spirit for aItnswer, just as the issue of predestination also belongs to Him. However, we should note the words continuance and seek. The first means steadfast recurring application. The other is about being careful to engage the sense of sight in order not to miss an object or a purpose. Eternal life is that important and is not to be handle carelessly. The One that sowed the life is a great Gardner (George Warnock) who keeps coming and going, seeking fruits on what He has tended to germinating and fruiting stages. He knows when to come for the fruits as He tends each with the utmost care. He’s not interested in failure of investment and so will do everything possible to keep His profits.

I’m wont to see the human cycle of life in eternal life. The Lord Jesus was born a baby, grew to become Son and walked in the pleasant pleasure of the Father untill the Lord, at the mountain of transfiguration, declared this Son as his mouth piece. God, Who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto….hath in these last days SPOKEN to us by his Son,…(Hebrews 1:1-2: capitals, mine). The Lord Jesus showed what it meant to be patient, continuing and coming to conclusion. The word translated transfigured in Mathew 17,verse 2, is in English,means metamorphosed. It’s the end of His journey; this was the fullness. He could easily have walked to the Father from there but He returned to the valley for the salvation of His brethren (Austin Spark). This scene was burnt into the consciousness of Peter, so much so that he spoke of it often in the twilight of life.

John writes, That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have SEEN with our eyes which we have LOOKED upon, and our hands have HANDLED, of the WORD of LIFE (1John1:1, capitals, mine). This is eternal life as lived by the Lord Jesus Christ. The three disciples that accompanied Him to the mountain might have, by the virtue of their proximity to LIFE Himself, attained some degree of life, but certainly not as full as that beheld of the Lord on the mountain; His was and is FULL, COMPLETE. In other words, eternal life is to be attained through careful cultivation in hearing, seeing, looking…

Now, here is a fact: eternal life has been known to suffer a setback! A dimmer glow of the fullness of Christ – because of careless living. Yes, salvation is by grace and there’s eternal salvation for the believer; the believer may not be in any immediate danger of anti-life course, lost of salvation but it can be dented; it can be less than what it should be because of lack of patient continuance in well doing and in focused seeking. Eternal life is dotted with myriads of crowns of glory – and God is this glory. The Book of Revelation says to ….hold that fast which thou hast that no man take thy crown (Revelation 2:11). True, salvation is by grace lest any man should boast. However, it’s worth taking note of that it doesn’t require works to attain salvation, but the possessor of salvation through grace works (Austin Spark). The careless in the kingdom stands the danger of being spued out of the mouth of the Lord. Seven times, in the Book of Revelation, did the Lord encouraged the believer, nay, the churches, to rise up to the status of the overcomers. Overcoming lifestyle comes through identifying with the moral and spiritual excellence of Christ.

Paul, who wrote three-quarters of the New Testament, points out the possibility of dented life, of diminished glory, writing, But I keep under my body (certainly this act involves works), and bring it into subjection (this is a conscious effort): lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a cast away (1Corinthians 9:27). This is not the loss of salvation but let’s have this worldly example: a most brilliant individual originally ordained to be a true professor, already pencilled down to be greater than Einstein, reduced to a primary school teacher (this is not slighting the blessed school teacher, please) due to some error of misjudgment! Paul writes: That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable to his death; if (and this is the point) by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead (Philippians 3:10-11). Resurrection of the dead? That’s right; it’s a type of resurrection that is to be attained; it’s not for the general believers although it is for all believers. The Greek word translated resurrection here in this passage is out-resurrection. This is the true life pursuit.

I’ve had opportunity to watch the Lord at work in the believers in Him. He will move heaven and earth to safeguard his children. His rod and the staff are not in vain. I like to close with one or two stories. This one told by Pa Kenneth Hagin and I believe him; he has no reason to tell a lie. A brother was fond of committing sins was sick to death and it’s Hagin’s lot to pray for his healing. In the process of praying, the Lord appeared to his servant, Hagin, and told him to stop praying for the sick man. The Lord made it known to Pa Hagin that the man was a perpetual lover of sins though he was a believer. The Lord said he’s prepared to take the sick man away from the earth. The Lord said that the man’s later days would be greater than the beginning. After this message was delivered to the sick brother, he was suddenly supernaturally enabled and he worshiped the Lord for 72 hours – nonstop – and passed on to glory. I’m sure the Lord could say: ….those that thou gave me I have kept and none of them is lost,…(Mathew 17:12).  If I can help it, I’ll not want the Lord draw the rod for me, calling me away from the present when there’s enormous walk with Him still to accomplish