Eternal life is to know God and Jesus Christ in a personal, experiential way, not merely to possess knowledge about Them. Knowing Them requires a relationship that begins with God's imputation of righteousness upon repentance, acceptance of the blood of Jesus Christ, and receiving His Holy Spirit, granting access to Him. This relationship grows through daily experiences, facing problems, serving, and meeting needs by the power of God's Holy Spirit, the same power that raised Christ from the dead. To know Christ is eternal life, as this intimate connection is the path to the resurrection. Paul desired to know Christ deeply, understanding that this step precedes the resurrection, and through this process, one comes to truly know God. The purpose of being raised to newness of life, as symbolized in baptism, is to know God, for knowing Him is eternal life, leading to real holiness through walking with Him. By putting sin to death and participating in Christ's sufferings, one comes to know Christ, aligning with His image and preparing for the Kingdom of God.

Eternal life is found in knowing God and Jesus Christ, as They have established the sole path to a lasting relationship with the Father. Jesus Christ declares in John 14:6, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me." This profound statement reveals that He is the only means to approach God, embodying the way through His example of behavior and direction of life, the truth through His revelation of spiritual knowledge and understanding, and the life as the Life-giver who imparts eternal life. To know Him and His Father is to attain eternal life, as expressed in John 17:3. Through His sacrifice, teachings, and mediation, Jesus Christ provides the essential elements—behavior, knowledge, and spiritual life—necessary to enter the Kingdom of God. Without Him, there is no connection to the Father, no forgiveness of sins, and no hope for immortality. He forges the path, lights the way, and offers the promise of eternal life to those who follow Him.

Jesus tells us in John 17:3 that eternal life is to know God and Jesus Christ. This knowing goes beyond mere intellectual understanding to a deep, intimate relationship with Him, akin to that between a husband and wife. Our future is to be the Bride of Jesus Christ, and He desires a Bride who has already built a relationship that He knows will endure for eternity. God and Christ want us to know Them intimately and personally, fostering a bond that will last forever. They have provided the means through prayer, a vital way to build this close connection.

Eternal life, as revealed in John 17:3, is not merely an endless existence but encompasses a deep, intimate relationship with God and Jesus Christ. To know Them is to experience a closeness of heart and mind, akin to the most intimate human bonds, surpassing mere intellectual understanding. This profound connection with God opens the way to the freest and most rewarding expressions of an abundant life, yielding a rich harvest of reward that enhances the quality of life immeasurably. Furthermore, eternal life involves fellowship with God, transforming one's existence into a life akin to how He lives. It is a unique life, distinct from the one lived before being called by Him, shifting from a path that leads to death to one of communion with Him. This fellowship, the highest form reserved for those summoned by God, is marked by self-sacrificial love and mutual service within a tightly knit community under Christ as the Head. True eternal life, therefore, is bound to living according to God's will, aligning oneself with His purpose, and preparing to walk with Him eternally.

Eternal life hinges on knowing God the Father and Jesus Christ, as revealed through Christ's teachings and actions. Jesus came to declare the Father, explaining and expounding His nature extensively during His ministry, not merely introducing Him but providing a foundational narrative of His character. This declaration is vital, for without knowing the Father and the Son, true spiritual progress and salvation are impossible. By studying, meditating upon, and imitating what Jesus conveys about His Father, we grow in understanding, striving toward an intimate fellowship with Them. Jesus emphasizes that seeing Him is akin to seeing the Father, implying a deep contemplation of His words and deeds to gain insight into the Father's divine nature. This process of observation, belief, repentance, and living in the light leads us to live as God does, with the ultimate goal of achieving the same intimate relationship with the Father that the Son exemplifies.

Eternal life is to know God and Jesus Christ, as Jesus Himself declares that knowing God is the essence of eternal life. This knowing is not merely about endless existence, for Jesus implies that eternal life encompasses more than living forever; it carries a quality that makes endless life wonderfully enjoyable and delightful, a life we would never want to end. Eternal life and knowing God are inextricably linked, synonymous in their essence, indicating that to possess one is to possess the other. This knowing of God goes beyond academic or theoretical understanding; it involves a deep, intimate relationship that engages the whole person—emotionally, practically, and experientially. To know God is to approve of and take delight in Him, reflecting a closeness and cherishing that mere familiarity cannot achieve. It is an awareness of a specific relationship with God, where He is the focus of our attention, the apple of our eye, and where He takes delight in us and blesses us when we live righteously. Jesus contrasts His intimate relationship with the Father to the distant, superficial familiarity of others, emphasizing that true knowledge of God manifests in behavior and speech akin to His own. If we truly know God as He does, we would reflect Him in our actions and words. This knowledge is moral in expression, revealing itself through faithful obedience to God's commandments and instructions, which extend far beyond mere laws to encompass a broad spectrum of life's aspects like kindness, mercy, and justice. Ultimately, to know God is to live like God, to translate this knowledge into actions comparable to His, as seen in the life of Jesus, whose perfect knowledge of the Father resulted in a sinless life. Eternal life, therefore, is a relationship with God built on shared experiences, where both God and man walk together in agreement and trust, achieved through the practical application of keeping God's instructions with our whole being. Those who do this will be granted immortality, for God will recognize that they can walk with Him, and He with them.

In the book of John, the focus on Jesus Christ as divinity reveals a profound truth about eternal life. Eternal life is not merely endless existence but a quality of life lived as God lives it. Christ came to demonstrate this way of living, showing us how to overcome condemnation, destruction, and death through a life that reflects His own. This life, which is the light of men, provides direction and insight, enabling us to navigate the wilderness of this world safely. John emphasizes that eternal life resides in knowing Christ and having an intimate relationship with Him. It is about following in His steps, living life as He lived it, not just thinking about it. This quality of life ensures that if God grants us endless life, we will continue to live in the manner that pleases Him. Without this, endless life would be a curse, as it would perpetuate the flawed ways of human existence that lead to death and destruction. Only the eternal life manifested by Jesus Christ produces a life worthy of eternity. The necessity of God's Holy Spirit is introduced as essential for this transformation. Without a spiritual rebirth, one is not equipped for the kingdom of God. This transformation, rooted in repentance, baptism, and receiving the Holy Spirit, prepares us for a second birth into God's kingdom, aligning our lives with His divine nature. Through this process, we come to understand that our spiritual life is entirely dependent on Him, requiring constant return to the Source for regeneration and strength to emulate His life in ours.

Eternal life, as revealed by God, is not merely about endless duration but embodies a profound quality and character found only in His Son, Jesus Christ. God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son; whoever has the Son has life, and whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life. The testimony of God is that eternal life is a divine gift, rooted in fellowship with Him and His Son, emphasizing a relationship rather than a mere extension of time. This life is the very life of God Himself, shared with those who believe in His Son, offering a present certainty of assurance that we possess this life through Christ abiding in us. The purpose of this testimony is to inspire faith, leading us to believe in and follow Christ, to live as He lived, and to develop His character within us. Eternal life, therefore, is inseparable from knowing God and Jesus Christ, as it is through this relationship that we experience the serenity, power, holiness, love, and indestructibility that define God's own nature.