Eternal Life and Everlasting Life: Is there a difference?

Understanding The Difference.

In John 3:15 and 16 Jesus used both eternal life [V15] and everlasting life [V16]

v   Eternal Life: in 26 verses all in the New Testament

v   Everlasting life: in 11 verses; 8 of which were spoken by Christ in the Gospels

v   Life everlasting: in 4 New Testament verses

From Webster’s 1828 Dictionary

Eternal: without beginning of existence or end of existence

Everlasting: Perpetual; continuing indefinitely,

·       Eternal life had no beginning and has no end

·       Everlasting life has a beginning and has no end.

Deut 33:27 The eternal God is thy refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms .  .  . 

·       God had no beginning and has no ending

**What Eternal Life Is

Titus 1:2 God promised eternal life before the world began.

·       1John 1:2 eternal life which was with the Father was manifested unto us

Ø              John 1:1 The Word was with the Father in the beginning

Ø              Jn 1:14 The Word was made flesh and dwelt among us

·       1John 5:20 Jesus Christ, the Son of God, is the true God, and eternal life

Jesus Christ is eternal life.

·       2Cor 5:1 ¶ For we know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building of God, an house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.

Ø              1Cor 12:13 For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body the body of Christ [1Cor 12:27; Col 1:18]

·       1John 5:11 And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son

Ø              Once in Christ, the true God, we are in Eternal life

·       John 5:39 Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me.  Luke 24:27 And beginning at Moses and all the prophets, he expounded unto them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself.

·       The gift of eternal life is the gift of Jesus Christ himself.

Colossians 1:27 To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory:

Note: For most discussion with those who gainsay the Biblical fact of eternal and everlasting life they will be considered he same. This lesson is for Christians who already believe. This understanding of eternal life in Christ will allow one to be more sure that our salvation is sure, complete and everlasting.