ETERNAL LIFE

In Titus 2:2, Paul speaks of eternal life as the hope: “In hope of eternal life.” Not that eternal life is a hope independent of the possession of the future kingdom, but eternal life is a necessary preparation for the bringing of the people of God into the possession of the heavenly inheritance. Suppose the Lord should beautify the kingdom and fit it up as he has promised in his word, yet it would be of no avail to give to a race of mortal beings, for they must needs die and leave it. In order to receive and possess an immortal inheritance, we must ourselves be made immortal, or, in other words, come into possession of eternal life. So Paul reasons, “Flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither doth corruption inherit incorruption. Behold, I show you a mystery; we shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump; for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed; for this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.” 1 Corinthians 15:50-53. Before we pass into that kingdom we must have eternal life given to us. When, then, we cherish in our minds the hope of entering that immortal kingdom, and look forward to it as something that we shall receive, we connect with it, in our minds, our own change to immortality, preparing us to receive that kingdom. So that eternal life becomes one branch of the one hope of the future kingdom.HPGO 15.1