Word for the day by Christian Education Forum

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Believing in ‘Christ the Truth’
John 17:1-5
 
Rev M P Samuel
Atlanta MTC
3 And this is eternal life, that they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent.
The Gospel according to St. John chapter 17 is known as the high priestly prayer of Jesus, in which He prays for himself, for His disciples and for those who will believe in Him in the future. In the first part of the prayer, vs. 1-5, where He spoke about himself, He affirms the glory of the cross and expresses the essence of the eternal life. The purpose of the life of Jesus Christ was to give the eternal life to all the people who had been given to Him in this world. Through His life and this prayer, He teaches the believers the real meaning of eternal life. Let us focus on two important aspects of the life of those who believe in Christ, the truth.
Knowing the Father: Eternal life is an important theme of the Gospel according to John. The Greek term used for eternal life means ‘life of the age to come’, which refers more to the quality of life than the duration of the life. Here, in the words of Jesus, we get the definition of eternal life. Eternal life is to know God and to know Jesus Christ whom He has sent. To know God means not merely to have an understanding about the nature of God that was revealed through Jesus Christ, but also to have an intimate relationship with Him. In essence, it is nothing less than the participation in the eternal life of God, which is revealed through Jesus Christ.
Glorifying the Father: The event that glorifies the Son was His death on the cross. It is through this death on the cross, the Father was glorified for fulfilling His redemptive plan in the Son.  It is through the obedience of the Son that the Father was glorified. Knowing the Father, leads to the understanding of the will of God.  Jesus Christ was obedient to the will of God, which brought glory to the Father. As the believers of Christ, we also are called to know the Father and to glorify Him through our life. Christ has set His life as an example for us. Let us have an intimate relationship with God and participate in the eternal life. Let us glorify Him through our life by obeying the will of God.

PRAYER

Loving God, help us to know You intimately and to glorify You in this world through our life. Amen.

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:
Eternal life is nothing other than participating in the life of God for His glory.


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