THE GROVE BIBLE FELLOWSHIP


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In the biblical series, Eternal Life, Iain MacMillan examines a subject that has caused difficulty for many readers of the Scriptures throughout the centuries. What does the phrase "eternal life" actually signify? While examining this question, he focuses on the authoritative Scriptures to clarify what God has communicated to His people concerning this crucial subject. The main objective for this series is to stimulate the saints' understanding of their inheritance in Christ's coming Kingdom, and how this fundamental knowledge will assist them in fulfilling their responsibilities today in preparation for that Kingdom. As the study progresses, it will become evident that the "hope" to which the scriptural authors proclaimed is directly linked to the saints' future "inheritance" as fellow-heirs with Abraham, and that having a clearer outlook concerning this "hope", it will assist them not to grow weary, but remain faithful until death. "I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of His glorious inheritance in the saints." Ephesians 1:18 "For when God made the promise to Abraham . . . God, desiring even more to show to the heirs of the promise the unchangeableness of His purpose, interposed with an oath . . . This hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and steadfast and one which enters within the veil, where Jesus has entered as a forerunner for us, having become a high priest into the age according to the order of Melchizedek." Hebrews 6:13-20 "Even so Abraham believed God, and it was reckoned to him as righteousness. Therefore, be sure that it is those who are of faith who are sons of Abraham. The Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, preached the gospel beforehand to Abraham, 'All the nations will be blessed in you'. So then those who are of faith are blessed with Abraham, the believer." Galatians 3:6-9 "Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, this he will also reap. For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life. Let us not lose heart in doing good, for in due time we will reap if we do not grow weary." Galatians 6:7-9 "Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of THE LIFE." Revelation 2:10b This study also examines several Greek words that have been traditionally mistranslated concerning the noun "eternal" and its corresponding adjective "everlasting". Mistranslations of these terms have caused unnecessarily confusion and distortion of this vital truth. The author essentially maintains that the phrase "eternal life" pertains to the quality of life of Christ's faithful disciples, that is, those who now do the will of His Father, and will experience this life during the coming age when Jesus Christ resurrects them "to everlasting life" (Daniel 12:2-3) and administers His Kingdom with the rod of righteousness on earth as the King of kings and the Lord of lords.
			NOTES
•	August 8, 10	Eternal Life Part Three: Quality AND Duration	DOC	PDF	Eternal Life Part Three: Quality AND Duration
•	November 8, 09	Eternal Life Part Two	DOC	PDF	Eternal Life Part Two
•	November 1, 09	Eternal Life Part One	DOC	PDF	Eternal Life Part One