Sunday, August 05, 2007
Eternal life
Last night, I had the pleasure of hearing about a friend’s trip to Uganda. Jessie’s stories about her trip were amazing. She is about to begin her first year at the University of Georgia (my Alma mater) and I couldn’t help but think about how immature I was at that point in my life in comparison to her. She is an incredible person. You can find out more about these displaced children in Uganda at InvisibleChildren.com.
One of her most interesting observations was the joy and peace that she saw in these people who lived daily without security and without any of the comforts that we have in America. It was so strange for us to be looking at pictures of people in dire circumstances and realizing they have something that we are so often missing. I was not prepared to have such a humbling experience. Our little group had some discussions later about our feelings, but I felt like we couldn’t really get to the root of the issue. One topic that came up was the concept of eternal life and its meaning in relation to our relative circumstances. Here are a few things that I’m thinking about now in the aftermath of that conversation which was not the conversation I was expecting to unfold.
The man who loves his life will lose it, while the man who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life. John 12:25
Whoever tries to keep his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life will preserve it. Luke 17:33
Impermanence expresses the Buddhist notion that everything, without exception, is constantly in flux, even planets, stars and gods. Human life embodies this flux in the aging process, the cycle of birth and rebirth (Samara), and in any experience of loss. Because things are impermanent, attachment to them is futile, and leads to suffering. The only true end of impermanence is nirvana, the one reality (a state of being or understanding) that knows no change, decay or death.
Here are a few of my thoughts today about what the concept of “eternity” and "eternal life" might mean beyond the traditional view of life after death.
- Eternity is not a time or a “long time” or a “future time”
- Eternity is now without the burden of impermanence
- Eternal life is no longer living in fear of our own mortality
- Eternal life is the realization that life does not end when changes occur
- Eternal life means living without the fear of loss
- Eternal life is not the extension of our identity after the end of our physical life, but it is a state of being without the obsession with (attachment to) our individual identity.
- Eternal life is the freedom that can be experienced if we no longer live under the burden of maintaining our sense of self-worth through our possessions, security, longevity, physical existence, and individual identity.
7 comments:
The concept of eternity has always been an interesting one, for it seems very dependent on time. It basically means to last forever, to never have a point at which it stops ... but if we say to 'last forever' aren't we imposing a time element on it?
I guess my question is this: would there be a concept of eternity if there wasn't also a concept of time? Because a lot of Christians say that God exists outside of time (I'm not sure if the idea of heaven/hell fall into this category as well). If so, can God still be considered "eternal" since God isn't effected by time?
Heather,
Maybe if we give up on the fear and anxiety that results from the knowledge of our mortality and maybe if we stop spending our lives concerned with trying to extend our own lives, then we may actually gain eternal life right now. Maybe eternal life isn't an extention of our physical life, but it is a different state of living this life free from fear and anxiety.
Mike,
**Maybe if we give up on the fear and anxiety that results from the knowledge of our mortality and maybe if we stop spending our lives concerned with trying to extend our own lives, then we may actually gain eternal life right now.**
I totally agree. Jesus did speak of the eternal life in present tense, and did speak of looking away from mortality and to something bigger.
It's just fascinating to consider that if God is outside time, everything that occurs to us in a linear fashion occurs to him at the same "time." He sees both the Big Bang and us simutaneously.
I'm glad you've posted about "eternal life" being more than temporal, but also in quality. Jesus used the concept "eternal" to refer to both, and so often our culture neglects the latter in light of the former. The Gospel of John conveys this concept as well, and of course you can continue checking out/commenting on my posts on John as well as the podcasts of the series at the WELL.
Good post, and thanks for also stressing the freedom that true eternal life exhibits.
Well put, Mike. I'm still working on "time" and it's implications as it relates to quantum physics.
I'm not sure what I think about the possiblity that God exists outside of time. That concept is out of my grasp at the moment. I don't see God as a being that "exists" if existing means to have a human-like existence.
I do feel a great deal of comfort in realizing that eternal life is a result that is in my grasp through my religious practice. I couldn't operate any longer with the feeling that eternal life is a cosmic reward (or punishment) after I die. The whole after-life concept is really twisted.
Eternal life is something we should learn to see rather than something given as a reward. By seeing that we are experiencing relationship with God.
past---NOW---future
Jumping into the NOW...
experiencing the fullness of each and everymoment deep in God...
is for me eternity.
Gods kingdom on earth.
Fear... anxiety... depression...
etc... are the fruits of
regrets... or desires...
found only in the realms of "past and future".
I really enjoyed your "eternity list".
I would say that eternity is living life ALIVE in the NOW.
Jumping straight in without fear...
so you are free to EXPERIENCE all of the deeper things God has waiting for you... and you alone.
No worries.
He will ALWAYS catch you.
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