How is eternal life obtained? We are told, by law-keeping. I deny that. A law was not given which could give life; Christ had, or rather was, eternal life before He kept law. Eternal life is not obtained by law-keeping. What does the Scripture say? The subject is one of deep importance. Justification being one aspect of salvation, the other part of it, so to speak, is eternal life.
The direct doctrine of Scripture is as plain as possible; that I shall state. The Jews had connected it with the law, as they had righteousness. This connection will require more attention than the simple truth itself. The Lord, while presenting Himself to their responsibility during His lifetime, speaks in a guarded way upon it. Once rejected (and He is so viewed all through the gospel of John), all is distinct and simple. The notion of our getting life by His law-keeping is not only not found in Scripture, but is contrary to every idea the gospel gives of it.
Let us first state from Scripture the simple truth on the subject. The simplest, fullest, and most direct statements of what eternal life is are to be found, perhaps, in 1 John (the main object of the whole epistle being to show what that life is). "That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, of the Word of life; (for the life was manifested, and we have seen it, and bear witness, and show unto you that eternal life, which was with the Father, and was manifested unto us.)" 1 John 1:1,21That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, of the Word of life; 2(For the life was manifested, and we have seen it, and bear witness, and show unto you that eternal life, which was with the Father, and was manifested unto us;) (1 John 1:1‑2). Here we have eternal life, first with the Father, but manifested in the Person of Christ.
So in the last chapter: "This is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life." He is the true God, and eternal life. This, then, is most definite and distinct. The life is in the Son; He is eternal life. So in the gospel of John: "In Him was life; and the life was the light of men." John 1:44In him was life; and the life was the light of men. (John 1:4). "As the Father hath life in Himself; so hath He given to the Son to have life in Himself." John 5:2626For as the Father hath life in himself; so hath he given to the Son to have life in himself; (John 5:26). He is a life-giving Spirit; He quickens whom He will.
All this is plain; life is in the Son, or He is life. He has it in His Person; He communicates it. It is given of God, not won. "The wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord." Rom. 6:2323For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. (Romans 6:23). "I," says Christ concerning His sheep, "am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.”
We may now see how it is obtained. It is the Spirit working by the Word. We are born of the Spirit, and, "Of His own will begat He us with the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of His creatures." James 1:1818Of his own will begat he us with the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures. (James 1:18). Hence John 5:2424Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life. (John 5:24), "He that heareth My word, and believeth on Him that sent Me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life." So Paul's witness was "the savor of life unto life," or "of death unto death." The form or character of this is resurrection.