This is Life Eternal

Stacy Kudlicki
10/09/2007
REL 211 - Ludlow
One-Verse Exegesis #1
St. John 17:3 -- "And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent."
The significance of this verse is made evident by it being a key scripture taught in LDS seminaries. There are three significant points that can be extracted from this verse; that (1) the definition of life eternal as (2) each person knowing God and Jesus Christ and that (3) one was sent by the Other, making them two separate individuals.
Life eternal is different from immortality. All people given bodies in this life, will be granted immortality in the next life through the resurrection. Immortality is simply living forever in the next life, and does not grant any special bestowal upon any individual, but is promised freely to all of God's children by His grace. In contrast, life eternal is "the greatest of all the gifts of God" (D&C 14:7) and is distinct in that it encompasses dwelling with God, like God, as gods who endure and overcome all things, have all power, and receive the fullness of the Father.
Knowing God and Christ is distinct from knowing about them. To know about them is to know their nature, their purpose, and their omnipotence; but to truly know them is to "think what He thinks, to feel what He feels, to have the power He possesses, to comprehend the truths He understands, and to do what He does. Those who know God become like him, and have his kind of life, which is eternal life" (McConkie, 762). In order to be in such a holy state, we must practice the example of the living Christ; pure charity, pray constantly in our hearts, endure the torment of our enemies, and a ceaseless determination to perform God's will. This is no easy task, but doing these things can give us only holy thoughts and Christ-like attributes which can come as simply as a quiet assurance in our hearts of the truthfulness of the envelope of God's character. This is how we build up a deep and personal relationship with God so we can truly know Him.
Finally, the verse distinctly declares Jesus Christ as being sent by the only true God. This negates God and Jesus Christ being the same person. This scripture is the intercessory prayer of Jesus Christ to God the Father. Jesus is praying to God. Not to himself. He addresses himself in third person as being sent, a messenger, to fulfill prophecies, declare the new laws and commandments, and to redeem us. He, being delivered to us from God, delivers us from the infallible justice of our sins. It was not God's suffering on the cross, it was Christ's. It was not God's atonement, it was Christ's.
Many scriptures in the standard works indicate that eternal life includes following a narrow path of righteousness, believing on the Son, being spiritually minded, enduring to the end, and is synonymous with a crown and an inheritance. Therefore, to do these things brings about feelings inspired by the Holy Ghost as a means of knowing God so that we may gain eternal life.