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1 John 1:1-4

"That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we looked upon and have touched with our hands, concerning the word of life— the life was made manifest, and we have seen it, and testify to it and proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and was made manifest to us— that which we have seen and heard we proclaim also to you, so that you too may have fellowship with us; and indeed our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ. And we are writing these things so that our joy may be complete."

    Jesus Christ is life.  He is eternal life.  Heaven is heaven because it is a permanent state of fellowship with God and with the life that was manifested, in human flesh, to the world.  "And this is eternal life, that they know you the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent." John 17:3 

    In this passage we have the clear and yet impossible-to-comprehend concept elucidated for us: Jesus was God, coexisted with God, and then was given to the world as Redeemer in human flesh.  What can we do but proclaim with Paul, "Great indeed, we confess, is the mystery of godliness: He was manifested in the flesh, vindicated by the Spirit, seen by angels, proclaimed among the nations, believed on in the world, taken up in glory." I Timothy 3:16. 

    If we, as humans created in God's image, hope to have a completeness of joy, we better seek this eternal life.  Fellowship with the Father and the Son through the Holy Spirit is the greatest human experience possible at present, and yet will be only a fraction of the pleasure and serenity found in the permanent presence of God.


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