The plirase "eternal life " includes everytliing tliat is neces- Barj to the complete salvation of a soul, — the life of justifica- tion, sanctification, and final glory.
The Son gives " eternal life " to none but those who are " given to Him," in the everlasting counsels of the Trinity, from all eternity. Who these are man cannot say. " Many of the gwen ones," says Traill, " do not for a long time know it." All are invited to repent and believe, without distinction. No one is warranted in saying, " I was not given to Christ, and cannot be saved." But that the last day will prove that none are saved except those given to Christ by the Father, is clear and plain.
Poole remarks, " We need not ascend up to heaven to search the rolls of the eternal counsels. All whom the Father hath given to Christ shall come to Christ ; and not only receive Him as Priest, but give themselves up to be ruled and quickened by Him. By such a receiving of Christ we shall know whether we are of the number of those that are given to Christ."
Traill remarks, " This giving of men to the Son to be re- deemed and saved is the same thing with election and predes- tination."
" There is a twofold giving of men to the Son by the Father. One is eternal, in the purpose of His grace ; and this is mainly meant here. The other is in time ; when the Father by His Spirit draws men to Christ. (John vi, 44.) All the elect are given from eternity to the Son, to be redeemed by His blood ; and all the redeemed are in due time drawn by the Father to the Son, to be kept to eternal life,"
8 ^-[And this is life eternal, etc.] This verse is mercifully given to us by our Lord as a description of saved souls. " The secret of possessing eternal life, — of being justified and sanctified now, and glorified hereafter, — consists simply in this : in having a right saving knowledge of the one true God, and of that Jesus Christ whom He has sent to save sinners." In short, our Lord declares that he who rightly knows God and Christ is the man who possesses eternal life.
Of course we must distinctly understand that mere head- knowledge, like that of the devil, is not meant by our Lord in this verse. The knowledge He means is a knowledge which dwells in the heart and influences the life. A true saint is one who " knows the Lord." To know God on the one hand — His holiness, His purity. His hatred of sin ; and to know Christ on the other hand — His redemption, His mediatorial office. His love to sinners, — are the two grand foundations of saving re- ligion.
Right knowledge after all lies at the root of all vital Chris- tianity, as light was the beginning of creation. We need to be " renewed in knowledge." (Col. iii. 10.) We must know what we believe, and we cannot properly worship an unknown God,