Charles Spurgeon Commentary John 17:3

"And this is life eternal, that they should know thee the only true God, and him whom thou didst send, [even] Jesus Christ." — John 17:3 (ASV)

And this is life eternal, that they might know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent.

By this, then, dear friends, we can know whether we have eternal life or not. Do we know the Father? Do we know Jesus Christ as the Messiah the Sent One? Are we resting in that blessed knowledge? If so, he has given to us eternal life.

And this is life eternal, that they might know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent.

The knowledge of God, and the knowledge of the Messiah, the Sent One—this is not only life, but it is life that can never die: This is life eternal. Have you, dear friend, received this eternal life? Do you know the only true God? Do you know Jesus Christ whom he has sent? Then, at this very moment, you possess eternal life, and you shall never perish, for eternal life is a life that cannot possibly die.

And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.

To know God in the sense of being acquainted with him — loving him — abiding in fellowship with him — this is life eternal.

To know God in Christ Jesus is to be saved indeed.

And this is life eternal, that they might know thee, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.

To know God, is eternal life. If you know God, if you know Jesus Christ whom He has sent, you are spiritually made alive. That knowledge has brought to you, indeed, it is, in itself, the new life: This is life eternal,—not life for a few years but life eternal. Mark the final perseverance of the saints, how they will hold on and hold out forever.

And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.

Is the knowledge of God life? Is the knowledge of Jesus Christ life? It is indeed so. But what a blessed form of knowledge this is! It is taught to us by the Spirit of God in a special and remarkable way.

This is life eternal.

And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.

Do you really know the only true God, and Jesus Christ, his Son?

Have you been brought into such familiar acquaintance with God as to accept Jesus Christ as your Saviour? Then, you have eternal life, and you may rejoice that you have a life like that of God himself, which can never die.

And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.

Do you know God? Do you know Jesus Christ? Are you on speaking terms, on loving terms, with them? Are they your friends?

Then, you have eternal life; for this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.

And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.

This does not mean mere head-knowledge; but to know in the heart and soul the one only true God, and Jesus Christ who was sent by Him to humankind, this is life eternal. God without Christ does not bring eternal life, and Christ, if He were not sent by God, would not bring eternal life to us, but knowing God in Christ Jesus is eternal life.

And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.

No one has life eternal, then, who is in ignorance of God, and of his Son, Jesus Christ; but for one to know God, and to know Christ, is sure evidence that we possess a life that can never die: This is life eternal.

And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.

So that the only way to obtain eternal life is to know God the Father and God the Son, and the best way to know them is to ask God the Holy Spirit to teach us what is revealed concerning them in the Sacred Scriptures which he inspired holy men of ancient times to write.