Section 3
to Him, "Teacher, what shall I do that I may inherit eternal life?" To inherit eternal life is to be rewarded in the coming age (Luke 18:29-30) with the enjoyment of the divine life in the man ifestation of the kingdom.
To inherit eternal life is also "to enter into life" (Matt. 19:17). To enter into life is to enter into the kingdom of the heavens (Matt. 19:23). The kingdom of the heavens is a realm of God's eternal life. Hence, when we enter into it, we enter into God's life. This differs from being saved. To be saved is to have God's life enter into us, whereas to enter into the kingdom of the heavens is to enter into God's life. The former is to be redeemed and regenerated with God's life; the latter is to live and walk by God's life. The one is a matter of birth; the other is a mat ter of living.
According to the New Testament, to receive eternal life is one thing, and to inherit eternal life is another thing. To receive eternal life is for our salvation in this age, but to inherit eternal life is a reward in the coming age, that is, in the coming kingdom. It is important, therefore, that we differentiate these matters concerning our experience of eternal life. Now, in this present age, we may receive eternal life and experience