Can something eternal not be applied to someone anymore?

Can something eternal not be applied to someone anymore?


In the Bible, "life" can be described as "ETERNAL". Somebody can have "ETERNAL life" in the present tense, as for example Jesus said: "The (one) believing in the Son HAS ETERNAL life" (John 3:36).

If someone would not meet a condition anymore to HAVE something eternal, could that person still HAVE it? 


Eternal as an adjective:

Jesus said: "The (one) believing in the Son has ETERNAL LIFE" (John 3:36).

Jesus did not say that someone "has ETERNALLY life", but Jesus said that someone "has ETERNAL life" (John 3:36). The Greek word "ETERNAL" is an adjective attached to the noun "life", not an adverb attached to the verb "has". 

In the sentence "the (one) believing in the Son has eternal life" (John 3:36), the possession of the object ("life") depends on the continuity of the subject's action ("believing"). Whether someone is believing or not believing, the life remains eternal, but the possession of that life can change. 


Eternal life is possessed derivatively, not inherently:

Someone does not INHERENTLY have eternal life, but someone only DERIVATIVELY has eternal life. 

It is written about "eternal life IN CHRIST Jesus" (Romans 6:23). Eternal life is IN CHRIST, NOT OUTSIDE of Christ. This is important because:

Jesus said to His disciples: "I am THE VINE, you (are) the branches" (John 15:5). A branch can be grafted IN THE VINE, the same way that a believer can be placed IN CHRIST. The vine can have an eternal life, which in turn can be shared with the branch, so that the branch now also has this eternal life in them. BUT Jesus said that "Every branch IN ME not bearing fruit, He [the Father] takes it away" (John 15:2). If a branch is later cut off from that vine, then the branch will cease to share in that eternal life. The life in the vine will remain an eternal life, but the possession of it by the branch can change, as the branch cannot have this eternal life from the vine OUTSIDE of the vine. The branch does not have life INHERENTLY (in itself); it has life DERIVATIVELY (from the source). Therefore, the "eternality" belongs to the Source, not the recipient.

For more information:
Is being "in Christ" conditional?:
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The verbs linked to the possession of eternal life can have several tenses:

The verbs linked to the possession of eternal life can be in the past, present but also the future tense, and conditions can be attached for each.

For more information:
Eternal life can be attached to past, present, and future verbs:
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A promise that is "eternal" or "forever" can be revoked if the conditions for it are not met anymore:

1 Samuel 2:

In the Bible, God can give to someone a gift whose continuation is described as being “FOREVER”, and yet if the conditions attached to that gift are later abandoned, the “FOREVER” continuation can be revoked, as it is for example written regarding Eli's family which had already been given the priesthood and was told that their house would walk before God “FOREVER”: "So says YHWH the God of Israel, I said indeed that your house and your father's house should walk before Me until FOREVER. BUT NOW, a statement of YHWH, BE IT FAR FROM ME! For those who honor Me I will honor, and those despising Me will be despised. Behold, days come when I shall cut off your arm, and the arm of your father's house, that no old man shall be in your house" (1 Samuel 2:30-31).

1 Samuel 13:

Scripture records that Saul’s kingship was not merely a temporary assignment but something God would have established “until FOREVER” had Saul remained faithful to the command given through Samuel. As the prophet rebukes him, the contrast is explicit: "Samuel said to Saul, “You have been given over to foolishness; for you did not keep my command, which the LORD commanded you, as now the LORD would have confirmed YOUR KINGDOM over Israel until FOREVER. BUT NOW YOUR KINGDOM WILL NOT STAND" (1 Samuel 13:13-14). In other words, the potential forever-duration of Saul’s dynasty was genuinely offered, yet made conditional on obedience, and once the condition was violated, the promised continuation was rescinded.

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