Vida eterna: o que significa e como alcançá-la na Bíblia

O que significa vida eterna na Bíblia

Vida eterna, na Bíblia, não significa apenas uma existência sem fim: significa conhecer a Deus e viver em comunhão com Ele já no presente. Não se trata só da quantidade de tempo após a morte, mas da qualidade de uma vida reconciliada com o Criador, iniciada no momento em que alguém crê em Jesus Cristo.

3 Αὕτη δέ ἐστιν ἡ αἰώνιος ζωή· ἵνα γινώσκωσίν σε, τὸν μόνον ἀληθινὸν Θεόν, καὶ ὃν ἀπέστειλας—Ἰησοῦν Χριστόν.(John 17:3)

16 Οὕτως35pt 𝕻63,66,75ℵA,B,W [60%] (I include this for the record, to show that the dropping of -ς before a consonant was not automatic.) γὰρ ἠγάπησεν ὁ Θεὸς τὸν κόσμον ὥστε τὸν Υἱὸν αὐτοῦ35 𝕻63A,T (97.5%) CP,HF,RP,OC,TR ¦ --- 𝕻66,75ℵB,W (0.4%) NU ¦ long omissions (2.1%) [homoioteleuton] τὸν μονογενῆ ἔδωκεν, ἵνα πᾶς ὁ πιστεύων εἰς αὐτὸν μὴ ἀπόληται, ἀλλ᾿ ἔχῃ ¦ εχει [30%] ζωὴν αἰώνιον.(John 3:16)

Um dom gratuito, não uma conquista humana

As Escrituras afirmam que ninguém conquista a vida eterna por merecimento, herança familiar ou esforço próprio. O pecado gerou a separação entre a humanidade e Deus, trazendo a condenação; por isso, a vida eterna é concedida como uma dádiva imerecida por meio de Jesus.

23 Τὰ γὰρ ὀψώνια τῆς ἁμαρτίας θάνατος, τὸ δὲ χάρισμα τοῦ Θεοῦ ζωὴ αἰώνιος ἐν Χριστῷ Ἰησοῦ τῷ Κυρίῳ ἡμῶν.(Romans 6:23)

11 Καὶ αὕτη ἐστὶν ἡ μαρτυρία· ὅτι ζωὴν αἰώνιον ἔδωκεν ὁ Θεὸς ἡμῖν,35 B [24%] CP ¦ ∼ 312 ℵA [76%] RP,HF,OC,TR,NU καὶ αὕτη ἡ ζωὴ ἐν τῷ Υἱῷ αὐτοῦ ἐστιν.(1 John 5:11)

16 ἀλλὰ διὰ τοῦτο ἠλεήθην, ἵνα ἐν ἐμοί, πρώτῳ, ¦ πρωτον [15%] CP ἐνδείξηται Ἰησοῦς Χριστὸς35 ℵ [93%] RP,HF,OC,TR,CP ¦ ∼ 21 A [5%] NU ¦ 1 [1%] ¦ 2 [0.5%] ¦ 1 ο 2 [0.5%] τὴν πᾶσαν35 [94%] RP,HF,OC,TR,CP ¦ απασαν ℵA [5%] NU ¦ --- [1%] μακροθυμίαν, πρὸς ὑποτύπωσιν τῶν μελλόντων πιστεύειν ἐπ᾿ αὐτῷ εἰς ζωὴν αἰώνιον.(1 Timothy 1:16)

25 Καὶ αὕτη ἐστὶν ἡ ἐπαγγελία ἣν αὐτὸς ἐπηγγείλατο ἡμῖν· τὴν ζωὴν τὴν αἰώνιον.(1 John 2:25)

Uma certeza para o presente, não apenas para o futuro

A vida eterna não é algo incerto que se descobre apenas após o túmulo. O ensino bíblico mostra que quem ouve a palavra de Cristo e confia Naquele que O enviou já passou da morte para a vida espiritual, permanecendo seguro sob o cuidado divino.

24 »Ἀμήν, ἀμὴν λέγω ὑμῖν ὅτι ὁ τὸν λόγον μου ἀκούων καὶ πιστεύων τῷ πέμψαντί με ἔχει ζωὴν αἰώνιον· καὶ εἰς κρίσιν οὐκ ἔρχεται ἀλλὰ μεταβέβηκεν ἐκ τοῦ θανάτου εἰς τὴν ζωήν.

25 »Ἀμήν, ἀμὴν λέγω ὑμῖν ὅτι ἔρχεται ὥρα, καὶ νῦν ἐστιν, ὅτε οἱ νεκροὶ ἀκούσονται35 A,D [98.5%] CP,HF,RP,OC,TR ¦ ακουσουσιν 𝕻75B [0.5%] NU ¦ ακουσωσιν 𝕻66ℵW [1%] τῆς φωνῆς τοῦ Υἱοῦ τοῦ Θεοῦ, καὶ οἱ ἀκούσαντες ζήσονται.35 A [98%] CP,HF,RP,OC,TR ¦ ζησουσιν 𝕻66,75ℵB,D,W [2%] NU ¦ one other reading(John 5:24,25)

36 Ὁ πιστεύων εἰς τὸν Υἱὸν ἔχει ζωὴν αἰώνιον· ὁ δὲ ἀπειθῶν τῷ Υἱῷ οὐκ ὄψεται τὴν35 [50%] CP,HF ¦ --- 𝕻66,75(ℵ)A,B,C,D,W [50%] RP,OC,TR,NU ζωήν, ἀλλ᾿ ἡ ὀργὴ τοῦ Θεοῦ μενεῖ35 [50%] (CP) ¦ μένει [50%] HF,RP,OC,TR,NU ἐπ᾿ αὐτόν.»(John 3:36)

47 Ἀμήν, ἀμὴν λέγω ὑμῖν· ὁ πιστεύων εἰς ἐμὲ35 A,C,D,N (99.5%) CP,HF,RP,OC,TR ¦ --- 𝕻66ℵB,T,W (0.5%) NU ἔχει ζωὴν αἰώνιον.(John 6:47)

27 Τὰ πρόβατα τὰ ἐμὰ τῆς φωνῆς μου ἀκούει,35 𝕻75A,D [97%] CP,HF,RP,OC,TR ¦ ακουουσιν 𝕻66ℵB,W [3%] NU κἀγὼ γινώσκω αὐτά, καὶ ἀκολουθοῦσίν μοι. 28 Κἀγὼ ζωὴν αἰώνιον δίδωμι αὐτοῖς,35 𝕻66A,D (98.4%) CP,HF,RP,OC,TR ¦ ∼ 3412 𝕻75ℵB,W (1.6%) NU καὶ οὐ μὴ ἀπόλωνται εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα· καὶ οὐχ ἁρπάσει τις αὐτὰ ἐκ τῆς χειρός μου.(John 10:27,28)

13 Ταῦτα ἔγραψα ὑμῖν τοῖς πιστεύουσιν εἰς τὸ ὄνομα τοῦ Υἱοῦ τοῦ Θεοῦ ἵνα εἰδῆτε ὅτι ζωὴν αἰώνιον ἔχετε,35 (89.9%) RP,HF,OC(TR)CP ¦ ινα ειδητε οτι ζωην εχετε αιωνιον (αιωνιον εχετε ℵ) οι πιστευοντες (τοις πιστευουσιν ℵB 1% NU) εις το ονομα του υιου του θεου ℵA,B (3.8%) (NU) ¦ τοις πιστευουσιν εις το ονομα του υιου του θεου (4.7%) ¦ ινα ειδητε οτι ζωην εχετε αιωνιον (1.6%) καὶ ἵνα πιστεύητε εἰς τὸ ὄνομα τοῦ Υἱοῦ τοῦ Θεοῦ.35 (90.3%) RP,HF,OC,TR,CP ¦ --- ℵA,B (4.4%) NU ¦ part of a larger lacuna (5.2%) (The longer form does seem to be awkward—more than sufficient stimulus for Alexandrian editors to delete.)(1 John 5:13)

O caminho estreito e a perseverança da fé

Receber essa nova vida implica renunciar à autossuficiência e seguir a Jesus. As Escrituras tratam esse discipulado como um caminho estreito, no qual o cristão é chamado a combater o bom combate e permanecer firme diante das dificuldades deste mundo.

14 ὃς δ᾿ ἂν πίῃ ἐκ τοῦ ὕδατος οὗ ἐγὼ δώσω αὐτῷ οὐ μὴ διψήσῃ35 𝕻66W [90%] HF,RP,OC,TR ¦ διψησει 𝕻75ℵA,B(D)N [10%] CP,NU ¦ --- C has long omission εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα· ἀλλὰ τὸ ὕδωρ ὃ δώσω αὐτῷ γενήσεται ἐν αὐτῷ πηγὴ ὕδατος ἁλλομένου εἰς ζωὴν αἰώνιον.»(John 4:14)

68 Ἀπεκρίθη οὖν35 [90%] CP,HF,RP,OC,TR ¦ --- 𝕻66ℵB,C,N,W [10%] NU ¦ δε D αὐτῷ Σίμων Πέτρος· «Κύριε, πρὸς τίνα ἀπελευσόμεθα; Ῥήματα ζωῆς αἰωνίου ἔχεις.(John 6:68)

13 »Εἰσέλθετε διὰ τῆς στενῆς πύλης· ὅτι πλατεῖα ἡ πύλη καὶ εὐρύχωρος ἡ ὁδὸς ἡ ἀπάγουσα εἰς τὴν ἀπώλειαν, καὶ πολλοί εἰσιν οἱ εἰσερχόμενοι δι᾿ αὐτῆς. 14 Τί35 C,N,W (99%) RP,HF,OC,CP,NU ¦ οτι ℵ,TR ¦ οτι δε B στενὴ ἡ πύλη καὶ τεθλιμμένη ἡ ὁδὸς ἡ ἀπάγουσα εἰς τὴν ζωήν, καὶ ὀλίγοι εἰσὶν οἱ εὑρίσκοντες αὐτήν.(Matthew 7:13,14)

12 Ἀγωνίζου τὸν καλὸν ἀγῶνα τῆς πίστεως· ἐπιλαβοῦ τῆς αἰωνίου ζωῆς εἰς ἣν καὶ35 [40%] OC,TR ¦ --- ℵA [60%] RP,HF,CP,NU (OC has small type.) ἐκλήθης—καὶ ὡμολόγησας ¦ ομολογησας [10%] τὴν καλὴν ὁμολογίαν ἐνώπιον πολλῶν μαρτύρων.(1 Timothy 6:12)

25 Ὅθεν καὶ σῴζειν εἰς τὸ παντελὲς δύναται τοὺς προσερχομένους δι᾿ αὐτοῦ τῷ Θεῷ, πάντοτε ζῶν εἰς τὸ ἐντυγχάνειν ὑπὲρ ¦ ∼ 21 CP αὐτῶν.(Hebrews 7:25)

10 Ὁ δὲ Θεὸς πάσης χάριτος, ὁ καλέσας ὑμᾶς35 𝕻72ℵA,B [92%] RP,HF,OC,CP,NU ¦ ημας [8%] TR εἰς τὴν αἰώνιον αὐτοῦ δόξαν ἐν Χριστῷ Ἰησοῦ,35 𝕻72A [97%] RP,HF,OC,TR,CP[NU] ¦ --- ℵ(B) [3%] ECM ὀλίγον παθόντας, αὐτὸς καταρτίσαι35 [88%] RP,HF,TR,CP ¦ καταρτισει 𝕻72ℵA,B [12%] OC,NU ¦ two other readings ὑμᾶς35 [88%] RP,HF,OC,TR,CP ¦ --- 𝕻72ℵA,B [12%] NU—στηρίξαι,35 [33%] TR,CP ¦ στηριξει 𝕻72ℵA,B [66%] RP,HF,OC,NU ¦ στηριξοι [1%] (Future indicative or aorist optative?) σθενώσαι,35 [30%] TR,CP ¦ σθενωσει ℵA,B [66%] RP,HF,OC,NU ¦ σθενωσοι [1%] ¦ --- 𝕻72 [3%] ¦ one other variant θεμελιώσαι.35 [30%] TR,CP ¦ θεμελιωσει 𝕻72ℵ [66%] RP,HF,OC,NU ¦ θεμελιωσοι [1%] ¦ --- A,B [3%](1 Peter 5:10)

A consumação e o fim do sofrimento

A plenitude da vida eterna se manifestará na ressurreição e na nova criação. As dores, lutos e fraquezas do tempo presente não têm a palavra final: a promessa bíblica aponta para uma comunhão perfeita e ininterrupta com Deus, onde a própria morte será destruída.

18 Λογίζομαι γὰρ ὅτι οὐκ ἄξια τὰ παθήματα τοῦ νῦν καιροῦ πρὸς τὴν μέλλουσαν δόξαν ἀποκαλυφθῆναι εἰς ἡμᾶς.(Romans 8:18)

17 τὸ γὰρ παραυτίκα ἐλαφρὸν τῆς θλίψεως ἡμῶν καθ᾿ ὑπερβολὴν εἰς ὑπερβολὴν αἰώνιον βάρος δόξης κατεργάζεται ἡμῖν,(2 Corinthians 4:17)

3 Καὶ ἤκουσα φωνῆς μεγάλης ἐκ τοῦ οὐρανοῦ ¦ θρονου ℵA,NU λεγούσης· «Ἰδού, ἡ σκηνὴ τοῦ Θεοῦ μετὰ τῶν ἀνθρώπων, καὶ σκηνώσει μετ᾿ αὐτῶν, καὶ αὐτοὶ λαὸς35 Ma,b,e⅓,f,g,i CP,RP,HF,OC ¦ λαοι Md,e⅔,h ℵA,NU,TR αὐτοῦ ἔσονται, καὶ αὐτὸς ὁ Θεὸς ἔσται μετ᾿ αὐτῶν.35 Ma⅙,bpt,e⅗ ℵ,CP,RP ¦ ∼ 231 Ma,bpt,f2/7,g,i⅓ HF,OC ¦ 123 θεος 3 Md,e⅖,f,h¼(pt),i⅔ TR ¦ ∼ 2313 θεος A[NU] 4 Καὶ ἐξαλείψει πᾶν35 Mbpt,d,e⅓,f,g,h,ipt ℵ,CP,RP,NU ¦ ο θεος 1 Me⅗ A,TR ¦ απ αυτων 1 Ma,bpt,ipt HF ¦ απ αυτων ο θεος 1 OC (OC is in small print) δάκρυον ἀπὸ ¦ εκ ℵA,NU τῶν ὀφθαλμῶν αὐτῶν, καὶ ὁ θάνατος οὐκ ἔσται ἔτι, οὔτε πένθος οὔτε κραυγὴ οὔτε πόνος—οὐκ ἔσται ἔτι, ὅτι τὰ πρῶτα35 Ma,b,e,f,g,i CP,RP,HF,OC[NU]TR ¦ 2 γαρ 3 Md ¦ 23 Me⅕,h A ¦ 2 προβατα ℵ ἀπῆλθον.»35 Ma¼,bpt,d,e,gpt,h¼,ipt CP,RP,OC,TR ¦ απηλθεν Ma,bpt,f,gpt,h,ipt ℵ,HF ¦ απηλθαν A,NU(Revelation 21:3,4)