马太福音所说得永远的生命，不同于约翰福音所说得永远的生命。马太是论到国度，约翰是论到生命。约翰所说得永远的生命，是指人因神非受造的生命而得救，使人能凭这生命活着，从今时直到永远; 马太所说得永远的生命，是指在今世凭着神永远的生命，有分于诸天之国的实际，并在来世有分于诸天之国的实现，得以更丰满的享受神永远的生命。
在约翰福音里，永远的生命主要的是为着重生。藉着重生，我们成了神的儿女。此外，约翰福音启示，藉着我们里面永远的生命，我们能结果子。因此，约翰福音里永远的生命是为着复制。但在马太福音里，永远的生命不是为着新生，乃是为着国度。生命是一样的，目的却不一样。在约翰福音里永远的生命是为着新生，但马太福音里永远的生命是为着国度。没有永远的生命，就没有国度的生活。
主在十七节说到进入生命。进入生命，意即进诸天的国。诸天的国乃是神永远生命的范围。因此，我们进诸天的国，就是进入神的生命。得救是神的生命进入我们里面，作我们的生命；进诸天的国是我们进入神的生命，享受神生命的丰富。得救是我们蒙救赎，并由圣灵重生，得着神的生命；进诸天的国是我们凭神的生命生活行动。一个是生的问题，一个是活的问题。
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The Eternal Life Is for the Kingdom – Matt. 19:16-17
To have eternal life in the Gospel of Matthew differs from having eternal life in the Gospel of John. Matthew is concerned with the kingdom, whereas John is concerned with life. To have eternal life in John is to be saved with God’s uncreated life that man may live by this life today and for eternity, whereas to have eternal life in Matthew is to participate in the reality of the kingdom of the heavens in this age and to share in its manifestation in the coming age.
In the Gospel of John the eternal life is mainly for regeneration, for the new birth. By regeneration, we become the children of God. Furthermore, the Gospel of John reveals that by the eternal life, the life of God within us, we may bear fruit. Hence, the eternal life in John is for reproduction. But in the Gospel of Matthew, eternal life is not for the new birth, but for the kingdom. Many Christians confuse the eternal life in John with the eternal life in Matthew. It is the same eternal life in both John and Matthew, but with different purposes. Again, in John the eternal life is for the new birth, but in Matthew it is for the kingdom. No one can have the kingdom life without God’s eternal life.
The Lord spoke of entering into life in verse 17. Entering into life means entering the kingdom of the heavens. 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. 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. One is a matter of birth; the other is a matter of living.