John 17:3
And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent
This eternal life isn't a cloying picture of heavenly harps and choirs. We don't have to die to begin eternal life; it begins at the moment we place our faith in Christ.
http://www.awmi.net/bible/joh_17_03
Note 94 at Jn. 17:3: In order to fully understand what eternal life is, it is helpful to understand what it is not. Eternal life is not living forever. Everyone lives forever in either heaven or hell. Also, eternal life is not living forever in the blessings of heaven as opposed to being tormented in hell. John 3:36 and 5:24 show that eternal life is a present tense possession of the believer.
Jesus here defines eternal life as knowing God the Father and Jesus Christ. As we have already discussed (see note 9 at Jn. 8:32, p. 232; see note 2 at Jn. 10:27, p. 280), this word "know" is speaking of intimacy instead of mere intellectual knowledge. Therefore, eternal life is having an intimate, personal relationship with God the Father and Jesus the Son.
According to John 3:16, this intimacy with God is what salvation is all about. Forgiveness of our sins is not the point of salvation. This intimacy with the Father is. Of course, Jesus did die to purchase forgiveness for our sins because unforgiven sins blocked us from intimacy with God. Sin was an obstacle that stood between God and us. It had to be dealt with and it was. But anyone who views salvation as only forgiveness of sins and stops there is missing out on eternal life.
Salvation was intended to be presented as the way to come back into harmony with God. Instead, it has often been presented as the way to escape the problems of this life and later the judgment of hell. It is possible to get born again with that kind of thinking, but more often than not, people who get saved through that type of ministry view the Lord as someone to help them in times of crisis and don't come to know Him.
The church has been preaching forgiveness of sins instead of relationship with God. Forgiveness of sins is an essential step to relationship with God which cannot be by- passed, but it is not eternal life. Jesus didn't die for us out of pity for our impending doom, but He died for us out of love for us (Jn. 3:16) -- a love that longed to once again have that intimate communion with man that He had originally created him for (Gen. 3:8; Rev. 4:11).