The Special of the Day… From the Orange Moon Cafe…
"This Life"
"Whosoever liveth and believeth on Me shall never die" (John 11:26). What did the Lord Jesus Christ mean by these words uttered in a world that "passeth away" and is so filled with death? (I John 2:17). The answer lies in the spiritual life one receives when trusting Christ for salvation.
"But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through His name" (John 20:31).
"And you hath He quickened (enlivened) who were dead in trespasses and sins" (Ephesians 2:1).
"Knowing that Christ being raised from the dead dieth no more; death hath no more dominion over Him. For in that He died, He died unto sin once: but in that He liveth, He liveth unto God. Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord" (Romans 6:9-11).
The Biblical definition of life, declared in both Old Testament and New, is God Himself. "He is thy life… I am the life… Christ is our life" (Deuteronomy 30:20; John 14:6; Colossians 3:4). Thus, a spiritually alive human being is one who dwells in proper relationship and proximity to God. He made human beings to serve as the dwellingplace of His Spirit. "Ye are the temple of God… the Spirit of God dwelleth in you" wrote the Apostle Paul to the Corinthian believers (I Corinthians 3:16). Life, in its essence, must therefore be defined as God Himself, and in its relationship to us, as God dwelling with and within our spirits. "He that is joined unto the Lord is one spirit" (I Corinthians 6:17).
The Lord's statement that "whosoever liveth and believeth in Me shall never die" means that if one enters relationship with God by the gift of His living presence in Christ, that person will not and cannot spiritually die. Barring the Lord's return for His church, the believer will die physically. But never will our heart united to the living Christ die. "I am with you always… I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee" (Matthew 28:20; Hebrews 13:5). This we must "reckon" or consider to be true, first, because it is true, and then because such a reckoning empowers us to walk in the reality of life as it is, and is meant to be.
This is written as a simple statement of Biblical truth, and with the hopeful confidence that it will serve as an encouragement that life is so much more than we sometimes realize or recall. However, we would be remiss to not consider that which made possible our life in God, and His life in us.
"Our Lord Jesus Christ died for us, that… we should live together with Him" (I Thessalonians 5:9-10).
God does not impart life apart from the atoning death that makes it possible to maintain His integrity while granting such a gift - "just and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus" (Romans 3:26). Someone had to die in order that we might live. Someone did die. And because He did, all who receive the grace of life in Christ will not and cannot spiritually die. How could it be otherwise when such a cost made possible such a gift? Yes, the Prince of life died in space and time to ensure that we might live in eternity, forevermore. He is Himself life, and He is our life. Yes, this is life. There is no other…
"To live is Christ."
(Philippians 1:21)
"This is the record, that God hath given unto us eternal life, and this life is in His Son."
(I John 5:11)
Weekly Memory Verse
I thank my God upon every remembrance of you, always in every prayer of mine for you all making request with joy, for your fellowship in the gospel from the first day until now."
(Philippians 1:3-5).
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