Life Is A Person

We often communicate our decision to follow Christ by saying that we have asked Jesus into our life. But that phrase isn’t ever found in the scriptures. To the contrary, the idea is most often communicated that life is in Jesus and until we come into His life we are dead in our sins.

This why Paul says "when Christ, who is your life, appears, you will appear with him also” and that "our life is hidden in Christ." (see Colossians 3: 3-4)

Jesus also tells us that if we come to Him we will have life, but if we do not come to Him we do not have life. (see John 5:40; 10:10; etc.)

Life, therefore, is a person. That person is Jesus. If we want to know life, we have to get to know Jesus. He is life.

“I am the way, and the truth and the life.” – Jesus (John 14:6)

So, instead of asking Jesus into your life, maybe you should ask Jesus to let you into His life? In fact, you and I are expected to give up our lives in order to receive His glorious life which lasts forever and starts today.

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Read the rest of this series:
"Love Is A Person"
"The Word of God Is A Person"
"Truth Is A Person" 

VIDEO INTERVIEW: CHUCK MCKNIGHT AND KEITH GILES

Listen as Keith and Chuck talk about Organic Church, Nonviolence and different Christian views of Hell.

Mortal Souls

 

Christians often evangelize by telling people that every human soul is eternal and that after we die we will continue to live in immortality. The only question, we suggest, is whether or not we will live forever with God in Heaven, or suffer forever in Hell.  But is this idea actually taught in the scriptures? I would say, no. Here’s why.

From the beginning, in the book of Genesis, why does God banish Adam and Eve from the Garden after they have sinned? He says it's so that they won't "eat of the Tree of Life and live forever." (Genesis 3:22)

So, apparently the only way that Adam and Eve would live forever is if they were to eat from the Tree of Life.

Remember, the punishment Adam and Eve received for eating of the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil? It was this: "You shall surely die" (Genesis 3:2)

Now, if death was the punishment for their sin, and if they were prevented from eating from the Tree of Life because to do so would be to "live forever", then are human souls inherently eternal?

I don’t think so. For example, Jesus says:

“Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not see life..” (John 3:36)

“For just as the Father raises the dead and gives them life, even so the Son gives life to whom he is pleased to give it. “ (John 5:21)

“Yet you refuse to come to me that you may have life.” – (John 5:40)

“Very truly I tell you, the one who believes has eternal life.  I am the bread of life.” (John 6:47-48)

“I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.” – (John 10:10)

Paul and the other Apostles also affirm this idea that only those of us who are in Christ have life, and without Christ we have no life beyond this one:

"…your life is hidden in Christ" and "when Christ, who is your life, appears, you will appear with him also." (Colossians 3: 3-4)

"For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Romans 6:23)

“Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life.” (1 John 5:12)

Therefore, the evidence of scripture seems to overwhelmingly support the idea that only those who are in Christ will enjoy eternal life. Those without Christ, will not live forever but will, as Jesus warns us, “perish”. (See John 3:16)

 

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THE WORD OF GOD IS A PERSON.

When we read about “The word of God” in the new testament, this isn’t usually a reference to the Bible or to scripture but to a person who is known as “The Word of God” or Jesus, the Messiah.

There are a few references where Jesus talks about the Old Testament scriptures as “the word of God” but those are the minority. Often, the term “word of God” is used to describe the sharing of the message of the Gospel, but in many instances the term is used to talk about a person, not a book that (at that time) had not been written yet.

For example:

“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind.” (John 1:1-4)

This verse, obviously is equating the "Word of God" with God, but then we read:

“The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.” (John 1:14)

Now the "Word of God" is being identified as someone who became flesh and made his dwelling among men, namely, Jesus.

These verses below are also examples of the phrase "Word of God" being used in reference to a person (Jesus):

“Then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God.” (Romans 10:17)

In this verse, the "Word of God" can't mean "the Bible" because it wasn't written yet. At least, not the parts being referred to here (i.e. "the Gospel").

“For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account.” (Hebrews 4:11-13)

Probably the most overly quoted verse about the "Word of God" and usually in the context of written passages (the Bible) instead of what it was meant to - a person (Jesus).

Jesus is "alive and active". Jesus "penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, etc." Jesus is the one who "judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart." A book can't do those things, even a book as awesome as the Bible.

“I write to you, young men, because you are strong, and the word of God lives in you, and you have overcome the evil one.” (1 John 2:13-15)

Again, the "word of God" that lives in you and me is not a book. It's a person and that person is Jesus.

“When he opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of those who had been slain because of the word of God and the testimony they had maintained.” (Revelation 6:8-10)

People were not put to death because of the Bible. They were persecuted for faith in the person of Christ, who is the word of God.

“He is dressed in a robe dipped in blood, and his name is the Word of God.” (Revelation 19:12-14)

In case there was any doubt, we are told that Jesus' name is "the Word of God." We also see that John, who writes the most about this subject, affirms that he is exiled for his faith in Jesus, not because of a book that hasn't been written yet:

“I, John, your brother and companion in the suffering and kingdom and patient endurance that are ours in Jesus, was on the island of Patmos because of the word of God and the testimony of Jesus.” (Revelation 1:8-10)

So what? You might ask. Why does any of this matter? Because the apostles wanted us to understand that it was important to have a relationship with a person named Jesus, not with a book that they were in the process of writing down.

Jesus even warns us not to fall in love with a book, even with the Scriptures:

"You search the Scriptures, because you think you will find eternal life in them. The Scriptures tell about me, but you refuse to come to me for eternal life." (John 5:39-40)

The Word of God is a person. His name is Jesus. Get to know Him.

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THE GOSPEL: FEAR OR FULFILLMENT?

I can hardly believe it, but there are Christians today who are not convinced that preaching the unsearchable riches of Christ is as effective as preaching a gospel of fear, and fire, and eternal suffering.

If I hadn’t heard it myself, I wouldn’t believe it, but when a Christian brother responded to my assertion that the Gospel is “Good News” and that it’s about finding fulfillment in the marvelous person of Jesus by arguing that no one really needs Jesus today because they have great jobs and nice cars, I was flabbergasted.

Now, when I say that the Gospel is about discovering real life in Christ, I’m not talking about health and wealth or money in the bank. The life that Jesus came to give us was His own life. In fact, the life He gives us is the only real, actual “Life” in the universe. What we call “Life” today is simply existence and temporary breath. So, to say that those without Christ do not “need Christ” because they have “great jobs and nice cars” is to miss the point entirely.

Not only is it wrong for a Christian to miss the real hunger and desperation that every human soul experiences without Christ, it’s especially sad to think that we Christians might miss the extravagant treasures of Christ ourselves and settle for a God who is distant and two dimensional.

Never mind that most of us have come into Christianity by way of a Gospel that dealt mainly with our selfish desires to escape eternal torment, and that emphasizes the transactional elements of the atonement rather than the relational experience of knowing and loving Jesus with all of your heart, and all of your soul, and all of your mind.

Or, maybe we shouldn’t disregard that? I think that Christianity in America suffers from a serious misunderstanding of the Gospel message that Jesus himself came and died to preach. That Gospel was not about saying a prayer so that you could go to heaven when you die. No. The Gospel that Jesus preached and that the disciples preached was about the Kingdom of God which was wide open to anyone and everyone here and now.  It was a Gospel for the living, not only for the day after you die.

On New Year’s Eve I spent some time sharing this with a brother in Christ who affirmed my convictions about the glorious riches of Christ. As someone who has spent some time dealing with his own issues, and has found Jesus at work in the recovery community, he agreed that people without Christ are desperate for all the things that are found only in Him. “Instead of trying to scare people into submission to Jesus, we should offer people the only true source of peace, of love, of life, and of hope," he said. "Those are the things people are dying for today. They need those things right now, not later on after they’re dead.”

Amen? Is Jesus the best thing in your life? Are you constantly in awe of His goodness? His faithfulness? His astounding love? If so, then share that same “Good News” with everyone around you who has yet to discover this marvelous, vibrant, extraordinary person we know as “Jesus”.

“Although I am less than the least of all the Lord’s people, this grace was given me: to preach to the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ.” – (Eph.3:8)

Let's not reduce Jesus into a one-dimensional tool for escaping hell. He's so much greater than this. He is our example, our friend, our Good Shepherd, our daily bread, our High Priest, our Intercessor, our brother, and our Lord. We are compelled by scripture to love Him, to serve Him, to seek Him, to know Him, to obey Him, to follow Him, and to declare His excellent greatness to every creature.


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EMPHASIS: LIFE

"I urge you, therefore, in view of God's mercies, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice to God." (Romans 12:1)

You know, I've not only read that verse over a thousand times, I've also blogged about it here nearly as much. But the other day I actually saw it again and understood it as if reading it for the very first time.

Yes, we are called to be living sacrifices to God, but with an emphasis on the “living” part. See, it’s “life, life, life” that God wants to give you, not the constant pain of the dead flesh being consumed on the altar.

Notice that Paul in Romans 12 follows up this statement  about being a living sacrifice with a list of things he wants to emphasize, and all of them are great things:

First, Paul says that this act of becoming a living sacrifice is our worship to God. Worship is good. Then he talks about transformation and renewing our minds. Those are also great things. Next he says that this will result in knowing God's good, perfect, and pleasing will for our lives.

All of this is good. What's the downside to being a living sacrifice? Nothing. In fact, if you keep reading Romans 12 you'll end up with an even longer list of blessings, including a more loving fellowship in a Body of believers and a more Christ-like spirit towards others.

I suppose my entire paradigm has since shifted regarding this idea of death to self and my need to embrace the continual life of Christ that such sacrifice produces in my heart. For too long now I've been fixated on this idea of death to self (which is still quite necessary) without fully understanding my need to go onward to the part about how God wants to pour into my heart an overabundance of his astounding love and his glorious life.

So, the next time you hear someone talk about the need to die to yourself and become a living sacrifice, be sure to picture in your mind a happy, dancing, life-filled clown like me who is absolutely so full of the life of Christ that he’s about to explode. Because that’s what it actually means.

As God says, “I want your loyalty, not your sacrifices. I want you to know me, not to give me burnt offerings.” (Hosea 6:6 )

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THE FLAME

"Focus on the flame, not the burning stick."

For a long time now I've been very aware of my need to die to myself, take up my cross daily, and follow Jesus. It's the foundation for the Christian life, it's essential for discipleship, and it's the core of the Gospel message that Jesus came and died to bring us.

But lately I've been focused mostly on my side of this equation instead of on the entire process. Mainly, what I've been missing is the perspective of the exchange that takes place.

When I die to myself it's not merely a death of my will or pride, it's the catalyst for a chemical reaction whereby my life is lost so that the life of Christ can fill me up and replace my selfishness with his sacrificial love for others.

What's been missing is the emphasis on the life of Christ being formed in me. This is what the phrase above, which God spoke to my heart last week, means: Focus on the flame (the power of Christ), not the burning stick (your death to self).

What I need most is the life of Christ. I don't receive it by holding on to my life but by letting go of it. "

"Whoever find his life shall lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake shall find it." (Matthew 10:39)

What I need most is for Jesus to release those rivers of living water within me so that I can enjoy His kind of life and not this empty version of life without Him.

“On the last and greatest day of the festival, Jesus stood and said in a loud voice, “Let anyone who is thirsty come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as Scripture has said, rivers of living water will flow from within them.” (John 7:37-38)

If my focus is only on my own death, or emptiness, I might miss the gift that comes from the exchange.

Even in this process of dying to myself, my focus has been on me, and ironically, this is the very thing that the process is intended to change about me - my own selfishness.

Let me keep my eyes and my attention on Christ alone who is my life and my hope.

“For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.” (Colossians 3:3-4)

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