Life’s what it’s all about!

The desire to live is inherent, whether in the present or in the future.

That’s why essentially every religion that was ever fabricated by the human mind promises some form of rewarded supernatural existence in an “afterlife.”  And they all contain a fundamental premise. To be specific, divine authority is prominently established in a sovereign entity.  

Yet, any provision to actually experience real fellowship or intimacy with that sovereign authority is mysteriously absent.

[Do you know life’s Source? see: LIFE IN THE BALANCE:  Knowing Its Source]

Every created soul longs for a genuine connection to something greater than himself.  But even though the hope of Jesus Christ’s disciple lies in a future resurrection of the righteous dead, he seeks reliance and fellowship with the Holy Spirit Himself in real time.

His God doesn’t exist in a shroud of obscurity, only to show up in some form of paradise to repay his behavior.  His God has an ongoing, relational investment in him whom He chose to accomplish His own will.  And He’s able to demonstrate His very presence in his life for that purpose.

So, if his life is indeed bound up together with his God, what would it look like to the rest of the world?

It would surely be emblematic of the One whose Spirit he chooses to be led by. 

Though the world despises the Christ and the ones who love Him, it can’t seem to explain the spectacle of joy and peace so visible in the lives of those it otherwise loathes.  It simply cannot comprehend the current magnificence of something which traditions and myths predict to be a future event.

Thus, we rejoice that what Jesus referred to as “life eternal” isn’t merely something we look forward to, but something we presently experience on a certain level. 

[What’s “life eternal?” see: The Precious Pearl of Life.]

In his letter to Timothy, [his] true child in the faith, the apostle Paul urged him to convince Christ’s disciples to “store up for themselves the treasure of a good foundation for the future, so that they might take hold of that which is life indeed.”  The Greek verb ἐπιλαμβάνομαι means to take hold, catch, trap or seize.  Nothing in the grammar suggests this to be an action exclusive to the future.

As Jesus Christ’s disciple, my ability to get my hands on this life seems to parallel the sanctifying [or cleansing] process going on in me right now as well as any desire I might have to abide in HIm.  To abide in Him means to adhere to the principles He taught.

But in order to do that, I not only need the presence of His Spirit, but also the support and encouragement from His Body.  Without this spiritual sustenance, another false doctrine could easily reveal itself as a shinier marble.

The offer from the Source of life isn’t just a promise–like a promissory note to be tucked away and redeemed at the proper time.  

But I can certainly take it to the bank.

I know that life is good.

It has to be.  It was created, and everything the Lord God created was good.  [Gen. 1:31]

The author of Genesis illustrated the Source of life to the reader through the image of a fruit bearing tree in the middle of a perfect environment.  In the same manner, our Lord Jesus Christ demonstrated that same Source to be only through Him existing in the center or our lives.

But nothing in the texts of the New Testament reveals many details concerning what His term “life” actually consisted of.  It would, however, be reasonable to assume that most everyone He taught already had some understanding of what He meant by it.  

[What’s “eternal life?” see:  The Precious Pearl of Life.]

In fact, the Gospel accounts suggest that any interest in the subject probably surfaced as an inquiry about how to get it rather than what it was. [see: Mk. 10:17, Lk. 10:25]  

But does the present day disciple of Christ actually perceive life in the same way that the Teacher Himself and the apostolic authors did?  

For example, consider Jesus’ response to a group of the Jews during a feast in Jerusalem as recorded in the gospel account of John:

Therefore Jesus answered and was saying to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of Himself, unless it is something He sees the Father doing; for whatever the Father does, these things the Son also does in like manner.  For the Father loves the Son, and shows Him all things that He Himself is doing; and the Father will show Him greater works than these, so that you will marvel.

For just as the Father raises the dead and gives them life, in the same manner, the Son also gives life to whom He wishes.  For not even the Father judges anyone, but He has given all judgment to the Son, so that all might honor the Son even as they honor the Father.

He who is not honoring the Son does not honor the Father who sent Him.

Truly, truly, I say to you, he who is hearing My word, and believing in Him who sent Me, possesses eternal life, and does not come into judgment, but has moved out of the death into the life.

Truly, truly, I say to you, an hour is coming and now is, when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God, and those who hear shall live.  For just as the Father has life in Himself, in the same manner, He also gave to the Son to have life in Himself; and He gave Him authority to execute judgment, because He is the Son of Man.

Do not marvel at this; for an hour is coming, in which all who are in the tombs will hear His voice, and will come forth; those who did the good deeds to a resurrection of life, those who committed the evil deeds to a resurrection of judgment.”  [Jn. 5:19-29]  [my emphasis] 

The first conclusion I could draw from this passage would be that a distinct, unshared capacity to give life exists in the Father, Who has life in Himself.  Also, the Father gave that same ability to have life in Himself to the Son, Who does everything in like manner of His Father.

I’d also be careful to note Jesus’ words concerning exactly who actually “possesses life” and recognize the continuous aspect of the phrases “hearing my words” and “believing in Him,” indicating that Jesus considered anyone possessing life to be demonstrating a consistent, obedient lifestyle as a testimony to the principles He was teaching. 

But what could I expect as a result of possessing life?  Having “moved” out of death into life, can I consider myself immortal at that point?

[Are God’s people immortal?  see: Bridging the common gap of fear.]

I could, but I’d have to totally disregard the obvious.  Both Jesus and the Biblical authors often defined this term “life” using the adjective “eternal,” suggesting that immortality defines an ultimate quality of living meant to be experienced only through the miracle of a life-giving resurrection.

A popular translation of Jn. 5:24  reads:

“Truly, truly, I say to you, he who hears My word, and believes Him who sent Me, has eternal life, and does not come into judgment, but has passed out of death into life.”

It’s easy to assume that this sentence confirms that I will never die if I already understand it to mean that when I read it.  But the context neither addresses nor cancels the inevitability of human death. Jesus was asserting that the one who in fact “has” [or who is possessing] life shall not be judged on the basis of his belief.  And, that, on that basis, he’s able to regard himself as one in custody and ownership of that possession.

As a result, he shows the Son—and the world, that he does indeed possess that life through his words and actions.  His possession is in the form of a type of down payment, to be fully realized beginning with a miraculous future life-giving event confirmed by the Author of life Himself.  [read: Jn. 5:29 again]

Can you hear what the Source of life says?  How many chances will I get to lay my hands on that life which only the Son can give back?

And who will deny Him that sole authority?

I’m terrified when I hear about someone who’s succumbed to sexual immorality.

That’s because I know that I’m every bit as vulnerable to illicit sexual temptation as any man who ever lived. And while the formula for victory over the forces of temptation isn’t rocket science, I’ve come to realize that Biblical truth and common sense are distant cousins.

For example, the apostle Paul was encouraging the disciples in Corinth to employ some degree of instinctive resourcefulness when they found themselves in a tempting situation:

“Flee immorality. Every other sin that a man commits is outside the body, but the immoral man sins against his own body. Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and that you are not your own? For you have been bought with a price, therefore glorify God in your body” [1 Cor. 6:18-20] [my emphasis]

This passage is an appeal to self-preservation.

But, unlike Biblical truth, common sense is sometimes willing to sanction any carnal dalliance a man can formulate in his mind. Adulterous behavior is bound to have devastating consequences on a marriage, but looking at pornography once in awhile never hurt anybody, did it?

That depends on who you ask.

Even the man who claims to belong to Christ can be very calculating in that process. He might need to be sure the answer will allow him to conceal his penchant to dabble in the activities he otherwise publicly denounces. So it’s very likely he’ll find the response he’s looking for with no difficulty.

Unfortunately, the consequences for engaging in acts of impurity are not limited to the age to come. Reliable clinical studies claim that the adverse effects of viewing pornography are similar to those of substance abuse. Both trigger a surge of dopamine in the brain, a stimulus needed in incrementally higher “doses” during each subsequent viewing. And this is only one of the several cerebral chemicals altered in the process.

But this evidence is only ancillary to what’s obvious.

We’re all witnesses to an epidemic of dispassionate, detached relationships many men experience with their wives and families today because of their involvement with some form of artificial, dehumanizing sexual gratification. It’s heartbreaking, because I’m convinced that the talons of depravity bear no prejudice, nor do they relinquish their prey without a desperate struggle.

[How far can it go?: Living With the Enemy]

While every created man is equipped with a high-performance, sight-activated sex trigger, ready to pull at a moment’s notice, his tendency to leave the safety on is an acquired skill. It’s a learned exercise, developed and refined by painful experience and spiritual maturity.

I’m furthermore pursuaded that the faithful disciple of Jesus Christ is an overcomer in every respect. He’s persistent and he’s faithful. He’s bold as well as compassionate. He always seeks to edify the Body rather than tear it down.

He’s content to indulge in some of the simple pleasures of this age, but he’s determined to never nibble at even the fringes of licentious behavior.

Because it bites back.

“There is a kind who is pure in his own eyes, yet is not washed from his filthiness.”   [Pro.30:10-12]

I never used to think about inheriting anything.

And I’m sure that’s because I never had to want for the necessities of life growing up. But even as a young adult, the hope of inheriting a vast fortune never really crossed my mind. I suppose that was a good thing, because it never happened.

As a result, I spent the better part of my life pursuing wealth from the variety of methods at my disposal, resolving to make the most from what I could accumulate while it lasted.

So it’s no wonder any references to “inheriting” or “becoming an heir” recorded in the Bible went right over my head. Besides that, my attitude about somebody inheriting something was often built around negative character roles depicted by news media and movie productions. An heir was usually portrayed as an undeserving parasite, often a prisoner to his circumstances.

This false understanding likely prevented me from correctly understanding the significance of what it meant to be an heir in the minds of the Biblical authors. Oddly enough though, they never attempted to define exactly what inheritance was. Their focus was always about who was destined to eventually receive it.

So what’s the Biblical understanding of being an heir?

It happens that the words often translated as “inherit” in the Hebrew manuscripts are יָרַשׁ [yarash] or יָרֵשׁ [yaresh], meaning to take possession of, inherit, dispossess, and נָחַל [nachal], meaning to get or take as a possession. The word translated as “inherit” in the Greek manuscripts is κληρονομέω [klā-rôn-ô-mêō], meaning to receive, gain possession of, share in, or be given something. These all agree somewhat with the current day meaning listed in the Merriam Webster Dictionary:

INHERIT: to get [a personal quality, interest, etc.] because of the influence or example of your parents or other relatives [emphasis mine]

Historically, the criteria for determining who was to be the heir of an estate was vested in blood lines or as an act of generosity in behalf of a benefactor. Furthermore, any prerogative for the benefactor to nullify the arrangement was both legitimate and binding.

Continued lineage and prosperity are intrinsic ambitions of the human male. The Lord first promised these to the man Abraham because of the belief he demonstrated to Him through obedience. So, it’s no coincidence that God also inspired the authors of the Bible to portray sharing in promised wealth as a paradigm for the deserving children in His “family.”

And most cultures today have adopted a similar standard for the sensible and equitable transfer of assets from one generation to the next. But the real value of being an heir is not realized simply by its designation, but through its eventual materialization. And whether or not a man acquires the title of heir by natural birth through the efforts of his Earthly father, or through the miracle of his Heavenly Father [that is, through redemption], the anticipated outcome of the one making the investiture is identical.

[What does “redemption” mean? see: Different fruit, same good news.]

Either is confident that his [or His] influence will be a determining factor toward the goal of his [or His] beneficence. However, both history and the Biblical record are replete with examples of an heir actually having to forfeit what has been bequeathed to him as a result of disregarding the influence of his father [or Father].

Nevertheless, many of God’s people today are convinced that merely being His heir somehow guarantees the realization of their inheritance.

But the Bible says no such thing.

The conditions for actually acquiring and experiencing God’s inheritance are neither vague nor disputable concepts. The apostle Paul’s letter to the saints who [were] at Ephesus and who [were] faithful in Christ Jesus confirmed that the hope of inheriting what was promised to their ancestor, Abraham, was still a reality:

“(I pray that) the eyes of your heart(s) have been enlightened, so that you know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance among the saints, and what is the surpassing greatness of His power toward us who are believing.” (Eph. 1:18-19) [my emphasis]

This passage clearly defines the goal of a saint’s [or faithful disciple of Christ] redemption by God. Paul obviously recognized their need for being brought up to speed [or enlightened] concerning the blessings of their newfound birthright.

[What was the promise given to Abraham? see: It’s All About Also.]

Paul’s letter to the called saints in Rome helps bring clarity to the meaning of inheritance —and, specifically, co-inheritance with Christ. He also confirms the significance of what was a familiar Palestinian understanding of sonship, a term which signified the primary legitimate heir to a father’s wealth:

“So then, brethren, we are under obligation, not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh— for if you are living according to the flesh, you must die; but if by the Spirit you are putting to death the deeds of the body, you shall live. For all who are being led by the Spirit of God, these…they are sons of God.” (Rom. 8:12-14) (my emphasis]

His choice of the Greek word υἱός [(whee-ôs) son, descendant, offspring, heir] used with the Genitive Case in this sentence suggests a category of people who share a special relationship with or a likeness to someone or something, as in a disciple or follower.

At this point, Paul seems to be leading into a point he makes later in the same chapter. The faithful heirs of God shall inherit together with the Firstborn of many brothers [Rom. 8:29]:

“The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and If children, also heirs, heirs indeed of God, and co-heirs with Christ, if it is true that we do suffer with Him in order that we might also be exalted together.” (Rom. 8:16-17) [my emphasis]

The word translated as “exalted together,” συνδοξάζω [(soon-dox-sáws-oh) to be glorified with, share glory with] is recorded in the Greek Subjunctive Mood in this sentence, suggesting the potential for actualization rather than the certainty of it.

So if there were ever a concept for the Lord’s people to get their heads around, this is the one.

Understanding what inheritance is isn’t rocket science. The faithful bond-servant of Jesus Christ inherently knows that the very best God has to offer him demands the very best he himself can give.

He doesn’t want to lose it.