Gift Within The Gift: Eternal Life.

 | Spiry Tee

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

Eternal life! How sweet the sound. It's the gift that comes wrapped in the greater gift called Jesus Christ. According to Vine's Expository Dictionary of Greek words, "life" is from the Greek word zoe which is used in the New Testament "of life as a principle, life in the absolute sense, life as God has it, that which the Father has in Himself, and which He gave to the Incarnate Son to have in Himself, (John 5:26), and which the Son manifested in the world, (1 John 1:2). From this life man has become alienated in consequence of the Fall, (Ephesians 4:18), and of this life men become partakers through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, (John 3:15), who becomes its Author to all such as trust in Him, (Acts 3:15), and who is therefore said to be 'the life' of the believer, (Colossians 3:4), for the life that He gives He maintains, (John 6:35,63) . Eternal life is the present actual possession of the believer because of his relationship with Christ, (John 5:24; 1 John 3:14), and that it will one day extend its domain to the sphere of the body is assured by the Resurrection of Christ, (2 Corinthians 5:4; 2 Timothy 1:10). This life is not merely a principle of power and mobility, however, for it has moral associations which are inseparable from it, as of holiness and righteousness. Death and sin, life and holiness, are frequently contrasted in the Scriptures."

Quite an exhaustive definition isn't it? But I couldn't agree more. Eternal life is our present actual possession as believers because of our relationship with Jesus. John is clear: "And this is the testimony: that God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life." (I John 5:11‭-‬12). But it is important to understand death so as to understand life. According to Vine's, "death"(thanatos) is used in Scripture of: (a) the separation of the soul (the spiritual part of man) from the body (the material part), the latter ceasing to function and turning to dust; (b) the separation of man from God. Death is the opposite of life. Therefore, death, in whichever of the above-mentioned senses it is used, is always, in Scripture, viewed as the penal consequence of sin, and sinners alone are subject to death."  Those who believe in Jesus have passed from death into life.

Believers must come to grasp with the matter of life and death. The fear of death has caused many to even shy away from discussing anything that involves death. Has death become so sacred that people can't talk about it? The thought that someone is going to die freaks out many Christians but death is the last thing we should be afraid of because Jesus conquered death. How will we fulfill our call to "raise the dead" if we are so afraid of death. We should study about death, it will help many to understand life as God sees it. The good news about salvation in Christ is deliverance from death. "God loved the world this way: He gave his only Son so that everyone who believes in him will not die but will have eternal life. (John 3:16 GW). Thank you Father.

SPEAK OUT.
I have life as God has it. Death has no power over me in Jesus Name.

*All scripture quotations are taken from the New King James version of the Bible unless otherwise indicated.

#KeepLiving #DontDie #KnowJesusKnowLife #NoJesusNoLife #breathe #lifeeternal