New Life in Christ

 

            Through Him all things were made; without Him nothing was made that has been made. In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. John 1: 4-5

            God breathes His very life through His Son Jesus into the Word of God because Jesus is the Word of God from the beginning to the end. When we read and study the Word of God, the Godhead is breathing new, spiritual life into us. The longest Psalm which is about the Word of God is 119. The writer of this Psalm is not known. It is known, however, through reading the psalm that the writer was devoted to God and His Word. He wanted to align his life with God through His Word. In verse 25, the psalmist recognizes and understands his humanity, but he wants God to preserve His life according to His Word.” I am laid low in the dust; preserve my life according to your Word. I recounted my ways and you answered me; teach me your decrees.” Let me understand the teaching of your precepts….” He wants to walk according to God’s Word thus being more spiritual. He reads, studies, and meditates on God’s Word.

            God created humans to have life with Him. He wants us to know the fullness of life with Him. The first Man/Adam had a deep, intimate relationship with God when He was created by the Godhead because He was sinless. God created the original Adam for His glory. Adam was clothed in God’s glory until sin entered the human race. Unfortunately, sin has grown substantially in the ever-increasing population of the earth. Our adversary, the devil, is far too cunning for the weakness of our flesh. God must act. He sent His Son Jesus into the world to restore humanity to right relationship with Him and to reflect God’s glory again. By loving and following the ways of Jesus, God’s glory is slowly being restored in each of us who believe in Jesus through the Word and Spirit. Walking with Jesus gives our life meaning. Jesus will begin the process of restoring us to the former glory of the first Adam. This, of course, will not be completed until we are transformed into our spiritual bodies. If mankind does not have fellowship with God, there is a void in his or her life because we were created to have close fellowship with God as it was in the beginning. God doesn’t want us to have just life but life in fullness. As we submit to Christ and the Word, the fullness of life is growing within us, and we will progressively reflect God’s glory and ways step by step. John 1:16: And of His fullness, we have all received, and grace for grace. Jesus was fully man because He had no sin. Jesus said in John 6:63, “it is the Spirit that gives life; the flesh counts for nothing. The words I have spoken to you are spirit, and they are life.”  As Jesus was walking the earth, He did the same thing He did at creation with God and the Holy Spirit. They created life through the Word of God who is Jesus. It is the Word (Jesus) and the power (Holy Spirit) that works in Jesus and in us to make us “new creations.

           The Word of God testifies of Jesus from beginning to end. The scriptures are not to be separated from Him. He is on every page! We can’t just read or hear the Word. We must ingest it and let it take root in us. It teaches, corrects, and instructs us in the ways of the Godhead so we have a fuller life.

            John reveals that Jesus is the Light that gives spiritual life. There is no spiritual life without the light and life of Jesus. He came to shine God’s Divine Light, Life and Love upon humanity. Without the Light of Jesus, we are in spiritual darkness. Jesus wants us to know what God is really like so we can know Him in a correct and intimate way. John the Baptist was a light who enlightened the Jews, but Jesus is the Light of the whole world. Jesus enlightens every human who comes to Him – man, woman, or child. Every human on earth sees the sun and its light. God wants the Light of His Eternal Son seen by every human. God is continually drawing people to the light and life of His One and Only Begotten Son Jesus. At the end, when Jesus comes in glory in the clouds, every eye will see Him. (See Revelation 1:7)

           The Word must be illuminated and received in order to produce spiritual life. There is Light and Life in the Word because Jesus is the Word, and it was written by the Holy Spirit of Truth. God “gave Jesus authority over all the people that He might give eternal life. Now this is eternal life: that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent.” John 17:2-4 Eternal life is entering into the very life of God. Jesus offers all of whom God is to each one of us. We begin this eternal life right here on earth when we believe in Jesus. So first, we must believe that Jesus is the Son of God, and we must accept His commandments as truth.

         Those who come to Jesus for spiritual, eternal life must not only see Him, but we must also see ourselves as we truly are – dead in our fleshly ways and sin. Spiritual growth is imperative upon us being honest and open with God and ourselves. The dark areas of our hearts cloud the vision of ourselves and of Jesus. Lifting the veil over our own hearts is a process both in seeing ourselves honestly, and in seeing Jesus.

         Our spiritual growth begins with new spiritual birth in Christ. As infant Christians, we feed on the milk of the Word. (See 1 Peter 2:3) We must not remain an infant but must come to spiritual adulthood. (See Hebrews 5:11; 1 John 2:13-14; Ephesians 4:14-16) The Word of God and the Holy Spirit will sustain us. Our natural life is sustained by bread (food) and water. Our spiritual life is sustained by the bread of life (Word) and the water of life (Holy Spirit). Jesus revealed that He is the Bread of Life in John 3:14. He also revealed that He and the Father are the givers of the Holy Spirit – the spiritual breath of God. (See John 4:10) Spiritual bread and spiritual water are Jesus’ gifts to us to help us grow spiritually. In order to know Jesus intimately, we must know His ways, nature, character, and love. This knowledge will come through studying His Word and following His Spirit. The Godhead is perfectly revealed in mind, heart and being in the Anointed Word.

          Spiritual growth takes “lifting.” Jesus wants us to take our eyes away from the ways of the world and focus on His ways that bring us into a higher spiritual realm. We begin this lifting by seeing our sin and need of salvation. Through the transformation process by the Word (Jesus) and the Holy Spirit, the glory of the Lord will be seen in us. As we make ourselves transparent, available, and accountable to the Lord, He does the work of changing us. Change will come not by focusing on our sinfulness but by focusing on Jesus’ grace, love, glory, and truth. God wants us to become “partakers of His Divine nature.” 2 Peter 1:4 The Godhead will birth His Divine nature in us grace upon grace and glory upon glory. Knowing the unfailing, unearned love of God frees us to become all that He wants us to be in Him as we submit to Jesus’ ways. As Jesus revealed the Father in His person, works and words, believers are to reveal the Father and the Son through our person, works and words. We must identify with Him and His purposes. 

            The evidence of spiritual growth is:

·         Love  John 3:14

·         Spiritual-mindedness  Romans 8:6

·         Walking in the Spirit  Galatians 5:16, 25

·         Bearing the fruit of the Spirit  Galatians 5:22

·         Victory over sin, death and the devil  Romans 6:1-15

            Our resurrected life begins when we accept Jesus as our Lord and Savior. Without Jesus there is no resurrection into a new and higher, spiritual life with Him. As we willingly submit to Jesus’ Word and will, we are being raised into a higher existence.