The Words of Everlasting Life

Yesterday, I wrote about Zoe, eternal, everlasting life, life that cannot be diminished, run down, or extinguished.  This life does not come to us automatically, because we are human beings; it is not our biological life -- it is the life given to us as a "Gift of the Father," in Jesus' words -- the Holy Spirit.  It is the Life promised to the woman at the well that "I will give you," a spring of water welling up to eternal life.

How do we receive the "Gift of the Father" and the spring of water that Jesus gives?  Obviously, this is the fruit of a personal relationship with the Father and with Jesus Christ -- it is given as a gift, not earned because of good behavior; nor is the Gift "conjured up" by witchcraft or other kinds of manipulation of the spirit-world.  The Book of Hebrews tells us  ...anyone who comes to God must believe that He exists and that He rewards those who earnestly seek Him (11:6). 

The "reward" we receive for seeking God is the Gift of the Holy Spirit, the same Spirit Who animated Jesus Christ during His earthly ministry.  The Gift flows out to us from the heart, mind, and soul of the risen Christ -- and it ministers to our hearts, minds, and souls, just as Christ ministered to the whole man on earth.

If we do not really believe that God exists, if we do not seek to know Him, there is no point in trying to somehow "manufacture" a semblance of the Holy Spirit.  "Simony" is the term used for those trying to "buy" religious gifts, as did Simon in the Acts of the Apostles, who was envious of the acts of the Apostles and who offered them money to confer upon him the Holy Spirit too.  The purpose and mission of the Holy Spirit in us is to bring us to a knowledge of Jesus Christ,
who will bring us to a saving knowledge of the Father,
Who will then give us more of the Spirit. 
It is a dynamic, loving, flow of energy -- a living relationship -- and we are brought into that flow of life and love by the Gift of the Spirit. 

Although we cannot buy or earn eternal life, there is a way we can ask for and receive the Spirit of truth.  That "way" is found in the words of Jesus Himself, the Words of Everlasting Life.  Jesus said, The Spirit gives life; the flesh counts for nothing.  The words I have spoken to you are spirit and they are life (Jn. 6:63).  Then, upon asking if His disciples also wanted to walk away from Him because of His words, Peter answered Him:  "Lord, to whom shall we go?  You have the words of eternal life."

Jesus Christ is the Word of God-- He is the full and total expression of Who God Is and of what God wants us to know about Himself:  In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.  He is the Living, incarnate Word of God --- and none of His words were His own, but He spoke only what He received from the Father.

Jesus said,     "I tell you the truth; whoever hears My word and believes Him who sent Me has eternal life and will not be condemned; he has crossed over from death to life.....

...The Father who sent Me has himself testified concerning Me.  You have never heard His voice nor seen His form, nor does His word dwell in you, for you do not believe the one He sent (Jn. 5: 24 & 37).  

One of the gifts given to us by the Holy Spirit is the ability to receive the words of Jesus Christ and of the Father.  At one time in our lives, the Scriptures were empty words, occasionally beautiful and inspirational, but not "living" words.  Those who read/ study the Scriptures for information instead of for inspiration still have not "heard" the words spoken by Jesus.  When the words are "breathed into" us by the Spirit, we "hear" His words -- they become for us Spirit and truth-- eternal life. 

Jesus said, "You diligently study the Scriptures because you think that by them you possess eternal life.  These are the Scriptures that testify about Me, yet you refuse to come to Me to have life" (Jn. 5:39).  I know of a man who supposedly "diligently" studied the Bible, and yet who beat his children without mercy.  I cannot believe that man ever "heard" the word spoken in his mind, heart, and soul -- he studied them as we might study geography or ancient history, for content and knowledge, but not for the LIFE they impart to us.

If anyone really wants to "hear" the words of Jesus, the Word of God, let him take up the Gospel of John with prayer -- not trying to reason with the mind, but trying instead to receive with the heart.  Let that person believe that God exists and that God wants to communicate with him on a personal level.  Let that person open his heart to receive the Gift of the Father promised to us by Jesus Christ.  Let that person put aside his own pre-conceived ideas and let Jesus reveal His thoughts.

One of my favorite prayers is this:  Holy Spirit, think Your thoughts in me until my thoughts become Your thoughts.  It takes humility to realize that our thoughts are not necessarily God's thoughts, and that we need the Holy Spirit to impart to us the thoughts of God.  But without that humility, we will never know the Truth, nor will His words dwell in us.

As our biological life winds down, it is imperative that eternal life grow stronger in us.  By slowly and prayerfully "eating"  and "digesting" the words of Jesus Christ, we nourish in us the Spirit of Truth, the Spirit of Life/Zoe.  Although I have "read" the Gospel of John many times, it has never become old or "familiar."  Every time I open the book, the words of Jesus leap off the page and become for me Living Words, new and fresh, always ministering truth to every new situation of my life, always imparting peace and strength.  This is a gift I wish that I myself could 'breathe' into everyone I know -- so I can somehow feel what Jesus must have felt and must still feel about the Word of God and the Gift of the Father.  He willingly surrendered His life on a cross to impart to us this very Gift, and still we do not receive it.