Jesus Christ is life

I am at an interesting point in my life. I have now read the Bible through several times. Had you asked me a few years ago if I was learning a lot of new concepts as I read the Bible I would have exclaimed that most of it was new to me. Don’t misunderstand what I am about to say by thinking that I am saying the Bible has gotten old for me.

I am at a point where I am not really learning many new concepts as I read the Bible.  For the most part when I read I am reminded of and challenged by familiar truths. As I read I am making connections that I have never made before, but generally those connections are just deepening a truth I already know.

Tonight something wonderful happened! As I was digging in the Scriptures, I learned something I did not know. The most incredible thing was that it is something so glaringly obvious. I am excited to share this great spoil.

Jesus is life.

John 14:6 “I am…the life”

John 11:25 “I am…the life”

John 1:4 “In him was life”

John 5:26 “so hath he given to the Son to have life in himself;”

John 6:35 “I am the bread of life”

Colossians 3:4 “Christ…is our life”

Acts 3:15 “the Prince of life”

Knowing that Jesus is life Himself has already brought wonderful light to two familiar passages. It has radically changed my concept of what eternal life is. Eternal life is not some substance or material that God delivers to us, but rather to have Christ is to have eternal life because He is life! Then, once I am in Christ, Christ is in me, and He who is life is my life and lives in me.

1 John 5:12

He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life.

Galatians 2:20

I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.