God is Life and He Gives Life
“The Father has life in himself, so he has granted the Son also to have life in himself.” John 5:26
How does one describe life? What is living? Life is the essence of our existence. Life is our vitality, our breath, that which causes us to be alive. Life isn’t something we created, but rather, we are a creation, a spiritual creation with a soul and a body. Life was given to us by our Creator, who has life and who is Life. In Acts 17:24-25 (ESV) it says, “The God who made the world and everything in it, being Lord of heaven and earth, does not live in temples made by man,[c] 25 nor is he served by human hands, as though he needed anything, since he himself gives to all mankind life and breath and everything.” In verse 28 it says, “In him we live and move and have our being.” God is life and gives life.
God is a spirit, so to truly know life, we must start by understanding and experiencing God from a recreated spirit. A reminder: sin separated mankind from God, who is life, and the human race spiritually died. Our Father then sent Jesus to remove the penalty of sin, making it possible for us return to God and be spiritual reborn (2 Corinthians 5:17), connected again to Him and His life. Our soul and body are still fallen, but we can renew our minds and discipline our bodies until the day we are resurrected. What a day it will be when we are completely restored!
To know God is to know true life. The word for “life” in the original text of the New Testament is the Greek word, “zoe.” When this word is used to describe God, there are two basic meanings. One, it means to exist. It describes a fullness of life, with nothing missing, nothing lacking. It describes life in the spirit, a life that can also permeate our natural world, including our soul and body, our circumstances, and our relationships.
The other definition for zoe is ethical. God is the definition of what is upright. Our Father created us for what is good and true. To know life is to know holiness. True righteousness isn’t condemning; it’s a satisfied and complete way of living. Through our surrender, Christ restored us to a position of righteousness. It’s not something I earned or deserved. It’s a life Jesus restored to me. It’s an eternal life, a life of love and restoration, a life of healing and strength, a life of provision and freedom, a life of covenant blessings, a life of peace and joy, a life of power and authority, a life of heaven on earth. His life is available to us, but we must learn to know real life is found in coming to an end of ourselves and living in the resurrection power and glory of God.
Application: Every day is an opportunity to submit to God in worship and in obedience. When we do, individually and collectively, the life and power of God is available to us. We can draw from that abundant life from our spirit, in the spirit, and testify to the goodness of God!