◄ The Divine Life ►

Living Organism

The one new man in Christ is not a sterile organisation but a living organism. It is an organism; a living structure; a life-force with a purpose – it is the Church. The Church is the worldwide body of believers in Christ, and He is the Head. The one new man is a corporate, spiritual entity, who are entrusted with Christ’s work. Jesus said of those that make up this one new man, “and greater works than these he will do, because I go to My Father” John 14:12

Guiding Principle

God often uses the natural life as a guiding principle for the spiritual life, He takes foundational truths from the physical and applies them to the spiritual,. The first creation in Adam contains principles that apply to the new-creation in Christ. The first man became a living being but Christ became a life-giving Spirit. 1Corinthians 15:45

Humanity’s Pattern

Christ came into this world for a purpose. He came as a pattern for humanity. He came to reclaim the dominion and rulership of the world from Satan. He came to reestablish the sovereignty of this world, back under humanities rule. Jesus came as the Head of a new creation of man – and was the ‘firstborn’ of many sons. He came to bring many sons to glory. Hebrews 2:10

Sacrificial Reproduction

But there is always a cost of bringing forth of life – and the price for life is death. The way to increase is to decrease. Reproduction is sacrificial – life means death, and the Lord Himself summarised that guiding principle in John’s gospel, for unless a grain of wheat falls into the ground and dies, it remains alone …. but if it dies, it produces much grain.” John 12:24

Law of Life

Unless life propagates more life it remains barren – and a sterile soul has little purpose. The law of increase is sacrifice. The law of living is dying. The law of life is death. Jesus said I am come that they might have life, and have it more abundantly. John 10:10 And the life that Jesus offers is a perfect life, an abundant life, an eternal life.

Life of Christ

And yet this perfect, abundant, eternal life is the start of so much more. This perfect, abundant, eternal life is not simply a new life which is immortal. The new life that He gives is His own perfect life – it is His life, living through us. Our life, both here and into eternity is to be His risen life, working in us.. and the life that we live is to be an expression of Christ and not of ourselves.

Guiding Principle

The natural life is always a guiding principle for the spiritual life. The physical often forms a foundational truth that relates to the spiritual. Life and death in the old has its counterpart in the new-creation in Christ. The law of reproduction is the law of life and death. He died that we might live. This same law must pass to us – our old self must die for His new-life to produce. Our old life in Adam must die if the new life in Christ is to grow and be fruitful.

I Must Decrease

So what does this ‘the law of reproduction” mean in our lives? It means that all of me must be done away with – so that His life is formed in me. It means that all reference to myself and focus on ‘me’ is to be yielded to Him. It means that I must decrease and He must increase, until I am nothing and He is everything.

Divine Life

This is the divine life but for some believers, this is an astonishing concept. Some translate the joys, woes, and trials of this life as the sum of their new ‘life’. Some think if they don't receive all God promised in this life, He has somehow failed.  But this is not the way God designed it – God has eternity in view.

Eternal Perspective

Some only have their eyes on this world and do not see God’s eternal perspective. For some this is too great a thing to contemplate… and many simply walk away. This happened in the time of Christ and it does today. We read that, "from that time many of His disciples went back and walked with Him no more” John 6:66

Christian Choice

We can walk with Him all the way – or we can walk with Him no more. We can submit to the principle of reproduction in this life and die to self… OR – We can fight against God’s will for our lives – and live to self.  We can choose His perfect, abundant, eternal divine life – or live the self-life.

Definite Resolution

Living the divine way is an all-consuming, all-inclusive decision with no looking back. Living His way is a conscious, definite resolution, where we say, Thy will not mine be done. Living His way is a continuous, progressive walk – which may become increasingly difficult – the divine way is death to self but it produces His life in us.

Spiritual Entity

The Church is the worldwide body of believers in Christ and He is the Head. The one new man is a corporate, spiritual entity who are entrusted with Christ’s work.  Jesus said of those that make up this one new man, "and greater works than these he will do, because I go to My Father” John 14:12

Living Sacrifice

In accepting death to self, we have to see that we have no place in the equation.. until everything of self is smitten unsparingly with the Cross. Individually and corporately this responsibility has been placed on the church, which is His body. "I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service.” Romans 12:1