SPIRIT AND LIFE

Jesus said, "It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh is no help at all. The words that I have spoken to you are spirit and life" (John 6:63, ESV).

Consider the part that says, "The words that I have spoken to you are spirit and life."

His words are "spirit and life." They are not just ordinary words that we, human beings, speak.

His words are words of the Living God!

Those words are the words we read in Genesis, "Let there be..." and physical things appeared out of nothing.

God declares:

"For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven and do not return there but water the earth, making it bring forth and sprout, giving seed to the sower and bread to the eater, so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth; it shall not return to me empty, but it shall accomplish that which I purpose, and shall succeed in the thing for which I sent it" (Isaiah 55:10-11).

His words will surely accomplish the purpose that they are sent for. When Jesus called for Lazarus, "Lazarus, come out," he came out (John 11:43-44) though he was already dead for four days!

Now, during our time, what's the purpose why we have His words?

Let's focus this time to three points.

Start first with 2 Timothy 3:16-17, "All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be competent, equipped for every good work."

God's words are intended "...that the man of God may be competent, equipped for every good work." Notice that it is not directed for "any man" but for the "man of God."

Next, let's consider 1 Peter 1:21, "... since you have been born again, not of perishable seed but of imperishable, through the living and abiding word of God."

Through the "word of God," the believers (verse 21) have experienced the miracle of the new birth -- "have been born again"! From spiritual death, they have now spiritual life and eternal. Before they walk in the flesh, now they have new desires and want now to walk in the Spirit.

Now, the consider the third point. Part of Jesus prayer in John 17, "But now I am coming to you, and these things I speak in the world, that they may have my joy fulfilled in themselves" (verse 13).

Notice again what He said, "... these things I speak in the world, that they may have my joy fulfilled in themselves." His words were intended that "they" may have His joy fulfilled in "themselves"!

Then, why don't we see everyone in the world displaying His joy?

Because His words are not directed to everyone in the world. The word "they" does refer to everyone in the world. Review John 17:6-8:

"I have manifested your name to the people whom you gave me out of the world. Yours they were, and you gave them to me, and they have kept your word. Now they know that everything that you have given me is from you. For I have given them the words that you gave me, and they have received them and have come to know in truth that I came from you; and they have believed that you sent me."

The word "they" refers to the people whom the Father gave to the Son "out of the world." Jesus told the Father, "...I have given them the words that you gave me." He did give the words of the Father to everyone in the world.

Now, what's the reaction of those people given by the Father to the Son, when they heard His words?

Jesus said, "...they have received them and have come to know in truth that I came from you; and they have believed that you sent me."

God's Words are "spirit and life." For those they are given, they have great powerful effect. They are enabled to perform good works, they rejoiced with joy unspeakable and they experienced the new birth.

As Paul also wrote in 1 Corinthians 1:18, "For the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God."

Thanks (^_^)

Ocha Samohito