If we were to conduct an anthropological study of man we might first want to answer a more basic question - What is life? This is an important question to answer because, as we’ve seen in Part 1, we might say the genuine “life” for mankind is the issue with regard to God the Father’s intention in sending His “only begotten Son” into the world.

In this series we are examining the one real “life” from its essence. “God is spirit” (John 4:24), and “life” is His essence, His central constituent. Jesus of Nazareth said; “I am come that they might have life… (John 10:10). As we will see later in greater detail, the word “life” here does not refer to the physical or biological life, and not to the soul’s psychological life of the mind, but rather it is the divine eternal life that is God’s very own “Spirit of life,” which is “in Christ Jesus” (Rom 8:2a).

God is the only genuine “life’ in that He alone is both divine and eternal. Our temporal human life is a mere shadow of the reality that is “His life.” Jesus’ words recorded in the gospels, and Paul’s words in his epistles, speak often of “life.” “Life” in these cases is most always translated from the same Greek word, “Zoë,” which may be defined as “the life which is of God… the divine eternal ‘Spirit of life in Christ Jesus.”

The issue of Jesus’ coming in human flesh and humbling Himself in the body of His humiliation was first for His human life to be given in the shedding of His blood and in His death on the cross of Calvary for the sins of the world. Yet, there is another crucial element to see in His two-sided cross of death and resurrection. God’s eternal purpose in Jesus’ cross is that He was resurrected as “the Spirit of life,” making His “Spirit of life” available to be dispensed into every believer’s human spirit as their new core “life.” The Father sent the eternal Son in the body of Jesus of Nazareth so He would suffer, die on behalf of sinful man, and then rise from the dead to become “the life-giving Spirit” (1Cor 15:45) to indwell believers. Thus, Christ’s own “Spirit of life” became readily available to be received by every believing person, without distinction as to their heritage, race, or gender. God’s eternal purpose is with “His life” that is in and one with His Son, now available as the “Spirit of life in Christ Jesus”… intended to abide within every person who would simply receive Christ.

“God hath given to us (the) eternal life, and this LIFE (Zoë) IS IN HIS SON. ¹² He that hath the Son hath LIFE (Zoë); and he that hath not the Son of God hath not LIFE (Zoë).” (1Jn 5:11-12)

Every believer freely receives forgiveness and salvation from judgment “by grace through faith…not of works” (Eph 2:8-9), by trusting the finished work of Christ at the cross. At the very same time they also receive the deposit of the “Spirit of Christ” (Rom 8:9-10).

Now consider the import of “His life” as seen here in this verse.

Rom 5:10 For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, MUCH MORE, being reconciled, WE SHALL BE SAVED (Gk., sozo, completed, made whole) by HIS LIFE.

Note above that Paul says there is another sort of “salvation” that is “much more” than “being reconciled to God by the death of His Son” and saved from judgment. Paul says there is also a kind of salvation that comes to believers as result of having been a partaker of “His life.” The word “saved” as seen here in Rom 5:10 means “completed or made whole.” I believe Paul is saying believers are being “completed” by the ongoing work of His life in renewing their fallen twisted soul’s mind, emotions, and will. Thus, He by His indwelling “Spirit of life” is “completing” our creation as God intended. Philippians 2:13 For it is GOD WHICH WORKETH IN YOU both to will and to do of his good pleasure.

The dispensing of “the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus” into believers is at the core of the Apostle Paul’s message that he called “the mystery” of his... “my gospel.”

Rom 16:25 Now to him that is of power to stablish you according to MY (Paul’s unique) GOSPEL, and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to THE REVELATION OF THE MYSTERY (Gk., musterion, secret plan of God), which was kept secret since the world began,

Colossians 1:25-27 Whereof I am made a minister, according to the dispensation of God which is given to me for you, to fulfil (complete) the word of God; ²⁶ Even the mystery which hath been hid from ages and from generations, but now is made manifest to his saints: ²⁷ To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of THIS MYSTERY among the Gentiles; which IS CHRIST IN YOU, the hope of glory:

Paul, in his epistles, plumbs the depths of this truth and how the believer comes to realize Christ’s “life” within them. Paul says Christ today comes to believers as the resurrected “life-giving Spirit” (1Cor 15:45) to indwell them and be one with their individual human spirits (John 3:6, 1Cor 6:17, Rom 8:16).

Paul says the “mystery” or secret that he was given came “by revelation of (from)” the ascended “Jesus Christ” (Gal 1:12). Thus Paul prays for the same revelation to come to the believers at Ephesus.

Ephesians 1:15-18 Wherefore I also, after I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus, and love unto all the saints, ¹⁶ Cease not to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers; ¹⁷ That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him: ¹⁸ The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of HIS INHERITANCE IN THE SAINTS,