Written by Major W. Ian Thomas
Life From Above
God originally created man in His own image. (Gen. 1:26-27; 2:7) It was God’s purpose to have human children He could use for the purpose of displaying the splendor of His Life of Love. Even though God’s Love can be seen in all of His creation, which is an expression of His Glory, His Spiritual children were to be the Highest expression of His Life of Love in the world.
When the Son came into the world as the Second Adam, He displayed God’s Spiritual image in the same Way that man was originally created to live. He was “the image of the invisible God.” (Col. 1:15; John 1:1-4, 14,16-17) We can therefore learn from the record of His life what it means to display God’s spiritual image – His Life of Love.
The Son of God was sent into the world to save man from his fallen state by restoring the spiritual image that was lost in the Fall. “In this the Love of God was manifested toward us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through Him.” (1 John 4:9) The “Light of Life,” a Life the Father shares with the Son, is intended to be displayed by the Son through each of God’s children.
Mature Christian character is therefore intended to be a form of the “brightness,” “radiance,” or “out-shining” of the Father’s Glory. (Heb. 1:3) And even though we cannot expect to display the life as flawlessly as the Son did, we can enter into a real participation with God in His Divine nature and become like Him in Love in this world. (2 Pet. 1:3-4; 1 John 4:17)
I {the Son} have given them {access to} the Glory that You gave Me, that they may be one as We are one {in life and nature}: I in them and You in Me…in order that the Love You have for Me {Divine Love} may be in them and that I Myself may be in them.
(John 17:22-23, 26)
God did not intend for His children to use their own efforts to imitate His life and nature. They were to manifest His Glory – His Life of Love – by receiving their life from the Son by dependent faith. If they believed in Him, and were therefore willing to deny themselves and take up their own cross, they would find His Spiritual Life in an abundantly full measure.
…If anyone would come after Me {into the Kingdom-Life}, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow Me… Whoever loses his life for Me will find it. (Matt. 16:24-25)
…I have come that they may have life {the Kingdom-Life}, and have it to the full. (John 10:10)
…Indeed, the water I give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life {the Kingdom-Life of perfect Love}. (John 4:14)
We know there are many people in the church who say it is impossible for the Son to display His Life of perfect Love through His Disciples in this world. But we must say to them, “Let God be true, and every man a liar.” (Rom. 3:4) “Love has been perfected among us in this: that we may have boldness in the day of judgment; because as He is, so are we in this world.” (1 John 4:17) It is our willingness to become like God in His Life of Love while we remain in this world that will enable us to have a real sense of Boldness when we stand in His presence on the “day of judgment.” (v. 17)
Again, God does not expect us to produce His Life of Love through our human efforts. The life is to be received as a Gift of promise. The only limiting factor is our unwillingness to yield in faith to all that our Lord teaches.
In an attempt to illustrate how Christians are to receive the “Light of Life” from
Heaven, we will compare this principle to how electricity produces light through a light bulb. In the same sense that electricity is invisible, so is the power of God.Even though electricity cannot be seen, the power is displayed when it enters a device that has been created to display light. The light bulb, of course, is not the source of the light. When left on its own, it remains without any real intrinsic value. It cannot do what it was designed to do without the power of electricity. On its own, it can “do nothing.
Similarly, you were designed and created to be an expression of God’s Divine nature. (2 Pet. 1:3-4) Even though you do not have the needed power to produce this “Light of Life” from Heaven, the Spirit can supply an invisible power that Lights up your life with God’s nature of Love.
The whole purpose for creating human children was for God to have a means of displaying His Life of Love – His Glory – in this world. As we begin to understand this spiritual principle, we will also see why we have little value while we remain separated from the power of God. Our value comes from fulfilling our Creator’s purpose. We are here for the purpose of displaying His “Light of Life” from Heaven.
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