LIFE CONSISTS OF TWO COMPONENTS
By W. G. Guy
There are three different words, translated from the Greek in the New Testament, that mean “life”. These words are: bios, which means a biological life form, or existence; psuche which means soulish life, which makes one life different from another (as in personality); and the one that most people are not aware of is zoe, which is life as God has it, and gives it, (eternal life – spirit life). These two components are PHYSICAL and SPIRITUAL. The bios and psuche are elements that make up physical life; this article is to address the spiritual component of life, the life that Jesus Christ came to bring to mankind.
John 11:25-26 – Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live: and whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this?
Mankind tends to only consider and focus on his physical life, which is temporary, and comes to an end.
Hebrews 9:27 – And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment:
However, Jesus told us that life, the life (zoe) that He brings to us, is eternal as God intended it to be when He first formed him, and breathed His own life into man. Jesus said life does not consist of what material things a man possess; things that are needed to maintain this physical life.
Luke 12:15 – And he said unto them, Take heed, and beware of covetousness: for a man’s life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth.
God knows that we have these material needs to maintain this physical life, and He promised to provide them asw wee first seek and depend on Him.
Matthew 6:31-33 – Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed? (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things. But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.
However, God has also provided what is even more important to attain and maintain, the spiritual and eternal life. This is the part of life that too many people ignore, or fail to recognize.
John 10:10 – The thief (wicked force - Satan) cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life (zoe), and that they might have it (zoe) more abundantly (than the bios and psuche form of life).
This spiritual life is an entirely different realm of existence that corresponds with our physical life. Though our physical life is centered here on earth, our spiritual life is centered in heaven. Our spiritual life is parallel to our physical life; but most people are not aware of this until they have a personal life changing experience with Jesus Christ, the Son of God, and enter into the spiritual realm.
Ephesians 1:3 – Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ:
Ephesians 2:6 – and hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus:
Colossians 3:1-2 – If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of
God. Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.
Philippians 3:20-21 – For our conversation (citizenship) is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ: who shall change our vile (physical) body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious (spiritual) body, according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself.
Now for the interesting part: there are two components to spiritual life; LIGHT and DARKNESS. Even though there is light and darkness in this physical realm, there is also light and darkness in the spiritual realm.
Light represents illumination, knowledge of truth, understanding, righteousness and purity. Darkness represents evil, wickedness, corruption and ignorance. God is LIGHT, and He gave His Son, Jesus, to be the light of the world that enlightens those of us who believe in Him.
1 John 1:5 – This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all.
John 8:12 – Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.
Matthew 5:14 – Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hid.
Those who do not have the light of Christ (His Spirit) in them remain in spiritual darkness. This means that they are under the influence of Satan and can easily be motivated for evil and sin in this world. This is easy for Sattan since he is referred to as the “god of this world”.
2 Corinthians 4:4 – But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost: in whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.
So in the spiritual realm there is light and darkness, which represents righteousness and evil. Are you in the light through Christ, or still walking in spiritual darkness? This who Christ is in have been redeemed from darkness.
1 Peter 2:9-10 – But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light: which in time past were not a people, but are now the people of God: which had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy.
Those who reject the light, provided by Jesus Christ, live their life in spiritual darkness, with all the potential evil that Satan and his demons can impose.
Ephesians 6:12 – For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.
There are those who actually pursue this spiritual darkness and seek to promote it. These are servants of Satan engaging in witchcraft, sorcery occult phenomenon, and the evil works of the flesh.
Those who do not have the light of Christ in them, referred to as the “salvation” from their sins, cannot understand or accept this spiritual light.
John 1:4-5 – In him was life; and the life was the light of men. And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not.
Those who are not children of God, through Jesus Christ, lack true spiritual understanding and comprehension of what God has provided, and who He is.
1 Corinthians 2:14 – But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.
God, in His love for mankind, has offered us the ability to accept His grace gift of forgiveness, and provided the light of life through Jesus Christ. Accepting Christ’s atonement for sin and believing in Him, welcomes you into the light of His glory to be a child of God.
John 1:12-13 – But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.
How do you become a born-again child of God to receive this divine light?
Romans 10:9-10 – that if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.
Those who have not the Spirit of Christ in them are in this other spiritual realm: they are in darkness, lacking in the knowledge of God’s love; and you don’t want to continue in this darkness. Life has two components: physical and spiritual. Spiritual life also has two components: light and darkness. You have a choice: choose widely!
