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The Daily Word of Righteousness
The Pursuit of Life, #13
Not only so, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies. For in this hope we were saved. But hope that is seen is no hope at all. Who hopes for what he already has? (Romans 8:23,24—NIV)
The Firstfruits of the Holy Spirit
Notice in the above passage that we were saved in the hope of the redemption of our body. This hope indeed is the rightful "blessed hope" of the Christian Church. Faith is the assurance of things hoped for. The righteous live in the hope of the redemption to come with the appearing of Jesus.
The expression (above) "the firstfruits of the Spirit" refers to the fact that one day the entire material creation, including those people who are saved, will be released from corruption by the Holy Spirit. We have now a deposit on that which one day will make alive our mortal body and also release the prisoners of the earth.
At one time we were a living soul. Now we are being made a life-giving spirit—not a living spirit but a life-giving spirit.
So it is written: "The first man Adam became a being"; the last Adam, a life-giving spirit. (I Corinthians 15:45—NIV)
As we said earlier, the Lord Jesus Christ is the Tree of Life. We cannot eat of Him and gain immortality except as we overcome the corruption in the world caused by lust. We have to overcome the world, Satan, our fleshly lusts, and our self-will—our fierce desire to maintain our own identity apart from oneness with God through Christ. We desire to save our life, but if we would gain Christ we must lose our life.
When we become an integral part of the Lord Jesus Christ we also become a tree of life, a source of eternal life to other people. The more of Christ we gain the more life we have to give to the dead people around us. When we suffer it is so the Life of Christ can raise us up. Then there is an overflow that reaches others.
The Spirit and the bride say, "Come!" And let him who hears say, "Come!" Whoever is thirsty, let him come; and whoever wishes, let him take the free gift of the water of life. (Revelation 22:17—NIV)
In Ezekiel, the forty-seventh chapter, we find that after we enter waters to swim in, the fullness of the Holy Spirit, we become a tree of life growing on the bank of the River of Life. Then we return to the nations of the earth, and the water coming from us causes that which is dead to live.
Swarms of living creatures will live wherever the river flows. There will be large numbers of fish, because this water flows there and makes the salt water fresh; so where the river flows everything will live. (Ezekiel 47:9—NIV)
The promise made to Abraham was that the nations would receive eternal life, and so they shall.
He redeemed us in order that the blessing given to Abraham might come to the Gentiles through Christ Jesus, so by faith we might receive the promise of the Spirit. (Galatians 3:14—NIV)
To be continued.