Changing Our Blood-life to Resurrection-life

The life of the flesh is in the blood, the Bible tells us.

We may think blood-life is a satisfactory form of life. It is not. Compared with the indestructible, incorruptible resurrection-life the Jesus Christ came to bring us, blood-life is seen for what it is—a corruptible, perishable form of energy.

Blood-life, being corruptible and perishable, cannot enter the Kingdom of God. The Kingdom of God is neither corruptible nor perishable.

However, our flesh will enter the Kingdom. We notice that when Christ came forth from the cave He had a flesh-and-bones body. "A spirit does not have flesh and bones as you see I have."

The flesh is not a problem. It is the life of the flesh that is the problem. Blood is just not an acceptable form of life for God's children, except on a temporary basis as they learn how to please God and walk in His ways.

The Lord Jesus Christ came so we would not perish but receive the imperishable Life that is in Himself and by which He lives.

Our hope is that in the day of resurrection we shall receive a body of incorruptible life, a body living by the Spirit of God. But before it is possible for us to receive such a body we must attain incorruptible life in our inward nature.

This is why the Apostle Paul was setting aside everything else in order that he might attain the resurrection to eternal life; not just to be brought back from the dead but to be clothed with an immortal body free from all the bondages of sin. Such clothing necessitates the development of eternal life in the inward nature.

The inward must be made alive before the body can be made alive.

The question is, how is the inward personality made alive?

But you, man of God, flee from all this, and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance and gentleness. Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called when you made your good confession in the presence of many witnesses. (I Timothy 6:11,12—NIV)

Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share. In this way they will lay up treasure for themselves as a firm foundation for the coming age, so they may take hold of the life that is truly life. (I Timothy 6:18,19—NIV)

We are to flee from the pursuit of money and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance, and gentleness.

The pursuit of these qualities necessitates a fight. The true Christian life is a fight to lay hold on eternal, incorruptible life.

"Fight the good fight of faith."

We receive a portion of eternal life when we first receive Jesus as our Savior. This portion of life enables us to set out on the course of our discipleship. It gives us the desire and strength to accept the denials and pressures that accompany discipleship.

To be continued.