That You May Have Life

In all of human history, the most important figure is Jesus Christ. Few can match His prominence. Yet debates continue concerning who He is and why He is important. Some believe He was a good man, a spiritual man, who taught people to do good and love one another. Others do not believe in Him at all. Nevertheless in these difficult times it is wise to consider Him.

The central matter concerning Christ is found in His statement that:

“I came that you may have life and have it more abundantly.” (John 10:10b)

This word indicates that first Christ “came”, meaning He was born into the human race and lived on the earth. This step made it possible for Him to accomplish the next step beginning with the word “that.” This is very meaningful. Christ came that we may have life. In other words, if He does not come we do not have life. But He did come, and life is now available to all.

It is crucial to know that the life referred to here is the divine, uncreated life of God. Although man lives a human life, man is dead spiritually apart from the life of God. This points to the reality that if life is not present, the only alternative is death. All people are plagued with a condition of spiritual death. This dire situation is affirmed by Ephesians 2:1 which says that we are “dead in our offenses and sins.”

The bleakness of being separated from God as the source of life can be seen in the following verse:

“Being darkened in their understanding, alienated from the life of God because of the ignorance which is in them, because of the hardness of their heart;”

Darkness. Alienation. Ignorance. Hardness of heart. These are all consequences of a living that is apart from God as the source of life. Yet the most wonderful truth is that Christ as life may be made known to us. Romans 8:2 says, “For the law of the Spirit of life has freed me in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and of death.”

One of the great deceits is the idea that we may be enlivened by persons or things other than Christ. No doubt many things can provide a temporary enjoyment or satisfaction. A Scottish ballad, John Barleycorn Must Die, is about the planting, growing, harvesting, and distillation of barley, for the production of alcohol. It is said that alcohol gives mankind a respite from the hardships of life. The word 'whiskey' comes from the Gaelic term 'usige baugh', which means 'water of life'. Yet such satisfaction is at best limited.

The Lord said, “Now on the last day, the great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried out, saying, If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink. He who believes into Me, as the Scripture said, out of his innermost being shall flow rivers of living water.” (John 7:37-38) This drink is eternal life. Nothing temporary. Nothing limited. To drink this living water is to never thirst again.

“But whoever drinks of the water that I shall give him shall by no means thirst forever; but the water that I will give him will become in him a fountain of water springing up into eternal life.” (John 4:14)

Taking a drink of this water is as simple as praying: “Dear Lord Jesus. I open my heart to You. I pray for this living water. Lord, I don’t want to be thirsty. I come to You for the waters of life. Thank you Lord!”