Life that is Really Life
Text: Romans 8:11
If the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will give life to your mortal bodies also through his Spirit that dwells in you. (NRSV)
When Paul speaks about life, especially in the context of “mortal bodies”, he is most often talking about the life that God had intended for humanity at the moment of creation. He is not talking about your heart beating when it was not or breathing when you have stopped breathing. It is not the sense of being raised from the dead like Lazarus or even Jesus.
Paul looks at life and death as being two possibilities while we are still physically alive in this age; living a life of death or living a life that is really life (see verses 6 & 10 and 1 Timothy 6:19). The difference for Paul is whether or not the Holy Spirit of God dwells in you.
So, what is life in this context? It is living in a way that focuses on the things of God. The things of God are the things that lead to healthy relationships with others. The things of God are the things that focus on people and not objects. The things of God are the things that build up and do not tear down. The things of God are the things that bring honor to God. The things of God are the things that lead to true love of God and neighbor.
Where is your focus as you live out your day to day life? Are you living a life that is really death, or are you living a life that is really life; life as God intended it when God envisioned the creation of humanity?
Pray with me:
God of life, fill me with your Holy Spirit and give life to my mortal body that I may live a life that is really life. AMEN.
If the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will give life to your mortal bodies also through his Spirit that dwells in you. (NRSV)
When Paul speaks about life, especially in the context of “mortal bodies”, he is most often talking about the life that God had intended for humanity at the moment of creation. He is not talking about your heart beating when it was not or breathing when you have stopped breathing. It is not the sense of being raised from the dead like Lazarus or even Jesus.
Paul looks at life and death as being two possibilities while we are still physically alive in this age; living a life of death or living a life that is really life (see verses 6 & 10 and 1 Timothy 6:19). The difference for Paul is whether or not the Holy Spirit of God dwells in you.
So, what is life in this context? It is living in a way that focuses on the things of God. The things of God are the things that lead to healthy relationships with others. The things of God are the things that focus on people and not objects. The things of God are the things that build up and do not tear down. The things of God are the things that bring honor to God. The things of God are the things that lead to true love of God and neighbor.
Where is your focus as you live out your day to day life? Are you living a life that is really death, or are you living a life that is really life; life as God intended it when God envisioned the creation of humanity?
Pray with me:
God of life, fill me with your Holy Spirit and give life to my mortal body that I may live a life that is really life. AMEN.
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