Dear Friends,

Although we are now surrounded by hostile forces, today’s topics are tacos, guacamole, and ice cream sandwiches.

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Important stuff that we are not discussing today

I spent the past year talking about all the problems in Bible interpretation that arise when you insist that :

• Every instance of “saved” refers to salvation from the lake of fire
• Every instance of “everlasting life” refers to your home in heaven
• Every instance of “world” refers to every human being that has ever lived.
• Every instance of “perish” refers to going to hell

I’m not rehashing that today, but all the links are in the Part 2 outline above.

Please let me tell you about two kinds of life in the Bible

I think I just need one preparatory post before I actually address John 3:16. Let’s try to build at least a partial framework for understanding salvation in the Bible.

The Bible unmistakably teaches TWO kinds of life that Jesus brought, and here is perhaps the clearest statement of it:

[Jhn 10:10 KJV] 10 The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come THAT THEY MIGHT HAVE LIFE, *AND* THAT THEY MIGHT HAVE [IT] MORE ABUNDANTLY.

Two missions:

1. “That they might have life”
2. “That they might have [it] more abundantly”

Now, stop and think about these two missions. Reading the verse as a whole, it’s clear he is talking about two different aspects of life.

The second kind of life, the abundant life, is clearly associated with quality of life, i.e., the degree of life.

So, the first kind, because it is not qualified, and also because it comes first in the sentence, must refer to something more fundamental, more primal than the abundant life; he is talking about the possession of life itself.

In other words, the first kind of life is resurrection life. It’s something that Christ accomplishes for us by himself. It’s the kind of life that makes a physically dead person physically alive, or a spiritually dead person spiritually alive. It’s binary; you have it or you don’t.

Resurrection life was here

So, when you are reading about life in the Bible, how can you tell if you are reading about resurrection life or the abundant life? What is the signature or calling card of resurrection life vs. the abundant life?

Think about it: does the person being resurrected assist in his own resurrection? Is it a two-person job? Is there a consent form?

Making the same point in bullet form:

• If the recipient of the life is playing a part in the process, it’s the abundant life
• If the recipient of the life is not playing a part in the process, it’s resurrection life
  • This can apply to bodily or spiritual resurrection

Another crucially important guideline: if you see a passage talking about resurrection life, and some participation of the recipient is mentioned, consider the possibility that the recipient’s choices bring assurance of resurrection life, not resurrection life itself.

Finally, keep in mind (this is a biggie) that people can go to heaven without experiencing the abundant life here on earth. All of God’s children will experience the abundant life in heaven, but they won’t all experience it here. This is not my topic today, so I will just present one piece of Scriptural evidence.

[2Pe 2:7-8 KJV] 7 And delivered just Lot, vexed with the filthy conversation of the wicked: 8 (For that righteous man dwelling among them, in seeing and hearing, vexed [his] righteous soul from day to day with [their] unlawful deeds;)

May I show you some examples?

I’m now going to present passages that illustrate these two kinds of life:

1. Resurrection life, AKA:
   • Being born of God
   • Being born of the Spirit
   • Being regenerated
   • Being quickened
2. The abundant life
   • Passages that talk about a quality of life that is enabled by God but also dependent on man’s cooperation

Resurrection life

[Jhn 11:43 KJV] 43 And when he thus had spoken, he cried with a loud voice, Lazarus, come forth.    [a bodily resurrection…no consent from Lazarus needed; resurrection life is all of God]

[Eph 2:5 KJV] 5 Even when we were dead in sins, hath *quickened* [resurrection life] us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;)  [we were spiritually dead; no consent from us was required or even possible; resurrection life is all of God]

[Tit 3:5 KJV] 5 Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of *regeneration* [resurrection life], and renewing of the Holy Ghost;   [not by our works; resurrection life is all of God]

[Jhn 3:8 KJV] 8 The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one that is *born of the Spirit* [resurrection life].   [we do not have any control over the wind or resurrection life; resurrection life is all of God]

[Jhn 1:13 KJV] 13 Which were *born* [resurrection life], not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.  [not of the will of the flesh or of man; resurrection life is all of God]

[1Jo 4:7 KJV] 7 Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is *born of God* [resurrection life], and knoweth God.     [the person who loves can have assurance that he or she already has resurrection life; resurrection life is all of God]

[Phl 3:21 KJV] 21 Who shall *change our vile body* [resurrection life], that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself. [When God carries out the final phase of his master plan of salvation, it will be according to his working, not ours; resurrection life is all of God]

The abundant life (passages that talk about a quality of life that is enabled by God but also dependent on man’s cooperation):

[Mat 11:28 KJV] 28 Come unto me, all [ye] that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you *rest* [the abundant life]. [You can only have this kind of rest if you follow Jesus; the abundant life requires man’s cooperation]

[1Ti 6:12 KJV] 12 Fight the good fight of faith, *lay hold on eternal life* [the abundant life], whereunto thou art also called, and hast professed a good profession before many witnesses.   [You have to “fight” and “lay hold” (grab) if you want to experience the abundant life mentioned in this passage; the abundant life requires man’s cooperation]

[1Ti 6:17-19 KJV] 17 Charge them that are rich in this world, that they be not highminded, nor trust in uncertain riches, but in the living God, who giveth us richly all things to enjoy; 18 That they do good, that they be rich in good works, ready to distribute, willing to communicate; 19 Laying up in store for themselves a good foundation against the time to come, that they may *lay hold on eternal life* [the abundant life]. [Look at the list of stuff you have to do to obtain the abundant life in this passage. This cannot be talking about how to get to heaven! You have to work hard to get the abundant life in this passage; the abundant life requires man’s cooperation.

[1Pe 3:10 KJV] 10 For he that will *love life* [the abundant life], and see good days, let him refrain his tongue from evil, and his lips that they speak no guile:   [ouch, he stepped on all of our toes that time. This cannot be the way to heaven, otherwise nobody would make it. This is how to enjoy the good life now; the abundant life requires man’s cooperation]

Tacos, guacamole and ice cream sandwiches

Now, I want to spend a little extra time on some additional passages that talk about the abundant life. But first, notice that word “abundantly”. What does it mean? (1)

Middle English abounden, borrowed from Anglo-French abunder, borrowed from Latin abundāre “to *overflow*, be full, be plentifully supplied (with),” from ab- AB- + undāre “to rise in waves, surge, flood,” verbal derivative of unda “wave”

So, Jesus wants us to have a kind of life that overflows. But wait! The Bible started talking about that kind of life long before the New Testament:

[Psa 23:5 KJV] 5 Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.

See, his cup is overflowing. This is the abundant life, the overflowing life. Did you notice that he is sitting down to a feast while surrounded by hostile forces? This is what I meant by “tacos, guacamole, and ice cream sandwiches” at the top of this post. Have you ever noticed what a bizarre juxtaposition this is? Eating (at a table!) while you are being attacked?? Well, I will be gut-level honest with you and say I never noticed it until a recent trial in my life. I experienced some intense persecution, and Psalm 23 was one of the places I ran. Turns out that when you are going through an intense personal crisis, Psalm 23 sounds a whole lot different than it does when when you are watching a funeral scene in a movie.

“No!” I said in the midst of my storm. “By God, I will not cave! I will not buckle! I will stick to my guns! And I can experience joy all at the same time!” Yes, the abundant life is a real thing, and I want more. Do you?

The abundant life will blow people’s minds

[Phl 4:6-7 KJV] 6 Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. 7 And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding , shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

In this case, we have peace overflowing the bounds of human understanding. In other words, this will blow people’s minds.

But Paul is not simply saying “Hey guys, when you have hard times, try praying, cuz God told me it would work.”

No, no, no, no, no.

First of all, Paul was in prison when he wrote this letter to the Philippians (see 1:7 and 1:13). That is the context in which he talks about peace that passes understanding. But not only was he in prison, you have to remember that he is writing to the church at Philippi. Here is one of the memories Paul had of this city. Keep an eye out for the abundant life here…

[Act 16:22-25 KJV] 22 And the multitude rose up together against them: and the magistrates rent off their clothes, and commanded to beat [them]. 23 And when they had laid many stripes upon them, they cast [them] into prison, charging the jailor to keep them safely: 24 Who, having received such a charge, thrust them into the inner prison, and made their feet fast in the stocks. 25 And at midnight Paul and Silas prayed, and sang praises unto God: and the prisoners heard them.

I can’t help looking at this from the perspective of some of the other prisoners…”Wow, there really needs to be a psych ward in this prison…”

Now, slow down, and let us compare the Acts passage with the Philippians passage. The parallelism is striking.

The Philippians passage:

[Phl 4:6-7 KJV] 6 Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. 7 And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding , shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

The Acts passage:

[Act 16:25 KJV] 25 And at midnight Paul and Silas prayed, and sang praises unto God: and the prisoners heard them.

The Philippians passage says to pray. The Acts passage says that Paul and Silas prayed.

Next (don’t miss the sequence here), the Philippians passage says that the peace of God will keep your hearts and minds. And, sure enough, the Acts passage says that Paul and Silas were singing praises unto God.

See what I’m saying? They prayed, and then they were able to sing praises to God, much like the Philippians passage prescribes. When Paul talks about peace that passes human understanding, he’s speaking from real experience.

Now, listen as the melody builds into an epic crescendo:

[Phl 4:11-13 KJV]:

11 Not that I speak in respect of want: for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, [therewith] to be content.

12 I know both how to be abased, and I know how to abound: every where and in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need.

13 I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.

Again, the abundant life is a real thing in the Bible, and a real thing in my life.

I want a PEACE that is NOT LIMITED by human understanding. Do you?

I want a contentment so supernatural that no circumstance in my life can steal it. Do you? Good, because that is one of the main objectives of this blog.

In closing, here is one last verse about this nonsensical (from the world’s perspective), awesome (from the perspective of faith and real experience) thing called the abundant life:

[Phl 4:4 KJV] 4 Rejoice in the Lord alway: [and] again I say, Rejoice.

Links:

(1) “Abound” on Merriam-Webster