Life
In Scripture, life can mean physical existence, but it often refers more fully to life as God gives and sustains it. In the gospel, true life is found in fellowship with God through Jesus Christ.
At a Glance
In Scripture, life can mean physical existence, but it often refers more fully to life as God gives and sustains it. In the gospel, true life is found in fellowship with God through Jesus Christ.
Description
In the Bible, life first refers to the existence God creates, sustains, and values in human beings and other living creatures. But Scripture also uses the term in a richer theological sense to describe the blessedness, spiritual vitality, and covenant fellowship that come from God alone. Because of sin, human life is marked by death, corruption, and separation from God; yet God, in his mercy, gives life through his Son. Jesus speaks of himself as the source of life and offers eternal life to those who believe in him. Eternal life in Scripture is not merely unending existence, but a share in the life God gives, beginning now in knowing him and reaching its fullness in the resurrection and the age to come. Since the word can refer to several related ideas depending on context, definitions should be framed carefully by the passage in view.