We continue with John 14:6: "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”
Jesus is the life
This passage can easily be interpreted that Jesus is life, the opposite of death. In other words in Jesus a believer is alive, which is good, but it does not say life, but the life. The Greek word for life in this context is zoe, which means vitality, fullness of life that is animate, real and genuine, a life active and vigorous and devoted to God.
Because of Adam’s sin and resulting death we are all dead outside of Christ. Although we are physically alive, life is empty, senseless and without meaning and purpose – in short without the life, Jesus. But once Jesus’ life is poured into us through the Holy Spirit, life becomes fun. We, however, still have a choice. We can live life as per the definition above - full of vigour, vitality, animation and fullness or we can be carnally religious and sad.
Jesus said that He is the life and no one gets to the Father but by Him. The definition of the Greek word for life, zoe, has words like vitality, animate, absolute fullness, real and genuine, active and vigorous. This is how Jesus lived and is what He desires for us to have in Him; a life that suggests productivity, fruitfulness, transparency and a testimony of something worthwhile to be desired by outsiders.
If Jesus in all His life and fullness lives in you through the Holy Spirit, your life will have these qualities. However, if you do not experience these qualities, it is quite possible that you have not exercised the faith required to allow Jesus to live through you in all His fullness, in other words you still rely too much on yourself and on people, or allow the sinful nature and Satan to rob you of your joy. It is then that, for instance, circumstances control you instead of faith, and worry often manipulates you.
Right, let's move on to verses seven and eight.
“If you really knew me, you would know my Father as well. From now on, you do know him and have seen him." Philip said, "Lord, show us the Father and that will be enough for us," (John 14:7-8).
Jesus’ standard is clear - we will only know the Father once we know Jesus. If for example you are an ordinary citizen of the country, a meeting with the president would be very difficult to accomplish. If, however, you are a close friend of the president’s son, you would be able to walk with him into the president’s office and meet with him if he is not occupied. Why? It is because the president and his staff know you personally as a friend of the family. If we know Jesus as a close friend, we will enter heaven one day saying: “Hi Lord Jesus, here I am – thanks to you I’ve made it.” He will then say: “Hi Pete, good to see you. Come let me introduce you to my Father, whom you already know.”
“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?’ Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’” (Matthew. 7:21-23)
Imagine the surprise when a person has done all these wonderful things in the name of Jesus with the attitude to be seen or to get recognition from men, but never went to the trouble of knowing Jesus and doing His Father’s will. When she walks into heaven and very confidently say: “Hi Lord Jesus here I am, do you remember me?”Jesus will look at her with a frown saying: “I never knew you.” I don’t want to be in that position. Do you?
Lord, help my faith please.
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