I Am The Life


Michael E. Phillips


Three great qualities of Jesus are revealed in John 14:6. “Jesus saith unto [Thomas], I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.” While every human being on the earth experiences natural “life,” yet, the life that Jesus offers extends far beyond the limits of this natural life (John 11:25; Colossians 3:4). 


In John 10:10, Jesus stated, “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.” Albert Barnes wrote, “It would be vast mercy to keep men merely from annihilation or hell; but Jesus will give them eternal joy, peace, the society of the blessed, and all those exalted means of felicity which are prepared for them in the world of glory.” As Jesus is described in John 1:4, “In him was life; and the life was the light of men” (see also 8:12). This life is not only an application to the eternal future but also is offered to all people who ever lived or ever will live.


Notice the following: “The use of the past tense shows that the true spiritual life was in Christ before the incarnation, emphasizing the truth that all of the hopes of worshipers under Israel’s law were actually in the Lord Jesus Christ, just as it is with all who ever lived. Physical life does not seem to be the subject here, but, as the agent of creation, Christ contained all life of every kind. All life came through Christ, is sustained by him, and is responsible to him” (James Burton Coffman). 


Jesus was asked what was necessary in order to inherit “eternal life,” indicating the recognition of the fact that only He could offer such blessings (Matthew 19:16; Luke 10:25). Such active faith in order to achieve eternal life is the well-known subject of John 3, where the chapter reveals, “That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life. For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life … He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him” ( 3:15, 16, 36).


His blessings are made available through faithful obedience to His words. “Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life” (John 5:24). “Then Simon Peter answered him, Lord, to whom shall we go? thou hast the words of eternal life” (John 6:68). Jesus described Himself in the words, “But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life … Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me hath everlasting life. I am that bread of life” (John 4:14; 6:47, 48). As the great Shepherd, Jesus said, “My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand” (John 10:27-28).


One purpose of revealing the inspired Word was to instill faith in its readers, as John 20:31 states, “But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name.” First John 5:11 states, “And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son.” Jesus is the life and He invites all to come unto Him in faithful obedience, in the words, “And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely” (Revelation 22:17). -PO Box 176, Belington, WV 26250.


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