SEAL OF GOD'S APPROVAL - PART 2

WEDNESDAY 21 SEPTEMBER 2022

Jesus has something to say about spending our energy on experiencing the divine life. Having said that, every truth from the Word of God is a truth revealed by the agency of the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us to guide and bring us into divine truth or what Jesus has said - experientially.

Reference: John 6:27 New Living Translation (NLT) "But don't be so concerned about perishable things like food. Spend your energy seeking the eternal life that the Son of Man can give you. For God the Father has given me the seal of his approval."

Great joy and peace belong to those who seek the eternal life in Christ, because they have better provisions and possessions than whatever this world can afford them. In their pursuit of the things of the Spirit, in their dedicated services to God, and in their communion with Him, they can access every spiritual blessing in Christ. Why? It's because they seek the truth of God's Word and delight in it. For this reason, they'll always be greatly honoured.

Having discussed the term, "Energy" in part 1, today I'm placing emphasis on the second concept in our referenced Scripture, which is "Life!" Jesus revealed two important kinds of life while addressing the crowd that came looking for Him because they desired to eat more bread. Here is the brief record regarding Jesus and the crowd that sought Him for more edibles: 'When they found him on the other side of the lake, they asked him, "Rabbi, when did you get here?" Jesus answered, "Very truly I tell you, you are looking for me, not because you saw the signs I performed but because you ate the loaves and had your fill"' (John 6:25-26 NIV). Then Jesus addressed them saying, "Don't be so concerned about perishable things like food", which He did in their best interest.

Now what comes to mind when we talk about food is sustenance. What does it sustain? Food, when eaten and digested helps to maintain the body system so we can stay alive physically. Significantly, Jesus exhorted them to spend their energy seeking the eternal life, which only Him, the Son of Man, can give. Now two kinds of life have been introduced by Jesus. Moreover, to gain a better understanding of the difference between both, let's consider the Greek words translated as life: Bios, Psyche, and Zoe which are related to our body, soul, and spirit respectively. The first one, "Bios" refers to the life of the physical body, bearing in mind that everyone alive on the face of the earth has it. The second one, "Psyche" refers to "soul", which denotes our personality, our being, or simply put, who we are. Then the third is "Zoe", which signifies eternal, divine life of God.

The very life the crowd cared about is "Bios" which is the life that is sustained in the flesh (Physical life). In the parable of the sower, according to Luke 8:14 (NIV), Jesus described those who are too concerned about the cares of this very life (Bios), as those who hear the Word, but are carried away by earthly pleasures. It reads, "The seed that fell among thorns stands for those who hear, but as they go on their way they are choked by life's worries, riches and pleasures, and they do not mature." By gaining proper insight into this Scripture, we can apparently admit that the crowd who located Jesus for extra bread fall into this category.

Beloved, spend your energy seeking the eternal life (Zoe) that the Son of Man has given you, because Zoe is the life of the Spirit, which is the superior life that quickens our human spirit when our soul is saved or when we receive salvation in Christ. In other words, Zoe is the very life of God given to us in Christ and it is what makes any man come alive to God. Without it, man is entirely spiritually dead. And it can only be found in Christ. 1 John 5:11 (NLT) reads, "And this is what God has testified: He has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son."

Now watch this: How do we get to seek eternal life which we already have because of Christ in us? Matthew 6:33 reads, "But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you" (NKJV). People who don't know God and the way He works fuss over earthly things with utmost concerns, but that's not how God wants us to live our lives. Therefore, be constantly conscious of eternal life by steeping yourself into divine realities and provisions. Don't invest more energy on striving for perishable things than you do when it comes to your spiritual life in Christ, because the superior (spiritual) controls the natural and takes care of the perishable. Therefore, be God-minded and crave for spiritual food that nourishes your spirit, and you'll come to the realisation that God is committed to taking care of you and guiding you aright beyond your imagination and expectations. Stay tuned for part 3. Shalom!

Scripture Reading - John 3:16; Romans 2:7-8; 1 Timothy 6:12; 1 John 5:13.

Exuberant Declaration: I acknowledge that I have obtained a true understanding of seeking eternal life that is in Christ Jesus. Therefore, every blessing designed for those who diligently seek the truth of God's Word and practise righteousness, comes to me and furnishes my pleasure. Blessed be God!