LIFE FOR DEATH

Life was certainly man's great need, for mankind was without life because of sin. All had sinned and through sin, death had come. We all were dead in our trespasses and sins and in the uncircumcision of our flesh (Ephesians 2:1, Colossians 2:13). This death included alienation from God. We were "excluded from the life of God" (Ephesians 4:18 NASV), "without God in this world" (Ephesians 2:12 NASV).

Being dead in sin involved not only alienation from God but also opposition to God. "We were enemies" (Romans 5:10 NASV), "hostile in mind and engaged in evil deeds" (Colossians 1:21 NASV). Moreover, we were "foolish ourselves, disobedient, deceived, enslaved to various lusts and pleasures, spending our [earthly] life in malice and envy, hateful, hating one another" (Titus 3:3 NASV). We walked in the futility of our minds, darkened in our understanding, in ignorance, because of the hardness of our hearts (Ephesians 4:17-18 NASV)

Clearly, because of man's sin and rebellion, his portion was a justly deserved death, not life. Yet God purposed to bring zoe life to the dead by causing death to fall on the only One who truly lived. At the cross, the penalty for sin fell on Jesus. Through His bodily death, the claim of God's judgement on sinners was satisfied. On the basis of the shed blood of His Son, God could pardon sinners and impart His very life to them.

A person receives zoe life as he responds to the gospel with repentance and faith. The gospel, called "the word of life" (Philippians 2:16), proclaims God's offer to exchange His zoe life for man's death. The gospel brings repentance: "God has granted to the Gentiles also the repentance that leads to life" (Acts 11:18 NASV). And the gospel brings faith: "Truly, truly, I say to you, he who hears My word, and believes Him who sent Me, has eternal life, and does not come into judgement, but has passed out of death into life" (John 5:24 NASV).

Through repentance towards God and faith in Jesus Christ, zoe life becomes man's portion. "He who believes in the Son has eternal life; but he who does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him" (John 3:36 NASV). The scriptures abound with similar statements connecting faith and life. For instance, "For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life." (John 3:16 NASV) Again, "...But these have been written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing you may have life in His name." (John 20:31 NASV; see also John 6:47, I Timothy 1:16, I John 5:1).

We pass from death to life at the moment we receive the gift of zoe life. "We know that we have passed out of death into life..." (I John 3:14 NASV). "But God, being rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in our transgressions, made us alive together with Christ..." (Ephesians 2:4-5 NASV).