What
is the source of life? Can idols create life? How does God give physical and
spiritual life? What role does God's word have in granting life? How can we
receive eternal life? How important are faith, obedience, baptism, and a
faithful life?
What
is the source of life? Can idols create life? How does God give physical and
spiritual life? What role does God's word have in granting life? How can we
receive eternal life? How important are faith, obedience, baptism, and a
faithful life?
Consider some thoughts about what the Bible says about God and life:
1 Thessalonians 1:9 – The Thessalonians turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God. Idols have no life so they cannot give life to anyone.
Acts 17:25,28 – He taught idol worshipers that the true God gives to all life, breath, and all things. For in Him we live and move and have our being.
1 Timothy 6:13 – God gives life to all things.
The true God is the only living God, and He is the source of all other life, physical and spiritual.
(Acts 14:15; Matthew 16:16; John 5:21; 14:19; 1 Corinthians 8:6; 1 Timothy 3:15; 4:10; Hebrews 12:22)
Genesis 1:10-27 – God created all forms of life (plants, animals, and people) by speaking. So physical life began through the power of God’s word. That word enabled living things to reproduce by means of seed which has life within it.
John 6:63,68 – Jesus said the words that He spoke are spirit, and they are life. Peter said Jesus has the words of eternal life. In the spiritual realm, life comes by God’s word, the gospel.
2 Timothy 1:10 – Jesus brought life and immortality to light through the gospel.
1 Peter 1:23 – We are born again, not of corruptible seed but incorruptible, through the word of God which lives and abides forever. God’s word is like seed that God gave the power of spiritual life. Now He preserves that gospel seed so it can continue forever.
Hebrews 4:12 – The word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword. God’s power to give life works through His word.
(John 12:50; Acts 5:20; Philippians 2:16)
God created physical life at the beginning by His choice. But in the spiritual realm, we have the choice whether or not to accept the spiritual life He offers through the gospel.
John 11:25 – Jesus said, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live.” So spiritual life comes through believing in Jesus. How do we believe?
John 5:24 – He who hears My word and believes in Him who sent Me has everlasting life, and shall not come into judgment, but has passed from death into life. So eternal life comes through hearing and believing Jesus’ word.
John 20:31 – The miracles of Jesus are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you may have life in His name. We have eternal life by believing in Jesus, but believing comes through the evidence written in God’s word.
Romans 6:3,4 – We come into Christ when we are buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. So we are forgiven of sins and receive new life in baptism.
Romans 2:7 – Eternal life to those who by patient continuance in doing good seek for glory, honor, and immortality. We must then continue living faithfully to receive eternal life.
So the grace of God offers spiritual life through the sacrifice of Jesus. The power comes through the word of the living God. When we hear the message, if we believe and choose to serve God, we can be baptized for forgiveness of sins. We then receive newness of life from God. If we continue living faithfully till death, we receive eternal life with God.
Each of us can choose to accept the life God offers. What do you choose?
(Matthew 4:4; John 3:16; 6:40; 6:47; Romans 6:23; Colossians 2:13)
(c) Copyright David E. Pratte, 2024; gospelway.com
Local churches and individuals may, within limits, distribute this Bible study guide for free, but not for sale. Web sites may link to this page but not reproduce it. Click here for more information about our copyright guidelines.
For free Bible courses see biblestudylessons.com/bible-courses
Please bookmark our site in your favorites.
We welcome links to us from other sites :
gospelway.com
- The Gospel Way: Free Bible Study Materials & Guides
Scripture quotations are generally from the New King James Version (NKJV), copyright 1982, 1988 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. used by permission. All rights reserved.