THE LIFE OF GOD BEING THE CENTER OF THE BIBLE
In the first two chapters of the Bible, life is the center. They tell us that God created the heavens and the earth with millions of items (Gen. 1:1). Then in the center God created man and put this central creature in front of the tree of life. So the tree of life became the very center of God’s universe, as far as man was concerned. Science has found out that the earth is unique in the universe. It is different from all other planets because only the earth has life. God created the heavens for the earth. Upon this earth God planted a garden, and in this garden the tree of life is the center. Thus, life is the center of God’s universe. After being created, man was put in front of this tree of life, facing the central thing of God’s universe. In the last two chapters of the Bible, life is also the center. Within the new heaven and the new earth is the New Jerusalem, and within the New Jerusalem, the tree of life is the center (Rev. 22:1-2). This shows us that life is the center of the Bible.
THE FATHER, THE SON, THE SPIRIT,
AND THE WORD BEING LIFE TO US
The Father, the Son, the Spirit, and the Word are life. Ephesians 4:18 speaks of "the life of God." It says that the Gentiles, the unbelievers, are alienated from the life of God. This proves that God’s intention is that we human beings may have God’s life. It is a great thing for us to have the life of God. What a wonder it would be if a dog could have the life of a man! If such a thing could happen, this would be the top news on earth, and everyone would want to see this. Of course, this cannot happen. But praise the Lord, we human beings can have the life of God! God is the Divine Being, the almighty Creator, and we are just little creatures, yet we can have the life of God. The best relationship you can have with God is a relationship of life. You need God’s life, and this is God’s intention.
The Bible also reveals that God the Son is life. In Him was life (John 1:4), He is life (14:6a), and He came that we may have life and have it abundantly (10:10b). Christ is our life (Col. 3:4a). When I was a young Christian, I heard that Christ is our Savior, but I was not told that He is also our life. Christ being our Savior is for the purpose that we may have Him as our life. His being the Savior is not the goal. Life is the goal. Many know Christ as the Savior, but very few know Christ as life in a practical and daily way. God the Father is life to us, and God the Son is life to us also. We need to have Him as our life.
Furthermore, God the Spirit is the Spirit of life (Rom. 8:2). The Spirit gives life (2 Cor. 3:6b). In Christianity people speak of the Holy Spirit as an instrument or a power, but there is very little talk about the Spirit as life. Christianity has missed and is still missing the mark of God. Many speak about Christ as the Savior and Redeemer, but very few speak about Christ as life. They may speak about the Spirit as a power or an instrument to fulfill God’s purpose, but they do not speak about the Spirit as life to us. Romans 8:2 speaks of the Spirit of life. Second Corinthians 3:6 tells us that the Spirit gives life. God the Father is life, God the Son is life, and God the Spirit is also life. The Triune God is life to us.
The Word is also life to us. Christianity has made the Bible a book of knowledge full of teachings, but actually it is a book of life. The Bible speaks of the Word of life (1 John 1:1). Also, the words the Lord speaks to us are spirit and are life (John 6:63). The Bible is the Word of life, not the word of knowledge or teaching. Peter was told to go to the people and speak to them the words of life (Acts 5:20), not the words of teaching, doctrine, or knowledge. God is life, God the Son is life, God the Spirit is life, and the Word is life. The God whom we have—the Father, the Son, and the Spirit—is life to us. God the Father is in the Son (John 14:10), the Son is the Spirit (2 Cor. 3:17), and this Spirit today is within us as life to us. God has also given us the Bible, and this holy Book also is life to us. We have the Holy Spirit within as life and we have the Holy Bible without also as life.
(The Fulfillment of God's Purpose by the Growth of Christ in Us, Chapter 1, by Witness Lee)
