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In the Gospel reading Jesus said: If your hand causes you to sin, cut it off. It is better for you to enter into life maimed, rather than having two hands, to go to hell, into the fire that shall never be quenched. And if your foot causes you to sin, cut it off. It is better for you to enter life lame, rather than having two feet, to be cast into hell, into the fire that shall never be quenched. And if your eye causes you to sin, pluck it out. It is better for you to enter the kingdom of God with one eye, rather than having two eyes, to be cast into hell fire. (Mark 9:41-50)
In the Gospel reading Jesus said: If your hand causes you to sin, cut it off. It is better for you to enter into life maimed, rather than having two hands, to go to hell, into the fire that shall never be quenched. And if your foot causes you to sin, cut it off. It is better for you to enter life lame, rather than having two feet, to be cast into hell, into the fire that shall never be quenched. And if your eye causes you to sin, pluck it out. It is better for you to enter the kingdom of God with one eye, rather than having two eyes, to be cast into hell fire. (Mark 9:41-50)
In this verse, Jesus was not advocating dismembering our bodies. Jesus is teaching us through this verse that it is more important to the enter the Kingdom of God than to preserve the parts of our bodies. It can be best understood in the comparative sense.
We also see in this verse that the word 'Kingdom of God' and 'Life' are used interchangeably. In the Greek New Testament, 'zoe' or Life has a special meaning. (Taken from | WordBasedCounseling) It speaks of the life that is given by God through Christ Jesus to those who believe the gospel and enter the Kingdom of God. In this usage, zoe is often modified by the adjective aionios [English: eon] which means "eternal", "everlasting", "of endless duration."Scripture reveals that the source or fount of this zoe life is God the Father. Indeed, Jesus calls Him "the living [zao] Father" (John 6:57), indicating that zoe life is the very life that God has in Himself. Having life in Himself, the Father imparted this life to the Son: "For just as the Father has life in Himself, even so He gave to the Son also to have life in Himself" (John 5:26 NASV).
Jesus' foremost purpose in coming was to give zoe life to men, that is, to cause men to enter into and partake of the very life of God. "...I came that they might have life, and might have it abundantly" (John 10:10 NASV). "For this is the will of My Father, that everyone who beholds the Son and believes in Him, may have eternal life; and I myself will raise him up on the last day" (John 6:40 NASV). Again, "...Thou gavest Him authority over all mankind, that to all whom Thou hast given Him, He may give eternal life" (John 17:2 NASV).
Even before the ages of time began, God had promised to give zoe life to men: "...In the hope of eternal life, which God, who cannot lie, promised long ages ago ["before the world began"--KJV], but at the proper time manifested..." (Titus 1:2-3 NASV).
God offers every believer who enters the Kingdom of God by the New Birth the very Life of God. (John 3:1-16) If you have received God-kind of life, it means that you can live life just like God lives life.
Life in Christ
The zoe life which we receive is not a package that Jesus gives us. It is not something separate from Himself. Rather it is IN Jesus. "...But the free gift of God is eternal life IN Christ Jesus our Lord" (Romans 6:23 NASV, emphasis added). "And the witness is this, that God has given us eternal life, and this life is IN His Son. He who has the Son has the life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have the life" (I John 5:11-12 NASV, emphasis added).
In fact, the zoe life we receive is Jesus Himself, for Jesus IS life. "I am...the life; he who believes in Me shall live even if he dies..." (John 14:25 NASV). "I am...the life; no one comes to the Father, but through Me" (John 14:6 NASV).
Thus Jesus becomes and continues to be our life. "For you have died and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is our life, is revealed, then you also will be revealed with Him in glory" (Colossians 3:3-4 NASV). "I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live (zao), but Christ lives in me; and the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me, and delivered Himself up for me" (Galatians 2:20 NASV).
Now and Later
Being made alive in Christ transforms the course and outcome of our lives both in this present age and also in the age to come. Here and now, we still dwell in a mortal body. But His life is manifested in and through our mortal flesh (II Corinthians 4:10-11). No longer do we live limited and bound by sin and flesh (the five senses). This fleshly tabernacle is now indwelt by the power of an indestructible life (Hebrews 7:16). As we abide with Him and His word abides in us, we bear fruit: "He who abides in Me, and I in him, he bears much fruit; for apart from Me you can do nothing" (John 15:4-5 NASV). Our hearts are changed: "We know that we have passed out of death into life, because we love the brethren: (I John 3:14 NASV). His righteousness and grace cause us "to reign in life through the One, Jesus Christ" (Romans 5:17 NASV). Thus our lives are metamorphosed as God works in us "both to will and to work for His good pleasure (Philippians 2:13 NASV).
Yet, "if we have hoped in Christ in this life only, we are of all men most to be pitied" (I Corinthians 15:19 NASV). But this in not the case. For there will be a resurrection and in the resurrection, eternal life will extend to the sphere of the body. "Do not marvel at this; for an hour is coming, in which all who are in the tombs shall hear His voice, and shall come forth; those who did the good deeds to a resurrection of life, those who committed the evil deeds to a resurrection of judgment [KJV--damnation]" (John 5:28-29 NASV). Jesus knows His own (John 10:14) and, on the last day, will raise those who have eternal life (John 6:54). No one will snatch them out of His hand (John 10:28). On that day, He will "transform the body of our humble state into conformity with the body of His glory, by the exertion of the power that He has even to subject all things to Himself" (Philippians 3:21 NASV). And we will finally "be clothed, in order that what is mortal may be swallowed up by life" (II Corinthians 5:4 NASV).
So let us live now to the fullest by His eternal life, and be raised by it later. For we have been given "everything pertaining to life and godliness, through the true knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and excellence" (II Peter 1:3 NASV). Let us not take this life for granted, be ignorant concerning it, trivialize it, forget it, neglect it, or turn it into cliches. Let us not doubt or disbelieve it, let it slip from our grasp, or surrender it to the enemy of our souls. Instead, let us consider what we have received and reckon on the Zoe life of God who indwells us. Let us trust His promises, believe His word, and live by faith. Let us sow to the Spirit and from the Spirit reap eternal life (Galations 6:8). And as we abide in Him continually, His zoe life will cause us to grow and mature, and give us confidence in the day of judgement (I John 2:28, 4:17).
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