6. I AM THE RESURRECTION AND THE LIFE.

(Continued from page 331-Dec., 1905.)

I am the Resurrection and the Life, he that believeth on Me, though he have died, shall live; and every one who liveth and believeth on Me shall never die." In this we have expressed the blessed condition of believers in the eternal abiding of resurrection-life.

The words of the Lord in reference to His Shepherd character and the life He laid down are a preparation for this blessed title. He lays it down to take it again. He becomes the glorious Firstborn from the dead. He alone can of Himself pass through death and take up life in resurrection. In Him only has been manifested the power of resurrection:and that because what He was and what He had done required this glorious answer from the Father.

The verse before us is evidently formed of three distinct parts. First it is the title the Lord gives Himself; and then in two brief but comprehensive sentences He comments on the two parts of this title, – "the Resurrection"-"the Life." From this we may gather the beautiful and blessed meaning of this double expression.

In the first place Christ declares, "I am the Resurrection." That which connects itself with this is, "he that believeth on Me, though he have died, shall live." Christ passed under judgment and through death as the Sin-bearer. In infinite love He had be-come the Representative of, and bore in this position the full penalty the sinner deserved. But then, to deliver the sheep from the position they were in, it was necessary that they be taken entirely out of it. The meeting of the penalty which hung over them did not do this, though it implied the purpose to do it. The fulfilment of what was implied found accomplishment in resurrection-in Christ raised from the dead. He becomes, therefore, "the Resurrection" to us. The power active and which finds manifestation in Him is resurrection. In this power He has taken up the life He laid down. This gives Him title to communicate life to others-life which is truly that-being beyond the reach of death or judgment. He thus stands forth, amid the ruins of the old, the glorious Beginning of the new. Here we see the Second Man, peerless in His unique glory, standing alone.

But now listen to His gracious words, "He that believeth on Me, though he have died, shall live." He stands among the dead-for all have died, are "dead in trespasses and sins" – and speaks His quickening words. "The dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God, and they that hear shall live." He who believes on Him lives. For having been planted in the likeness of His death, we are also raised in the likeness of His resurrection. The life Christ speaks of here is the result of being quickened and raised up together with Him. Thus He is "the Resurrection " with whom we are raised up into life, apart from whom there is no life. Here we see Him portrayed in these precious words as the "Last Adam " gathering around Himself the new race of which He is Head-the creation of God of which He is the glorious beginning. In Him there can be no shadow of turning, but the new creation has been made perfect for eternity by its Establisher and Builder.

In the second place Christ declares, " I am . . . the Life." The corollary of this is, "and every one who liveth and believeth on Me shall never die." Notice that now He speaks of the "one who liveth," instead of one who if he believes, though dead, shall live. He speaks of one who has believed in this way and who, therefore, "liveth and believeth." He is no longer the dead one called to believe and thus obtain life. This has been done and now He lives. This is connected with Christ as "the Life," while the other finds its place with Him as " the Resurrection." How precious in this way to see the divine accuracy of the words of Scripture. Its minutiae constitute one of the strongest evidences of inspiration.

Christ being "the Life" is of course a step beyond, being "the Resurrection" though it be inseparably connected with it. By right, resurrection comes first and the kind and manner of life to which it introduces fills the second place. The first is positional, it is the beginning, cause, source of life; the second is relational, indicating the kind and manner of life connected with the first. In this is shown the difference of the life to the old, and also its relation to God now entirely changed. Thus even here numeric symbolism governs the meaning. Christ as the Life makes plain that we possess nothing less than the same that He possesses through whom we have resurrection. This resurrection which He is to us has not introduced to a life lower in order than that which He has, but to the same. The life we obtain is the life which He is,-the eternal,-communicated to us. Apart from Him, therefore, life cannot be:"I am the Life."

The one spiritually dead, but believing on Him, finds life. The blessed truth added to this in the second part of the title before us is that the life is eternal, unchangeable. The one thus living and believing shall never die, because to him Christ is "the Life." We "shall in no wise be injured of the second death" (Rev. 2:ii, J. N. D.). Death is swallowed up in victory, our blessed Representative has triumphed gloriously, and now (precious grace) God gives to us this victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Are we enjoying the spoils of this blood-bought victory as we ought ? Surely we should press forward till the whole land be in our possession -Christ our life. It pleased the fulness of the Godhead to dwell in Him. Then it is to nothing less than this we have been introduced. " 'For in Him dwells all the fulness of the Godhead bodily; and ye are filled full in Him.' The fulness or completeness of the Godhead is in Christ, as toward us; and we, as toward God are complete in Him" (Col. 2:9, 10, J. N. D., foot note). This is the fulness which characterizes the life which Christ is to us. Resurrection brings forth from death a Lazarus, bound in the habiliments of death; brought forth to life, it is true, but still fettered with the bands of death. But the life thus obtained is not to be under the power of these bands; it cannot be so with God's work. It is not resurrection to the old life or its position for a new beginning or trial, but it is to new life, new creation, for which old things have passed away; all is new, no more under trial, no more possibility of failure and consequent judgment, but there is to be perfect freedom from all that is of our. previous dead condition. Our life is eternal, we "shall never die," in contrast to the old in which all must die. Now there can be no longer any bondage, but the blessed delivering word of power which resurrection brings us to is, "Loose him and let him go." No checks and bounds any more to this life-it is eternal life in all its free and gracious activity in fellowship and communion with the Eternal. This is the essence of the life we have in Christ.

We may add a thought from the practical side which naturally flows from all this. If Christ is our life, our lives should manifest our Life, in other words, show forth Christ. How much this means in relation to the scene around us. "If therefore ye have been raised with the Christ, seek the things which are above where the Christ is sitting at the right hand of God:have your mind on the things which are above, not on things which are on the earth ; for ye have died, and your life is hid with Christ in God." (Col. 3:1-3, J.N.D.) This is plainly and simply what should govern. Christ is our Forerunner, and where He is our life is. Heaven then is the place in which it is to be lived, but while here on earth it cannot be hid, spite the opposition it meets in the world. From this will flow the manifestation of heavenly character as a witness before men. Heaven, likewise, will be our home
in reality at the appointed time; and this bright and blessed prospect, so sure on the authority of God's word, should only the more draw out our hearts while here to faithfulness and devotion to oar blessed Lord. Through His grace may it be so with us. J. B. Jr.