“The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.”
–
John 10:10
Many
have thought that Christian life is boring and bitter because it's so demanding
and costly. Indeed, Christian life is demanding and costly, but it is the only
life worth living. Actually, human race is a zombie race; we are spiritually
dead people walking. We need a real death or a real life. This verse reveals us
how both options are offered to us.
The worldly lifestyle (its philosophy and temptations) and the false religions only deceive us and ultimately lead us to real death, which is the eternal separation from the love of God. They come like anyone but their intention is to fulfil their wicked desires. They burdened us with their man-made regulations, oppressed us for the benefit of the elites, threatened us with fear, and deceived us with false assurances. Jesus came to give true life. Wow! It's as if a zombie becomes a human being again through the antidote, as in a science fiction movie. Now, he stopped devouring one another, came back to his senses, and lives a life of deliverance– joyfully and meaningfully.
Only
Jesus has such an anti-dote to give us real life. It is a life in its fullness.
It is a life beyond anything we have ever dreamed of. The scripture promised this
effectively. It says, “may have life.’’ Indeed, it says more than this.
It says, “may have life abundantly.” It is a life of abundance.
In fact, it says, again, more than this, for it says, “may have life more
abundantly.” How could anyone say that Christian life is boring or bitter
when we have not only true life but exceedingly abundant true life?
A
true Christian already died in Christ, the life that he now lives is the life
given by Christ. Even this life is not lived on his own, but it is Jesus who
lives in him (Gal 2:20). It is He who gives the will and the ability to live
this abundant life. It is He who produces joy in his life. Would you receive
this true life in Jesus Christ? Worldly life leads to death. Jesus gives eternal
life, a life beyond physical death, a perfected life in the presence of the
glorious God. “Nobody is perfect” will be “Everybody is perfected” there.