Chapter 35 - Church Life

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Concordant with the restoration of His intrinsic authority, Jesus Christ initiated the fulfillment of His promise to “build” the New Testament church on earth. (Matthew 16:18) It is noteworthy that He did not ask for human assistance. It was an endeavor that Christ alone could fulfill.

Living Organism

The New Testament church, the body of Christ, was created as a living (zoe) organism. It was comprised of human beings in shared life union with the head of the church, Jesus Christ:

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Scripture	Reference
"For just as the Father raises the dead and gives them life (zoe), even so the Son also gives life (zoe) to whom He wishes."	John 5:21-22
“So Jesus said to them, ‘Truly, truly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His blood, you have no life (zoe) in yourselves’”.	John 6:53
“I came that they may have life (zoe), and have it abundantly.”	John 10:10
“Jesus said to him, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life (zoe); no one comes to the Father but through Me.”	John 14:6
“But these have been written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing you may have life (zoe) in His name.”	John 20:31
“For if by the transgression of the one, death reigned through the one, much more those who receive the abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness will reign in life (zoe) through the One, Jesus Christ.”	Romans 5:17
“Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come.”	2 Corinthians 5:17
"I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me …”	Galatians 2:20
“…even when we were dead in our transgressions, made us alive (zoe) together with Christ”	Ephesians 2:5
“For to me, to live is Christ …”	Philippians 1:21
“When you were dead in your transgressions and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He made you alive together with Him, having forgiven us all our transgressions”	Colossians 2:13
“… Christ, who is our life (zoe) …”	Colossians 3:4
“And the testimony is this, that God has given us eternal life (zoe), and this life is in His Son. He who has the Son has the life (zoe); he who does not have the Son of God does not have the life (zoe).”	1 John 5:11-12

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Life with God

The life of the New Testament church is not lived by man for God. It is lived by God with man. His indwelling life alone is capable of directing the practice of the church on earth and ensuring the fulfillment of its purpose and mission.

Living together with God, the New Testament church was designed to be animated by divine life (zoe). More specifically, it is animated by the indwelling life (zoe) of Jesus Christ. Consequently, it is not only representative of divine law on earth but also representational of divine life (zoe).

Both representative and representational of God, the New Testament church was not created to perform dead religious activity for God. Instead, it was graciously privileged to cooperate with Him through faith alone.

Church life lived for God by man is quite different from church life lived by God with man:

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Church Life Lived For God by Man	Church Life Lived by God with Man
Life source: psuche	Life source: zoe
Produced on earth for God.	Produced from heaven by God.
Earthly life (psuche) attempting to direct divine life (zoe).	Divine life (zoe) directing earthly life (psuche).
Religious organization animated by human beings for God.	Living organism animated by the indwelling life of God in human beings.
Complex organizational structure.	Simple organic structure.
Organizational growth derived from human life (psuche).	Organic growth intrinsic to divine life (zoe).
Human headship.	Divine headship.
Independent assembly.	Dependent assembly.
Rule of law ("law of sin and of death").	Rule of life (zoe) ("law of the Spirit of life (zoe) in Christ Jesus").
Performance for God.	Fellowship with God.
Fear.	Faith.

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Dependent Life

The incarnate Christ did not work for His heavenly Father as an employee. Instead, He lived His life on earth as a son, a privileged family member.

Living as a son, Jesus provided a perfect example of living the Christian life (zoe). He chose to empty Himself of His own authority and live in unwavering submission to the authority of His indwelling Father. (cf. Matthew 4:1; 12:28; Luke 4:1)

By His indwelling life (zoe), the New Testament church was designed to follow the example of Christ. Therefore, it is a continual necessity for the church to live dependently on His indwelling life (zoe). The dependent life is fulfilled by grace through faith alone.

Law or Life

Concordant with its heavenly life (zoe) source on earth, the New Testament church is presented with a privileged choice. It must choose to live according to law or life (zoe).

The church can remain under the rule of law (“the law of sin and of death”) and work for God as an employee or hireling. However, attempting to work for God as an employee is not only contrary to the will of God but demanding. Never fulfilled, it is an exhausting treadmill of endless performance that is eternally insignificant. Working for God under the rule of law is a choice that led the Apostle Paul to respond, “Wretched man that I am! Who will set me free from the body of this death?” (Romans 7:24)

Conversely, the New Testament church can choose life (zoe) and therefore, live in dependent cooperation with the indwelling life (zoe) of God. As a result, it has the privilege to rest in the gracious, immediate presence of God as His beloved children. Paul’s realization of this amazing truth motivated him to proclaim, “Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord!” (Romans 7:25)

Childlike rest in God's unconditional plan and provision is fulfilled through dependent faith alone. Historically, when the New Testament church has chosen to dependently rest in Christ and cooperate with Him by grace through faith alone God has mightily blessed it. He has demonstrated that He will not only provide but also perform every work necessary to fulfill its purpose and mission on earth.

© 2023 James Hiatt

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