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There are only two approaches to spiritual warfare: law-based and life-based (zoe). Law-based warfare is faithless and therefore, powerless. Conversely, life-based (zoe) warfare is faithful and thus, characterized by incomparable power.
True victory against devilish schemes is achieved only by the incomparable power of a life-based (zoe) approach to spiritual warfare. Consequently, Satan encourages a law-based approach. The powerful life-based (zoe) approach to warfare necessitates not only justification, release and rescue but also life (zoe). Sharing the powerful, victorious life (zoe) of the Son is the greatest gift the Father could offer. By grace alone, the citizens of God's kingdom are privileged to share life (zoe) with Jesus Christ, the mediator of the Eternal Covenant. His life (zoe) is manifested within by the indwelling Spirit of life (zoe). As a result, the citizens of the kingdom of God “live by the Spirit” and by nature are said to be “according to the Spirit” and “in the Spirit” (Galatians 5:25; Romans 8:4, 5, NIV; 8:9). Consequently, they are privileged to exist in the realm or sphere of the Spirit. Life with Christ is governed differently than life without Him. Released from the rule of law, life shared with Christ is governed according to the gracious rule of His indwelling life (zoe). (cf. John 14:6; Acts 3:15; 5:20; Romans 5:10, 17, 21; 6:4-5, 8-11; 13-14; 7:4-6; 10; 8:1-14; 2 Corinthians 3:6; 4:10-11; 5:4; Galatians 2:19-20; 3:1-5; 27; 5:18; Ephesians 2:5-6; Philippians 1:21; Colossians 2:13; 3:1-4; 1 John 5:20; etc.) In the New Testament, the rule of life (zoe) is described as the “law of faith,” the “Spirit of life (zoe) in Christ Jesus,” the “law of Christ,” the “perfect law,” and the “law of liberty.” (Romans 3:27; 8:2; 1 Corinthians 9:21; Galatians 6:2; James 1:25; 2:12) It is often referred to in this book as the “rule of life.” The New Testament makes a clear distinction between governance by law and life (zoe). In Romans 8:2 the Apostle Paul states, “…the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus (governance by the principle of indwelling life (zoe)) has set you free from the law of sin and of death (governance by the principle of law; cf. Romans 3:20; 4:15; 7:7; 2 Corinthians 3:7-9). Governance by divine life (zoe) is not fulfilled by mankind but by God. Existing in the realm or sphere of the Spirit, the citizens of His kingdom are subject to His gracious governance. It is characterized by grace, love and fruitfulness beyond human measure. (cf. Matthew 11:28-30; Romans 6:14; Galatians 5:22-23; 1 John 5:3) Governed by the Spirit of life (zoe) through His rule of life (zoe), the New Testament church does not relate to God by obedience to the commands and ordinances encompassed in the rule of law. Instead, having been made “obedient from the heart” it makes a consistent choice to walk according to the “obedience of faith.” (cf. Romans 1:5; 6:17; 16:26) The intimate presence of God and the gracious, personal rule of His indwelling life (zoe) provide both the motive and power for the New Testament church to persevere in its daily walk. “…it is God who is at work in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure.” (Philippians 2:13) According to the gracious rule of life (zoe), the conduct of the New Testament church is no longer measured in accordance with the righteous requirement of the rule of law. There is no law capable of measuring the fullness and fruitfulness of divine life (zoe). (cf. Galatians 5:22-23) Made alive to God, the New Testament church is seated with Christ at the right hand of the Father. Sharing incomparable power, it can “stand firm,” looking down from above in perfect victory. |
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Law-Based Warfare
The ignorant church is unaware of its justification from the transgression of the rule of law (the “law of sin and of death”), its release from the jurisdiction of the rule of law, and its rescue from satanic authority. Therefore, it is susceptible to law-based practice. However, church practice founded on the rule of law (law of sin and of death) is spiritually powerless. The rule of law was not made to empower the church. It was not created for the righteous but the unrighteous. (1 Timothy 1:8-11) Therefore, rather than serving as a guide to empower righteous living, it was designed to lead the unrighteous to the Savior, the source of the life (zoe) necessary for righteous living. (Galatians 3:24) Nevertheless, a law-based approach to spiritual warfare and church practice in general is strongly encouraged by Satan. The reason he encourages the practice of law should be apparent. The church that chooses to practice law is not focused on the Savior, His indwelling presence and gracious provision, but on the transgression of law and, consequently, debt, duty, death, and darkness. Focused on sin rather than the Savior, the law-based church typically does not have the time to concern itself with spiritual warfare. Consumed by works of self-effort for God and consequently, repeated transgression, guilt, confession, and condemnation, it does not have the time or energy. Although rare, the law-based church does occasionally recognize satanic deception. If it responds, however, it is not likely to counter with anything other than a powerless, law-based response. Satan’s law-based strategy for warfare against the New Testament church is constructed on nothing more than deception and lies. For it to bear fruit, the living (zoe) church must be ignorantly complicit. Unfortunately, the law-based church has disregarded the truth of God revealed in the Bible. Instead, it has allowed itself to fall prey to the deception of Satan. |
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Life-Based Warfare
As previously indicated, the Bible reveals only one path to victory in spiritual warfare. It is Jesus Christ. By unconditional benefit of the life-based (zoe) Eternal Covenant, the life-based (zoe) New Testament church has been justified from all transgression of divine law (sin) and therefore, made legally suitable with God. Regenerated and born of the Spirit, the life-based (zoe) church is utterly privileged to share life with Jesus Christ, the mediator of the covenant. Consequently, it was made, “alive to God in Christ.” (Romans 6:11; Ephesians 2:5; Colossians 2:13) Joined to God by a union of shared life with Jesus Christ, the New Testament church exists with Christ in a heavenly position of perfect victory at the right hand of the Father. It is characterized by the incomparable power of the living (zoe) God. The incomparable power of divine life (zoe) within the church is a consistent theme in the New Testament. For example, the Apostle Paul prayed that the believers at Ephesus would know, among other things, “what is the surpassing greatness of His power.” (Ephesians 19a) He then explained that the power of God toward the believer is “in accordance with the working of the strength of His might which He brought about in Christ, when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places, far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come.” (Ephesians 19b-21) In his prayer for the Ephesians, the Apostle Paul used four different Greek words to describe the power of God within the New Testament church: |
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It is of interest to note Paul’s usage of the four words in the rest of his letter to the Ephesians:
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The four Greek words can be defined as follows:
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As indicated by Paul’s prayer, the incomparable power of the Father, demonstrated through His resurrection of the Son, was made accessible to the New Testament church by means of shared life. (Ephesians 1:3-14 delineates some of the blessings of shared life) He indicates that life shared between God and His ecclesia became available when it was “made…alive together with Christ…and raised…up with Him, and seated…with Him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus.” (Ephesians 2:5-6)
In Ephesians chapter 3, Paul again prayed for the believers in ancient Ephesus. He specifically prayed that the Father would grant believers “to be strengthened (kratous) with power (dunamis) through His Spirit in the inner man.” The inner strengthening would allow Christ to dwell comfortably within the believer. Strengthened from within by divine life (zoe), the believer is “rooted and grounded in love”. Secured in the love of God, he is privileged to “comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth” of His living (zoe), indwelling presence and thereby, “know the love of Christ which surpasses knowledge”. The ultimate purpose of the inner strengthening is so that the believer “may be filled up to all the fullness of the living (zoe) God.” (Ephesians 3:16-19) While the love of God for His children indeed “surpasses knowledge”, the object of the phrase “breadth and length and height and depth” is not, as often presumed, the love of God in Christ. Instead, it is referent to the indwelling life (zoe) of Christ. Thus, the apostle was praying that the Ephesians would comprehend the incomparable power of the indwelling life (zoe) of Christ. If so, they would enjoy the fullness of life (zoe) shared with Jesus, characterized not only by love that “surpasses knowledge” but also incomparable power. Indeed, the apostle’s blessing that immediately followed emphasized the incomparable power of indwelling life (zoe). “Now to Him who is able to do far more abundantly beyond all that we ask or think, according to the power that works within us, to Him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations forever and ever. Amen.” (Ephesians 3:20-21) The power of the living (zoe) God “that works within” the New Testament church is the same power by which Christ was resurrected and seated at the right hand of the Father far above all opposition. Therefore, it is “able to do far… beyond all that we ask or think”. Manifested by the Spirit, the life (zoe) of Christ in the New Testament church is the source of incomparable power. Jesus clarified to His disciples that they would be “clothed with power from on high” by the presence of His indwelling Spirit. (Luke 24:50) He further clarified, “…you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you.” (Acts 1:8) The living (zoe) Spirit of Christ serves as the agency through which the incomparable power of God is manifested in the New Testament church. He graciously provides the power not only for its spiritual warfare but all of its life-based (zoe) ministry. Naturally, Satan does his best to distract the New Testament church from its fullness of life (zoe) and incomparable power available through the redemptive work of Jesus Christ. Therefore, he attempts to discourage the church from a life-based (zoe) response to his schemes. Instead, Satan encourages a law-based response. It shifts the practical focus of the church away from Christ to debt, duty, death, and darkness. Positioned "in Christ," however, the New Testament church is blessed with infinite life (zoe) characterized by incomparable power. The church collectively appropriates the life (zoe) and power of Jesus Christ by faithfully putting on and taking up the “full armor of God.” It is most effectively achieved in the context of intimate, prayerful community. © 2023 James Hiatt |
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