Made alive by The Word

If you’ve read The Mind of Christ, we spoke of the cleansing aspect of the Word.  Jesus refers to it as his blood.  The nourishing aspect of the Word is his flesh (the bread).   That is what gives birth to our spiritual being, (the inner man), and sustains it’s life (keeps it living).    

 

Then Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink his blood, ye have no life in you. (Jn 6:53 KJV)

 

In other words, you are spiritually dead.  You see, in the Garden of Eden, God created Adam whole (complete), both physically and spiritually.  However, disobedience and sin had caused him to die spiritually (in the inner man), 

 

You must not eat of it or touch it, or you will die. (Gen. 3:4 BSB)

 

physically he was still alive. 

 

Christ came to make us whole again (spiritually alive). That is, restore what was lost by Adam.  The Word literally makes alive that which was made dead in us.  

...made us alive with Christ even when we were dead... (Eph. 2:5 BSB)

 The KJV translation uses the word quickened.

 

…when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ...(Eph.2:5)

 

We are spiritually dead, until we are made alive, or “quickened”.  Also commonly referred to as being Born Again.   

 

For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive. (1 Cor. 15:22 KJV)

 

For as the Father raiseth up the dead, and quickeneth them; even so the Son quickeneth whom he will. (John 5:21 KJV)

 

 

This is why through-out scripture, those that weren’t spiritually quickened, are referred to as dead, although physically they live (exist).  

 

Follow me; and let the dead bury their dead. (Matt. 8:22 KJV)

 

However, those that physically died were referred to as fallen asleep.

 

While they were stoning him, Stephen appealed, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.”… And when he had said this, he fell asleep. (Acts 7:59-60 BSB)

 

He went in and said to them, "Why all this commotion and wailing? The child is not dead but asleep. (Mark 5:39 BSB)

 

Our friend Lazarus sleepeth; but I go, that I may awake him out of sleep. (John 11:11 KJV)

 

The hearing of the Word, (his presence), is what quickens our spirits from death to life.  There is a beautiful illustration of this spiritual occurrence in the book of Ezekiel.  The prophet is taken to a valley of dry bones, representing a spiritually dead people, made alive.    

 

…, and say unto them, O ye dry bones, hear the word of the LORD.

 

…So I prophesied as I had been commanded…

 

…suddenly a noise, a rattling, and the bones came together, bone to bone.  As I looked on, tendons appeared on them, flesh grew, and skin covered them; but there was no breath in them.

 

…prophesy, son of man, and tell the breath that this is what the Lord GOD says: Come from the four winds, O breath, and breathe into these slain, so that they may live!”

 

So I prophesied as He had commanded me, and the breath entered them, and they came to life and stood on their feet… (Ez. 37:4-10 BSB)

 

 

David the psalmist also discovered the quickening nature of the Word, he writes:

 

…quicken me, O LORD, according unto thy word. (Ps. 119:107 KJV)

 

My soul cleaveth unto the dust: quicken thou me according to thy word. (PS. 119:25 KJV)

 

Jesus spoke these words:  

 

It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life.(Jn 6:63KJV)

 

Meaning: spiritually you are made alive, this has nothing to do with your physical being, The Word gives spiritual life.    

 

 

 

 

Supporting texts

 I dwell in the high and holy place, with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones. (Is. 57:15 KJV)

I will put My Spirit in you and you will live (Ez. 37:14 BSB)

 

Who shall give account to him that is ready to judge the quick and the dead.  (1 Pe. 4:5 KJV)

 

Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God (Jn. 3:3 KJV)

 

So David slept with his fathers, and was buried in the city of David. (1 Ki 2:10 KJV)

 

And Solomon slept with his fathers, and was buried in the city of David his father ( 1Ki 11:43 KJV)