The Daily Word of Righteousness

Paradise or Eternal Life?, #13

The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death. (I Corinthians 15:26)

The resurrection of our physical body marks the destruction of the last enemy.

The growth of Christ in us is the growth of the Resurrection in us, for the Lord Jesus Himself is the resurrection.

If we thus attain the inner resurrection, then, when the Lord appears, we will be clothed externally with the fullness of God's Glory.

It is the overcomer, the victorious saint, who is permitted to eat of the Tree of Life, which is Christ, and thus gain eternal life in the inner man in preparation for the donning of immortality in the outer man.

He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the tree of life, which is in the midst of the paradise of God. (Revelation 2:7)

Every time we overcome the accuser by denying ourselves, putting to death the desires of our flesh and soul, we are permitted to eat from the tree of life. Adam dies and Christ lives. Adam dies and Christ lives. Adam dies and Christ lives.

So also is the resurrection of the dead. It is sown in corruption; it is raised in incorruption: It is sown in dishonour; it is raised in glory: it is sown in weakness; it is raised in power: It is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body. There is a natural body, and there is a spiritual body. And so it is written, The first man Adam was made a living soul; the last Adam was made a quickening [life-giving] spirit. Howbeit that was not first which is spiritual, but that which is natural; and afterward that which is spiritual. The first man is of the earth, earthy: the second man is the Lord from heaven. As is the earthy, such are they also that are earthy: and as is the heavenly, such are they also that are heavenly. And as we have borne the image of the earthy, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly. (I Corinthians 15:42-49)

We attain eternal life, which is the same as the resurrection from the dead, which is the same as Christ Himself (for He Himself is the Resurrection and the Life), by eating His flesh and drinking His blood. This is how we partake of the Tree of Life. As we put to death the deeds of our body we are fed in the spiritual realm with the body and blood of the Lord Jesus.

Notice in the following verses the relationship between eating Christ's flesh and blood, eternal life, and the resurrection from the dead.

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. Whoso eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day. For my flesh is meat indeed, and my blood is drink indeed. He that eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, dwelleth in me, and I in him. As the living Father hath sent me, and I live by the Father: so he that eateth me, even he shall live by me. (John 6:53-57)

To be continued.