Zoe life vs Bios life
What quality of Life do you have today?
What kind of Life has God?
What quality of Life does God enjoy?
We know both from scripture and by experience that “God is Love.” his being, his life is Love with the Father and the Son in a dynamic loving relationship. A relationship full of joy, peace, patience, kindness, faithfulness, gentleness, goodness, and self-control. In God`s life there is no sin, no pride, no envy, no injustice, and no selfishness.
God`s life is full of creative power, power to create the Heavens and earth, power to create plants and animals, power to create man in his own image.
On the day that you believed in Jesus Christ the very life of God entered your being. The uncreated life of God dwells inside each believer shedding abroad love, joy, and peace in our hearts (Romans 5:5).
This is the abundant Life Jesus came to give to his church.
In the New Testament there is a special Greek word for this abundant Life of God is named Zoe. You may have heard it as a girl`s name; what a beautiful name, meaning “Life as God lives it.”
All human beings who are alive possess “Bios” that is the natural biological life.
But only those who are born again of God`s Holy Spirit possess Zoe life (together with Bios).
The word Zoe (although we derive words like zoology from it) has been given a special meaning by God in the New Testament This is similar to the way that agape (the Love of God) has a special meaning in the New Testament and is different in meaning from phileo (brotherly love).
So what does Zoe mean.
Zoe (Definition): The main thrust of word in New Testament is...
Zoe is Life in the absolute sense.
Zoe is the uncreated life.
Zoe is life as God lives it.
Zoe is eternal life.
Zoe is the life the Father and the Son have in themselves.
Bios is natural life; is flesh life, and is the mere animal life.
Zoe life left Adam on the day he sinned against God.
Zoe life entered into you on the day that you believed in Jesus Christ.
Key Scripture:
John 10:10 "The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life (zoen) and have it to the full."
Jesus came to give us Zoe life.
Zoe life is superabundance, life in excess, overflowing, more than sufficient, profuse, and abundant life, and life as God lives it.
Zoe life rising within you brings fullness of joy, peace, longsuffering, goodness and kindness, gentleness, faithfulness, and self-control.
Most of us will know by now that Zoe and Bios are at war within us. The Bios the natural (sinful) life of the flesh is selfish, wants to be coaxed and praised, often takes advantage of others, exploits people and situations for its own benefit or selfish purposes.
Bios hates Zoe and wants to avoid its influence like the plague.
The natural Bios life recognizes that Zoe is much stronger than it and given half a chance Zoe will crucify Bios. Thus Bios fights Zoe every inch of the way as in Mark 14:34-36.
Mark 14:34 “My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death,” he said to them. “Stay here and keep watch.”
35 Going a little farther, he fell to the ground and prayed that, if possible, the hour might pass from him.
36 “Abba, Father,” he said, “everything is possible for you. Take this cup from me. Yet not what I will, but what you will.”
v34-36 we see Jesus' natural Bios life responsding to the upcoming crucifixion. Yet at the end of v36 we see the Zoe life of Jesus empowering him to say ''Yet not what I will, but what you will.”
Amen
Personal Prayer
In Part 2 we will continue to look at the battle between Zoe and Bios.