Eternal Life, or Premature Death

[Mr. M]

John 6:56 He who eats My flesh and drinks My blood abides in Me, and I in him.

Therefore, every statement of the Lord in the Gospel of John, and his first

epistle with regards to "abiding"are in play here, because abiding in Christ

requires the believer to be an active participant in the fellowship of the Saints

and the Holy Spirit with the breaking of bread. 

Saints who are anchored to the Lord HAVE ETERNAL LIFE, they are not waiting

to die and go to heaven, or be resurrected into their incorruptible body. They have 

access to that more abundant life now. This is why John says that the Saints in

Christ cannot sin, because the seed of Christ abides in them. Christians who are

simply church goers and not participating in small group fellowship after the 

manner of the early church will sin and require repentance. "They weren't saved

to begin with" is an excuse made up by people who fail to discern the Lord's body.

Romans 8:11 But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells

in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal

bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you.

Does that somehow sound like temporary life? We can experience the full measure

of Christ as we abide in Him, in the fellowship of the Spirit. The Life that each one

requires is found in those who surround them, whom they are intimate with hearts

laid open like show bread.

John 14:12 Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do

he will do also; and greater works than these he will do, because I go to My Father. 

13 And whatever you ask in My name, that I will do, that the Father may be 

glorified in the Son. 

14 If you ask anything in My name, I will do it.

Does this seem to be lacking in the church? It is due to a lack of true fellowship,

and failure to discern the Lord's body by abiding in Christ. Lack of eternal life 

in the Spirit results in premature death.

1 Corinthians 11:

27 Therefore whoever eats this bread or drinks this cup of the Lord in an unworthy

manner will be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord. 

28 But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of the bread and drink of the cup. 

29 For he who eats and drinks in an unworthy manner eats and drinks judgment to

himself, not discerning the Lord’s body.

30 For this reason many are weak and sick among you, and many sleep.

[Marathoner]

It would be good to define "premature death." Thanks. 

[Mr. M]

5 minutes ago, Marathoner said:

It would be good to define "premature death." Thanks. 

 

52 minutes ago, Mr. M said:

1 Corinthians 11:

27 Therefore whoever eats this bread or drinks this cup of the Lord in an unworthy

manner will be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord. 

28 But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of the bread and drink of the cup. 

29 For he who eats and drinks in an unworthy manner eats and drinks judgment to

himself, not discerning the Lord’s body.

30 For this reason many are weak and sick among you, and many sleep.

The title is in reference to this text.

[Mr. M]

13 minutes ago, Marathoner said:

It would be good to define "premature death." Thanks. 

Scripturally, most die prematurely

Genesis 6:3 And the Lord said, “My Spirit shall not strive with man forever, for he is indeed flesh;

yet his days shall be one hundred and twenty years.”

Psalm 90:

9 For all our days have passed away in Your wrath;
We finish our years like a sigh.
10 The days of our lives are seventy years;
And if by reason of strength they are eighty years,
Yet their boast is only labor and sorrow;
For it is soon cut off, and we fly away.
11 Who knows the power of Your anger?
For as the fear of You, so is Your wrath.
12 So teach us to number our days,
That we may gain a heart of wisdom.

Who wants a long life anyway?

Genesis 47:9 And Jacob said to Pharaoh, “The days of the years of my pilgrimage are one hundred and thirty years; few and evil have been the days of the years of my life, and they have not attained to the days of the years of the life of my fathers in the days of their pilgrimage.”

28 And Jacob lived in the land of Egypt seventeen years. So the length of Jacob’s life was one hundred and forty-seven years. 

[Mr. M]

27 minutes ago, Marathoner said:

It would be good to define "premature death." Thanks. 

Okay, I tried to go to bed, and the Holy Spirit gave me a definition.

Premature death is to fall short of the time the Lord had allotted,

due to failure to abide in Him.

Does that sound consistent with what Paul is describing?

[Wayne222]

It's also a matter of growth. We are to grow in grace and in knowledge of Jesus Christ. Everything the Lord said comes in time and it's not instantaneous. 

[Mr. M]

24 minutes ago, Wayne222 said:

It's also a matter of growth. We are to grow in grace and in knowledge of Jesus Christ. Everything the Lord said comes in time and it's not instantaneous. 

Eph. 4:13 Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ:

[AnOrangeCat]

8 hours ago, Mr. M said:

Christians who are

simply church goers and not participating in small group fellowship after the 

manner of the early church will sin and require repentance.

This is something I more or less agree with. We see instances in the NT of believers functioning as a very tight, cohesive group, even to the extent of sharing belongings. As much as I understand a need for caution and discretion I can't help but wonder where that unity and generosity went. It makes me think of Matthew 24:12 where it says the love of many shall wax cold due to the abundance of sin.

 

9 hours ago, Mr. M said:

27 Therefore whoever eats this bread or drinks this cup of the Lord in an unworthy

manner will be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord. 

28 But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of the bread and drink of the cup. 

29 For he who eats and drinks in an unworthy manner eats and drinks judgment to

himself, not discerning the Lord’s body.

I agree with your take on this, too. This eating and drinking is symbolic of Christ's sacrifice for us, and we're asked to reflect on that when we partake. With that in mind both failure to consider whether or not our lives are pleasing to God or willfully persisting in sin without struggling against it both strike me a very bad thing.