“Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.” (John 14:6)

In examining the various portraits of Christ given to us in the Word of God, we have seen that the Son is the only Way to the Father, the Source of all Life. Our text verse easily encapsulates (or captures) this point, demonstrating that Christ is the Means whereby we may be reconciled, or brought near, unto God. But our text points us to another great Truth and a portrait of Christ: He is Life.

“In him was life; and the life was the light of men.” (John 1:4)

“Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live:” (John 11:25)

The Resurrection is the pivotal point in our Christian Faith. It is not enough that we believe Jesus to be a good man, a teacher of righteousness, a prophet, or even the promised king to sit on the throne of David. His death changes nothing, unless He rose again from the dead (1 Corinthians 15:1-22). He MUST be the Risen Savior before He can be the Savior – He must be the Resurrection and the Life.

The Apostle Paul told of his own Christian experience, speaking of his own death with Christ on Calvary’s cross. The individual’s death of self must be in view before we can see the Life of Christ. Paul goes on to say:

“I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.” (Galatians 2:20)

It is understood that Christ gave His Life for us (Romans 5:8) so that we should live with Him (Romans 6:8). That is, our death must be reckoned with His death, so that we may also know the experience of His Life. Paul tells the church in Galatia that he is dead, and that the Life of Christ is his life. He restates this key truth in his letter to the Philippians:

“…so now also Christ shall be magnified in my body, whether it be by life, or by death. For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.” (Philippians 1:20-21)

When we see ourselves dead to sin (that our sin was crucified with Christ on the cross), we can then see ourselves alive to God through Jesus Christ our Lord (that we have been raised up with Christ; Colossians 3:1). Before a Resurrection, must come death. Our old man must be put to death, “that the body of sin might be destroyed” (Romans 6:6).

Then we can say that the life we live in the flesh, we live by the Faith of the Son of God; because it is His Life in us, as we are raised with the New Man to walk in His New Life.

Then we can confidently say “to live is Christ” because Christ “is our life” (Colossians 3:4).