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The Twist family studies the Gospel of John
Wayne:
Jesus explains that that which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the spirit is spirit. The wind blows where it wants and you hear the sound of it. But you don't know where it comes from and where it is going. So is everyone who is born of the Spirit.
So it seems we are to understand the current passage in a spiritual sense and not in the sense of flesh.
Recall by the way that spirit comes from the same root word as "breath." So the analogy of spirit, wind, and breath remains enigmatic.
"Spiritual" doesn't necessarily mean "not physical." Rather, it means relating to breath instead of relating to flesh.
Maybe ... relating to process rather than matter. ???
Wayne:
So we come to that verse ...
For God so loved the world
That he gave his only begotten son
That whosoever believeth in him
Should not perish
But have everlasting life.
I wanted to take a closer look at these words "everlasting life." What does it mean? Here's a cool website for translation from the original Greek text of any verse in the New Testament:
http://www.greekbible.com/index.php
You can click on any word in any verse in the the Greek New Testament and get a paragraph worth of translations!! :o :)
Here is what it says for the words "life everlasting" (zoe aionios) in John 3:16
(zoe) 1) life 1a) the state of one who is possessed of vitality or is animate 1b) every living soul
2) life 2a) of the absolute fulness of life, both essential and ethical, which belongs to God, and through him both to the hypostatic "logos" and to Christ in whom the "logos" put on human nature 2b) life real and genuine, a life active and vigorous, devoted to God, blessed, in the portion even in this world of those who put their trust in Christ, but after the resurrection to be consummated by new accessions (among them a more perfect body), and to last for ever.
(aionios) without beginning and end, that which always has been and always will be 2) without beginning 3) without end, never to cease, everlasting
Wayne:
Interesting how in the verse before, John 3:15, it's a little different:
"whosoever believes will in him have everlasting life."
I'm not sure whether the distinction is clear in the original Greek. As well as I can tell, the Greek phrase itself is ambiguous.
If you believe in him, you will have everlasting life.
If you believe, you will have everlasting life within him.
Wayne:
I think I will make a confession. For now, with my best effort, it is the latter that I can understand better.
My ego wants to be around forever, but I'm not sure if that's the way it works. I find some peace in accepting that through logos, some ... something of value of me and those I love can go on forever.
Cue Celine Dione "My Heart Goes On" ::) :P ;)
Wayne:
Jesus goes on to explain to Nicodemus:
God did not send the son into the world to judge the world, but that the world might be saved through him...
This is the judgment, that the Light has come into the world...
He who practices the truth comes to the Light.
So truth is important, along with reason, light, and breath.
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