Spiritual life is not just reserved for the after-life. We are created and intended to receive our heavenly Father’s influencing presence and become more godly minded people during this life. When God sent His spoken expression into this earth to live as Jesus Christ, God demonstrated His desire to have intimate interactions with us during our natural life. (a) [see endnotes for Scriptures]
Can we know God in everyday life? Our interaction with God enables us to feel His embrace, partake of eternal insight, and be better people. When we respond to God’s ever abiding presence, we absorb aspects of God-Love and God-Light, much like a sponge absorbs what it is immersed in.
Translating “Life”
The translators of the KJV Bible rendered 11 different Greek words into English simply as “life.” This hides a lot of insightful meaning. Most translations appear to follow the practice. Three of the Greek words specifically address specific areas of our life in this natural world. We should know what Scripture says about different areas so we can understand the nuances of God’s intention. (b)
One of the Greek words translated as life is bios. This is where our English biology comes from; the study and story of natural life. This word occurs in the New Testament 10 times to address aspects of our natural life. A few examples are: “Prayers…made on behalf of all…that we may lead a tranquil and quiet (bios) life.” (c) “No soldier in active service entangles himself in the affairs of everyday (bios) life.” (d) “The seed (of God’s word)…are chocked with the worries, riches and pleasures of this (bios) life.” (e) The Greek word bios specifically relates to the temporal issues of this natural life.
Another Greek word translated simply as life is psuche. This is where our English psychology comes from; the study of consciousness. This word is in Scripture 101 times to address our soul’s conscious mind, will, and emotion. Examples are: “They are seeking my (psuche) life.” (f) “Whoever wishes to save his (psuche) life shall lose it, but whoever loses his (psuche) life…shall save it.” (g) Our soul’s conscious perceptions are intended to “be transformed by the renewing of our (conscious) mind.” (h)
A third Greek word translated as life is zoe. This appears in Scripture 135 times to speak of spirit; the activity and quality of our spiritual life. A few examples are: “For as the Father has (zoe) life…even so He gave to the son also to have (zoe) life.” (i) “Jesus…brought (zoe) life and immortality to light.” (j) “Believing you may have (zoe) life. (k) “The mind set on the spirit is (zoe) life and peace.” (l) “We have passed out of death into (zoe) life, because we love the brethren.” (m) Love is a spiritual quality.
The abundant use of zoe over psuche and bios clearly indicates the significance of our spiritual life. Our quality interaction with God’s presence, our source of spirit, tends to improve all aspects of life.
Our quality interaction with God’s presence, our source of spirit, tends to improve all aspects of life.
Our Two Life Sources
Every person is a combination of two sources of life. Our body (bios) comes from the earth and our spirit of life (zoe) comes from God. These foundational components allow our developing conscious awareness to interact with both the natural and spiritual realities, our sources of life.
Our psuche (conscious soul) draws its perceptions and understandings from our natural and spiritual involvement. Our interaction with the natural and spiritual realities feeds, develops, and forms our soul’s character, attitude, and personality. The soul is our developing self, who we are individually!
While our physical life is temporal and will eventually end, our spiritual life is a factor that continues into eternity. (n) In this natural life we seem to be more conscious of physical realities than spiritual. Never-the-less no one is void of spirit or spiritual life; we just tend to ignore it.
Scripture’s abundant use of zoe amplifies 
the importance of our interaction with our heavenly Father. God invites us to interact with His abiding presence and receive of His eternal perspective, (o) so we can consciously rise above and live free of many of the limiting perceptions of this temporal life.
Jesus addressed our involvement in both sources of life by talking about eating his flesh and drinking his blood. “I am the living bread that came down from heaven (from above)…He who eats my flesh and drinks my blood abides in me, and I in him.” (p) The flesh of Jesus is a metaphor for physical life, while His blood (life flow) is a metaphor for spiritual life. Both sources of life are important!
The life that Jesus gave on Calvary was to demonstrate that God is a forgiver. “The bread…I shall give for the life (zoe-spiritual) of the world is my flesh (bios).” (q) His sacrifice was to free us up from the perception that we need to offer natural sacrifice and offering to gain or to have God’s favor. God has always been an abundant forgiver, He just wants us to repent and change into better people. (r)
The life that Jesus gave up on Calvary was to demonstrate that God is a forgiver.
God Offers Abundant Life
On the day of Pentecost that followed the crucifixion, resurrection, and ascension of Jesus, Peter said they were observing Joel’s prophecy about God’s Spirit being “poured forth…upon all mankind.” (s)
As evidence that the anointing presence of God was available to everyone, on that day of Pentecost over 3000 people in Jerusalem experienced baptism (immersion) in the presence of God’s Spirit. (t) These immersions in the presence of “the Father and the Son” (u) are now available to everyone.
While our natural senses equip us to perceive and interact with natural realities, our spiritual senses enable us to partake of spiritual realities. “Everyone who partakes only of milk is not accustomed to the word of righteousness…solid food is for the mature, who because of practice have their senses trained to discern.” (v) The exercise (activity) of our spiritual senses brings us into levels of maturity.
Our fellowship with the enlightening and anointing presence of God-in-Christ, teaches us how to live as spirit-led people. We want to realize our developing character, attitude and personality (CAP) traits are more than physical features. We tend to think of our ability to reason, understand, and desire as just physical traits. Our spirit allows spiritual perceptions to flow into our soul’s consciousness.
My book “Created to Relate” explains how the activity of our soul’s mind, will, and emotion are more spiritual than we realize. It’s our spiritual senses that enable us to grasp, observe, and experience the “Fruits of the Spirit.” (w) Our natural eyes are only able to see and observe the results.
The life Jesus lived illustrates how we are to live as natural people that are led by the Spirit of God. He said: I came that they might have life (zoe-spiritual), and might have it abundantly. (x) Jesus encouraged “that where I am…you may be also.” (y) He also prayed that we would “be with me where I am.” (z) Where was Jesus when he declared such and prayed for this? He was in this life. The abundant life that God-in-Christ offers involves our active participation during this life. He even said, “I am the truthful way to live.” (aa)
We want to adapt the visible example of Jesus and consume his words as coming from our Eternal Father. As we partake of the interactive presence of God-in-Christ and receive the life-giving blood of zoe life, we experience the redemption that (bb) washes, (cc) purifies, (dd) and sanctifies us. (ee)
Isn’t it exciting to realize we can truly experience some of the abundant quality of spirit life that Jesus promised, right here and now! As maturing offspring and children of God, we can approach Him and experience His presence in everyday life. God really desires our spiritual connection in this life!
God really desires our spiritual connection in this life!
a) John 1:1, 14, 18; b) Genesis 1:27; c) 1 Timothy 2:2; d) 2 Timothy 2:4; e) Luke 8:14; f) Romans 11:3-7; g) Matthew 16:25; 10:39; Luke 17:33; Mark 8:35; John 12:25; h) Romans 12:2; i) John 5:26; j) 2 Timothy 1:10; k) John 20:31; l) Romans 8:6; m) 1 John 3:14; n) Ecclesiastes 12:7; o) Matthew 11:28; John 14:16-18; p) John 6:51, 56; q) John 6:51, 54; r) Isaiah 1:13-18; s) Acts 2:14-17, 32-33; t) Acts 2:41, 47; u) John 14:23-24, 7-11; v) Hebrews 5:11-14; w) Galatians 5:22-23; x) John 10:10; y) John 14:1-3; z) John 17:24; (aa) John 14:4; bb) Colossians 1:14; cc) Revelations 1:5; dd) Hebrews 9:22; ee) Hebrews 13:12
Keith Carroll, “The Relationship Guy”
Relational Gospel Founder
Created To Relate author