what is a "life" ?

[JamesL]

I see numerous usages of "life" in Christian lingo, and just interested in stirring thought and discussion.

Here are several phrases employed by Christians which include the word "life":

Give your life to Christ
He'll change your life
Invite Christ into your life
How you live your life
God's plan for your life
God can use your life
Sin in your life (or sinful life)

I'm mostly interested in discussing how these phrases are used in an evangelistic sense, as they may relate to the eternal "life" found in Christ. What is "life" in the phrases above?

Is it existence of life, duration of life, quality of life, etc.? And is this the same "life" as eternal life?


And equally important, how would an unbeliever understand your use of this word?

Are they understanding what you're trying to convey?

 

[DHK]

[FONT=&quot]John 10:10 The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.

Let's use scripture instead.
In the above verse "I am come that you might have life."
The context from 10:1 to 10:28 is speaking of eternal life.
Jesus had just said in verse 9, "I am the door."
But in verse 1 he says that those who enter in by some other way are thieves and robbers speaking of false teachers who would rob one or prevent one from having eternal life.

"That they might have life more abundantly."
Jesus came that the believer on this earth, once he has the gift of eternal life, may sustain a fuller deeper life, a life full of joy and peace while on this earth. It is only available to those who have come to him for eternal life first.
[/FONT]

 

[JamesL]

What are your thoughts concerning the phrases I listed? And how do they relate to an unbeliever and his perception of what those phrases supposedly mean?

 

[DHK]

What are your thoughts concerning the phrases I listed? And how do they relate to an unbeliever and his perception of what those phrases supposedly mean?

It depends on the context in which they are used. Except for the third phrase, "Invite Christ into your life," every other phrase can apply to both believer and unbeliever alike. They are not "stand alone statements."
And to an unbeliever, even the third statement has to be well qualified ahead of time. It is meaningless unless the gospel has been well explained, and something has been said that leads up to that phrase being said.

 

[Scarlett O.]

I'm mostly interested in discussing how these phrases are used in an evangelistic sense, as they may relate to the eternal "life" found in Christ.

And equally important, how would an unbeliever understand your use of this word?

Are they understanding what you're trying to convey?

I truly think that an unbeliever has to first understand that his or her life - from the existence of it - to its duration here on this earth - through eternity is not his or her own to lord over.