At one time, everyone from Adam to the present, has experienced spiritual death. And just like the script from “The Sixth Sense” we see dead people and many of its actors share the fate of Bruce Willis’ character. (They haven’t figured out that they’re dead) Yet, through Christ’s resurrection all mankind has received an invitation to wake up (not from a terrified little boy – but from the Son of God) from our spiritual slumber of death into life. This is the hallmark of eternal life. Before the fall of mankind our ancestors walked in communion with God – in the Garden. Was it a coincidence that Jesus’ favorite place to pray was in a garden? Even His tomb was located in a garden where He chose to rise from the dead. The empty tomb still beckons for us to join Him – to know Him. For we can’t live until we’ve died. (One of God’s delightful paradoxes.) As God looked for our delinquent great grandparents in the Garden – He’s the One Who came calling. He’s the One who drew attention to their hiding place among the “leaves” of their own making. Good news is that Jesus says the Father is still looking: A time will come, however, indeed it is already here, when the true (genuine) worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and in truth (reality); for the Father is seeking just such people as these as His worshipers. God is a Spirit (a spiritual Being) and those who worship Him must worship Himin spirit and in truth (reality). John 4:24  And that’s what eternal life is all about – relating to the Godhead on a spiritual level.

1 Corinthians 2:10-16 describes this spiritual existence: Yet to us God has unveiled and revealed them by and through His Spirit, for the [Holy] Spirit searches diligently, exploring and examining everything, even sounding the profound and bottomless things of God [the divine counsels and things hidden and beyond man’s scrutiny]. For what person perceives (knows and understands) what passes through a man’s thoughts except the man’s own spirit within him? Just so no one discerns (comes to know and comprehend) the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God. Now we have not received the spirit [that belongs to] the world, but the [Holy] Spirit Who is from God, [given to us] that we might realize and comprehend and appreciate the gifts [of divine favor and blessing so freely and lavishly] bestowed on us by God. And we are setting these truths forth in words not taught by human wisdom but taught by the [Holy] Spirit, combining and interpreting spiritual truths with spiritual language [to those who possess the Holy Spirit].  But the natural, nonspiritual man does not accept or welcome or admit into his heart the gifts and teachings and revelations of the Spirit of God, for they are folly (meaningless nonsense) to him; and he is incapable of knowing them [of progressively recognizing, understanding, and becoming better acquainted with them] because they are spiritually discerned and estimated and appreciated. But the spiritual man tries all things [he examines, investigates, inquires into, questions, and discerns all things], yet is himself to be put on trial and judged by no one [he can read the meaning of everything, but no one can properly discern or appraise or get an insight into him]. For who has known or understood the mind (the counsels and purposes) of the Lord so as to guide and instruct Him and give Him knowledge? But we have the mind of Christ (the Messiah) and do hold the thoughts (feelings and purposes) of His heart. 

Now that’s an amazing description of a life lived in the Spirit. Consider the following propositions: (a) we are taught by the Spirit; (b) He speaks in a spiritual language to us; (c) we are able to interpret this spiritual language; (d) we are able to grow in knowing, and understanding progressively – the Godhead; (e) we are able to accept and welcome the gifts, teachings and revelations of the Spirit of God; (f) and we now possess the Mind of Christ – knowing His thoughts and purposes. That folks is eternal life. Note that verse 14 states that the man without the Spirit, or the non-spiritual man, can’t even know these things. It says they are foolishness to him. And there in plain view is the characteristic of a symptom that’s infection has spread far and wide throughout the church. That disease, which should cause a dis-ease, has left the church goer uninitiated into the world of the Spirit. In fact I would dare say that the average church attender would find the above discussion foolish nonsense. They would be bored by the proposal. In fact it is my observation that our ancestor’s fig leaves have gotten so immense, and overgrown that they have successfully obscured the whole point of Jesus’ crucifixion and resurrection reducing it to a matter of sentiment. That sentiment blocks our vision making us incapable of hearing the still, small whisper of God’s Spirit inviting us to walk with Him – to know Him. Sunday, after Sunday, church attenders by the millions sit within inches of the cure for their own disease. Its Jesus’ own “elixir,” that guarantees resurrection, from the bite of the serpents’ lies. Jesus’ “elixir” isn’t the fake, snake oil sold by the box load Sunday after Sunday. It isn’t the stuff of man’s clever speech or persuasive words guaranteed to produce one more failed “do it your self” salvation project. No, it’s resurrection power unveiling the life we were meant to live – an eternal life lived walking with Jesus now; knowing Him. Question is: Why do we prefer to swallow the snake oil instead of the Elixir drawn from Immanuels’ veins? The Elixir of the Fountain of Eternal Youth?