IS YOUR NAME ZOE? IT COULD AND SHOULD BE!

1. Zoe  refers to an individual person's life while on earth (Luke 16:25, Philippians 1:20, James 4:14). But in the Greek New Testament, zoe has a special meaning. It speaks of the life that is given by God through Christ Jesus

 Resurrection as we hear and begin to understand even more during lent and the Easter season is not magic. 

It is a transforming of something already present in earthly existence to a higher plane, a fuller, realm of freedom and love; it is the transplanting of a struggling sprout from the  ground of this world to the rich land of the world to come where it can bear fruit forever!

 What is the “something” that must be present now, even if only weak and incomplete, that will be transformed and transplanted later?

 It is zoe, the God-life that comes to believers by faith.

This provides a clue why the New Testament speaks in terms about the “dying” (or even the “killing”) of the old person in order to be raised “to walk in newness of life.”

A picture of the Easter story in our lives friends! 

Please ponder this over lent.

Paul says, “whenever Christ is manifested, who is your life (Zoe), then also you will be manifested with him in glory” (Col. 3:4).

 The expressed  Christ-life:zoe, with your life is the reason why Christians speak of the necessity of Jesus for salvation.

 There is no possibility of salvation apart from Jesus Christ because it is by the life and death of Jesus that God overcomes human sin and reestablishes zoe, the God-life in the world. There is a method to the blessings! 

So much behind the Easter story blows my mind. God really wanted everyone to have the same name and for our Bios to have the same theme.

 Easter is about you and for you! 

I have always loved the name ZOE and at one time it was in my baby journals as a name desired.

So I kinda like that we can all have ZOE as our middle name!  

Heather Cynthia Zoe Baxter (my middle name is in honor of my aunt cindy and Zoe is in honor of my God life!  pretty cool huh?

 Whenever anyone turns to God’s will and turns to Jesus Christ in faith, God implants the seed of a new life within, ZOE. 

In contract to the natural life ,zoe alone is eternal, and it is zoe that God will resurrect and complete in the last day. So in my case NOT Heather but Zoe.

The New Testament  teaches that there are three possible realms or dimensions of life, not three separate compartments of life. 

Zoe does not exist simply along side bios. 

Rather, it infuses them and transforms daily existence itself into the sphere of God’s compassion and concern, and the means of his glory so our bios can be powerful! 

 In every dimension of existence we are indebted to love and serve God because this is the way God created us. We long for the Zoe life.

 “Whatever you do in word or in deed, do all things in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him” (Col. 3:17). •

1. The Life of an animal.
2. The mental, intellectual Life.
3. The Life of God.

In the Greek language there are three words for “Life”:

1. Zoe, meaning = The kind of life that God has.
2. Psyche, which is the root for psychology, which means the intellectual life, mental. It is the temporal life, pertains to both mankind and animals. Psyche is sometimes 1 John 5:12 “He who has the Son has life;”
    TODAYS OBJECTIVE: Discovering the life of God in us, and the power to live in the blessing of his will
   Jesus spoke of the new life that can only come from God. All living things have life, but God’s life is only in those who are born again. Normally there are three words for “Life”:translated as “mind”.
3. Bios, is derivative of Biological life, referred to natural life, animal life, a life of the body.

Zoe is used to refer to both temporal and eternal life. The life of God is in those who are born again and because of that ZOE life, the born again Christian has a lifestyle different from those who have not experienced the power of the resurrection. So our Bios should stand out and you should know your Zoes in your life.

The purpose of Christ is not only to forgive our sins and save us from eternal punishment. The purpose of Christ is that each of us may experience exuberant, happy, blessed and successful life in the here and now! The purpose of Christ is that God’s life be displayed in all who have received the ZOE.

EASTER PREPARES US TO MEET ZOE AND BECOME A ZOE

The image of God when restored brings new life clothed with dignity and it produces in us fruit, growth, multiplication and excellence. The life of God manifests in us his will, his purposes and mission. That is why believers love what God loves and live to show his goodness.

Ephesians 4:22-24 “For you ought to put off the old man (according to your way of living before) who is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts, and be renewed in the spirit of your mind. And you should put on the new man, who according to God was created in righteousness and true holiness.”

The new man is created in the image and likeness of God. And those who have God’s life (Zoe) operating in them live according to His righteousness and apart from the things that God hates. God’s justice is to walk the extra mile and to love others as he loved us, forgiving others as He has forgiven us, and serving others as he served and gave his life for the entire human race

The life of God moves us to be transformed in our minds through the truth of Scripture. As we change our thoughts we change our ways for the Glory of God. This change is reflected in our relations with all people. It blesses our marriage, our children, and our families in general. It leads us to be better parents, better children, better friends, better employers, better employees and servants of God Most High.

Ephesians 2:10 “For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to good works, which God has before ordained that we should walk in them.”

The old man had only natural life. No ZOE. That is why the works of evil operate in those who are not born again. BUT the children of God exhibit the works that God prepared in advance for us to do. The likeness of God’s shows goodness and generosity.

Conclusion

Those who are born again have God’s spiritual genes. That is why they strive to live differently. Christians have a lifestyle of goodness, mercy and generosity.

when we desire to grow and learn to seek out our ZOE nature.

Take time this Easter Season to think about your ZOE name. Christ made it all so real! 

Take a second and look up Colossians 3:1-5

Let God speak to you through this verse in regards to life as God would have it! 

ZOE BAXTER