Today, I want to do a word study on ‘life’. I was reading Luke 9:23-27 and was particularly drawn to verse 24.
“ For those who want to save their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake will save it” (Luke 9:24).
I was drawn to this verse in particular and was even more intrigued by the word ‘life’. When we think of life, some things may come to mind, such as the trees, animals, humans,etc. Some may even take a philosophical approach and define it not merely by biological processes, but by the nature of existence, consciousness, and meaning.
In this particular context though, life can be described as the ‘breath of life’, that in which there is life, or the soul.
The breath of life is the vital force which animates the body and shows itself in breathing.
That in which there is life can mean a living being or living soul.
I want to sit with the definition of soul more.
The soul could first describe the set of the feelings, desires, affections, aversions we have.
It could also be described this way: The human soul insofar as it is constituted that by the right use of the aids offered it by God it can attain its highest end and secure eternal blessedness, the soul regarded as a moral being designed for everlasting life.
The last definition is the soul is an essence which differs from the body and is not dissolved by death.
All these definitions are really intriguing and I want to explore these more as I continue on this journey.
So the question I want to leave you with today is what does it look like to lose your life for Christ?