The Hope of Abundant Life

Is the abundant life something Jesus meant for our physical lives here on earth? What does the gift of abundance mean, and how does it change the way we live?

I started writing this post before the events of July 13th at the Pennsylvania Trump rally. If I’m honest, I didn’t expect much of my content to be affected by that, but I can’t shake how I’m feeling about the state of our nation. More importantly, I’m overwhelmed by the state of our humanity.

As an aside, I did not get around to recording the podcast episode for this week—mostly because I ran out of time but also because Spotify Podcasts changed their recording tools and I didn’t have the extra time to learn that yet…

Here I am trying to share thoughts about the abundant life that Jesus offered us, and it feels anything but abundant right now. I guess that plays well with where my word study took me this week, so may God settle your heart and mind with these truths as He has mine today.

Where there is deep pain in our world, Christ offers the hope of the abundant life we don’t deserve but can freely receive.

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As I read the gospel of John over and over again, I am awestruck by his poetic writing. It draws me into the beauty and overwhelming nature of God presented through the life of Jesus. Sometimes I find myself breathing a sigh of relief when reading things like “My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me.” (John 10:27).

Writing about doubt last week was an unplanned part of these word studies through the book of John, but it fit well. So this week, I combined two words that Jesus spoke in tandem in John 10:10 that help us grasp what Jesus’ purpose was in coming to earth to be with us.

The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I came so that they would have life (G2222), and have it abundantly.
John 10:10 NASB

You may hear Christians teach about the “abundant life” and if you aren’t familiar with that Christianese, it might confuse you. How can we have more life?

When I’ve heard sermons preached on this topic, it’s almost always taught that Jesus’ way of life offers us a better way of life here on earth. While I don’t disagree with that sentiment, I don’t think that’s what Jesus meant when He spoke to His followers in this passage. In all honesty, that line of thinking leads to a false gospel: the prosperity gospel.

The Word: Life
G2222 | zōē

This word is translated to English as “life” 133 times in the KJV and translated one time as “lifetime”.¹ It’s not the only word translated as “life” though, but we’ll get to that.

• literal or figurative—life

• the opposite of death or non-existence (quite literal)

• of the afterlife—glory in the kingdom of God

• the physical functioning of life—”the life of the being”²

The very next verse, John 10:11, captured my attention immediately. Jesus used a different word for “life”.

“I am the good shepherd; the good shepherd lays down His life (G5590) for the sheep.”
John 10:11 NASB

G5590 | psuchē

This word differs from zōē substantially, specifically in the sense that it is translated to a few different English words in different contexts. It is translated as “life” 40 times and “soul” 58 times, as well as “mind” and “heartily” in other verses.³

• not only natural life, but specifically life beyond the grave

• breath of life naturally and “seat of personality”

• the soul (differing from spirit or physical life)

• understanding; ability to put facts together, knowledge

“Speaking generally, psuchē is the individual life, the living being, whereas zōē is the life of that being.”⁴

As always with these word studies, it’s important to remember that a word only finds meaning within its context. There are 3 different ways to understand “life” as described throughout Scripture.

1. Physical life as in a living being (akin to G222) that is true for all mankind, animals, and plants.

2. There is life as in the soul, heart, emotions that is true for mankind and animals (akin to G5590).

3. Finally, there is the spirit (pneuma, G4151) that is within mankind alone—principles, righteousness, ability to honor God through explicit actions and belief.

O bless our God, ye people, and make the voice of his praise to be heard:
Which holdeth our soul (psuchē) in life (zōē), and suffereth not our feet to be moved.
Psalm 66:8-9 KJV

This verse is an example where translations can lose some of the richer meaning of the original meaning. The NASB commentary in this verse explains that literally, it says “who puts our soul in life” in verse 9, but the KJV keeps it closest to that literal explanation, using these two words for life: soul and physical life.

So what did Jesus mean when He said He came that we may have “life and have it abundantly”?

It seems He was referring specifically to our physical life as in “the life of that being”. The claim would be that our life here on earth can be “abundant” and that’s where most people conclude that Jesus’ salvation gives us a better life on earth when we walk with Him. But wait, I think there’s more… pun intended.

The Word: Abundantly
G4053 | perissos

This word is only used 10 times in the KJV, and it’s translated to different words in almost every usage, except for “more” twice.⁵

• superior

• superabundance

• excessive

• more

• beyond measure

• an advantage (something beyond what we’ve known or had before)

• over and above

In my non-scholarly opinion, it seems like Jesus was discussing life beyond this life in John 10:10. The eternal life discussed in many other places in Scripture is more life than what we know here, beyond what we’ve known or had before.

In John 10:11, He expressed how much he sacrificed for our sake—His entire soul, His whole self (psuchē) so that we could experience a life in excess of this life we have on earth.

When we consider how we are to respond to this offer, Jesus reminds His disciples of the commandment to “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul (psuchē), and with all your mind.’” (Matthew 22:36-27) which emphasizes the idea of the “whole self” beyond just your living breath.

We are to love God with everything we think, do, believe, and say, as Jesus did. It’s about more than our physical actions and lifestyle choices; we are called to a holistic faith that offers our bodies as living sacrifices.⁶

What now, on earth?

When I consider the state of our world, our nation, and our humanity, I wonder how this abundant life after this life on earth can affect our daily lives here and now. If the abundant life Jesus taught was more about after death, then what do we do now for a better life here on earth as it is in Heaven?

Many prosperity gospel preachers will try to convince you that Jesus promises a life of abundance/surplus on earth when we put our trust in Him. But that is in direct opposition with Jesus’ specific words from John 16:33.

These things I have spoken to you so that in Me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world.

The very thing about the abundant life that affects our current life on earth is hope. When I look around and see death, destruction, violence, and trauma, I recognize a lack of hope in the abundant life that is to come. We may not experience relief from pain now, but Jesus came so we could have physical evidence of what is promised for us when we are with God forever in eternity.

The hope of the abundant life allows us to carry on with joy and peace in everything we face here on earth.

So that is my prayer this week as we weigh the state of our nation and see the aftermath of what took place on July 13th.

May the hope of the abundant life press deeply into the souls of those who know Jesus so we can represent the light of God to those who don’t know Jesus and offer a better way forward.

Now to Him who is able to do far more abundantly beyond all that we ask or think, according to the power that works within us, to Him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations forever and ever. Amen.
Ephesians 3:20 NASB

ICYMI

Can my doubt and questions be holy?

Keep My Commands

This is the Way

1. Strong’s G2222

2. Vine’s Expository Dictionary of New Testament Words

3. Strong’s G5590

4. Hebrew Greek Keyword Study Bible; Strong’s Dictionary for G5590

5. Strong’s G4053

6. Paul describes this concept in Romans 12:1. Therefore I urge you, brothers and sisters, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship.