"Life, Original, Unborrowed, Underived" - Putting the Pieces Together

Content 3. Life, original, unborrowed, underived

“Putting The Pieces Together” article.

“Jesus declared, “I am the resurrection, and the life.” In Christ is life, original, unborrowed, underived. “He that hath the Son hath life.” The divinity of Christ is the believer’s assurance of eternal life.–The Desire of Ages, p. 530 (1898)” {Evangelism, p. 616}

Christ was GIVEN (by divine inheritance) the original, unborrowed, underived life of His Father. This is plainly what He said in John 5:26. This statement is much misunderstood today. Once again, let us allow the Testimonies to be the interpreting key. Reading the statement in its full context will clarify the confusion.

““In him was life; and the life was the light of men” (John 1:4). It is not physical life that is here specified, but immortality, the life which is exclusively the property of God. The Word, who was with God, and who was God, had this life. Physical life is something which each individual receives. It is not eternal or immortal; for God, the Life-giver, takes it again. Man has no control over his life. But the life of Christ was unborrowed. No one can take this life from Him. “I lay it down of myself” (John 10: 18),He said. In Him was life, original, unborrowed, underived. This life is not inherent in man. He can possess it only through Christ. He cannot earn it; it is given him as a free gift if he will believe in Christ as His personal Saviour. “This is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent” (John 17:3). This is the open fountain of life for the world.” {E. G. White, The Signs of the Times, April 8, 1897} (Quoted in Selected Messages Book 1, pp. 296, 297}

From the context we plainly learn that original, unborrowed, underived life can be GIVEN. It will begiven (by bestowal) as a free gift to all those who believe. This is in harmony with the words of Christ when He said that God the Father gave Him that life (original, unborrowed, underived life):

“For as the Father hath life in himself; so hath he given to the Son to have life in himself” John 5:26

This life was given to Christ by virtue of His divine birth and inheritance (being begotten with that life). We know that Christ is here talking about eternal life (original, unborrowed, underived life). To ascertain this fact all we need to do is ask ourselves the question: What kind of life does the Father have in Himself? It certainly cannot be mortal life. It can only be immortal life (1 Timothy 1:17) which is described as original, unborrowed, underived.

This is the Son’s life by right of inheritance. He inherited that life of his Father by birth (for He is the only-begotten Son). Therefore, Christ is the only one who has this life as the Father. It is His Father’s life and Christ inherited it by virtue of being brought forth from Him.

Christ received ALL things (by birth) from the Father. Does that include life as well? Is it true that it isthe Father’s life which flows through His only begotten Son?

“All things Christ received from God, but He took to give. So in the heavenly courts, in His ministry for all created beings: through the beloved Son, the Father’s life flows out to all; through the Son it returns, in praise and joyous service, a tide of love, to the great Source of all.” {E. G. White, The Desire of Ages, p. 21}

The Messenger of God says plainly: The Father’s life flows through the Son. The Father is “the great Source of all”. He is the source of life. He is the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. It is His life that we can receive through Christ. Christ has this very same life by right of inheritance. This life was GIVEN to Him by His Father! Two last quotes to illustrate this truth:

““I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life,” Christ declares; “no one cometh unto the Father, but by me.” Christ is invested with power to give life to all creatures.” {E. G. White, Review and Herald, April 5, 1906 par. 12}

“As thou hast given him power over all flesh, that he should give eternal life to as many as thou hast given him.” John 17:2

Book – Putting the Pieces Together

(1) “the heavenly Trio”
(2) “there never was a time”
(3) “life, original, unborrowed, underived”
(4) “eternal heavenly dignitaries”
(5) “as much a person”
(6) “Holy Spirit is a person”
(7) “third person of the Godhead”
(8) “three highest powers”
(9) “gave themselves”
(10) “three holiest beings”