How to Partake of the Tree of Life
We have all read about the flaming sword in the hand of the Cherubim’s placed in the Garden of Eden to keep the way of the Tree of Life. (Genesis 3:22-24)
There are very few who have considered the fact that the sword must be passed before we can have the right to the Tree of Life again. Beyond the shadow of a doubt, we know that we have life through Jesus Christ. This being true, He must have evidently come up against that flaming sword in his endeavor to make it possible that we might life and have life more abundantly. (John 10:10)
Jesus said in John 14:6, “…. I am the way, the truth, and the life.” He was saying, I am the way to the Father’s House. I go to prepare a place for you. (John 14:2) That way was through the flaming sword that guarded the Tree of Life.
On the cross of Calvary, Jesus shed His blood and gave His life that we might have access to the Tree of Life restored once again. (Romans 5:6,12) The Scripture said in Romans 6:23, “…. the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.”
Jesus made the way. He is the way maker. Through the Gospel, He gives us eternal life and access again to the Tree of Life. (2 Timothy 1:10)
The tendency of many churches today is to let others do the thinking for you. Many just accept what the ministers and elders say as the “Gospel Truth” whether that’s what the Bible says or not.
God reveals His will in such a way that all of us can understand it. (1 John 5:20) We must make our own investigation of the Word of God. The faith that you have, have it as your own conviction before God. Romans 14:22 says, “Hast thou faith? Have it to thyself before God….”
The Holy Spirit is making known to us the mysteries concerning Jesus Christ which was kept secret since the world began. (Colossians 1:28) Remember, the scripture cannot mean what they never meant. If allowed, the scripture will interpret themselves.
When we examine what the Bible says about the third heaven, you can readily see that it came into existence in AD 70 at the return of Jesus and that was when access to the Tree of Life was again restored. We already scripturally proved this in The Tree of Life study.
This described the marriage relationship of the New Jerusalem with Jesus in the New Eternal Heaven and Earth which was the third heaven and earth of 2 Peter 3:13. The New Covenant Kingdom of Jesus Christ was consummated when Jesus returned in AD 70 when He married the church, the Bride, the Lamb’s wife. (Revelation 21:9-10) The church, which is the New Jerusalem, has been here ever since. Today, outside the New Jerusalem, we find the prevalence of sin as described in Revelation 22:14-15.
In Revelation 22:17, there is extended the eternal invitation to whomsoever will, to come, to believe, and to obey the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
Access to the Tree of Life, eternal life, has been restored. Jesus is the Tree of Life. How do we actually partake of the Tree of Life? Let’s read what Jesus said in John 6:48, 50, 51, 53, 54, 56, 57, 58). The word “eateth” used here means he that continues to eat. It is in the process of eating that we grow. (2 Peter 3:18)
All of these scriptures show that by eating the Word of God, spiritual life is maintained. Jesus said in Matthew 4:4, “…man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.”
There is a parallel between physical life and spiritual life. Our physical life requires food and water to grow, for strength, and to be sustained. Likewise, our spiritual life requires the same, only spiritual food and spiritual water.
In John 1:1, 14, the scripture said that the Word was made flesh. Jesus said in John 6:53, Except you eat His flesh, you have no life in you, but if you do eat His flesh, you have eternal life.
When we worship God in spirit and in truth, when we read, study, and meditate on the Word of God, when we pray, we are partaking of the Tree of Life. This is what keeps us alive. This is what strengthens our spiritual life. This is what maintains our spiritual life.
The question often arises, when does spiritual life begin? Spiritual life begins when you are born again.
That’s when you become spiritually alive. Becoming a member of a church, signing a card, shaking a preacher’s hand, or accepting Christ as your personal savior DOES NOT mean you are born again.
It is through obedience to the Gospel of Jesus Christ; His death, burial, and resurrection which is repentance, water baptism in the Name of Jesus Christ, and the infilling of the baptism of the Holy Spirit.
This is when spiritual life begins. This is when you are born again. This is how you obey the Gospel. Remember, it is the input of teaching that will determine how you live your life and whether or not you have eternal life.
The Bible begins with Paradise and how it was lost and concludes with how paradise was restored through the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Paradise is having eternal life in the presence of God. (Genesis 2:9, 16-17, 3:22, 24, John 6:54, 1 John 5:11, 13)
The Tree of Life is here today and accessible to all those who are born again. (John 3:3, 5-8) Remember, the input of something determines the output of something. We have been living in the third heaven and earth since AD 70.
The Bible began with paradise lost and since the Lord Jesus Christ came, gave His life, and shed His blood, paradise has been restored. (Revelation 2:7)
Paul said in 2 Corinthians 12:1-4 that he was caught up into the future, into the third heaven, into paradise where the Tree of Life was. The Apostle John in describing the New Jerusalem said that the Tree of Life was there, yielding twelve manner of fruit, referring to the Apostles’ doctrine, and the leaves were for the healing of the nations, the healing from sin.
The Gospel of Jesus Christ is the only remedy for sin. (Revelation 22:14-15, 17) We must remember, heaven is not a geographical location, but a spiritual realm and dimension.
In that realm or dimension, there is no sun or moon. (Revelation 21:23) The Kingdom of God is spiritual. Flesh and blood cannot enter. (1 Corinthians 15:46-47, 50).
It is at physical death that a born-again Christian goes into that realm.
It is only while we are physically alive now that we must eat of the Tree of Life to sustain, maintain, and grow spiritually. When we cross over into that next realm after physical death, we will not need to eat or drink of the Tree of Life because we won’t need to eat or drink anything in our new body.
Our earthly journey is over and there is no more need for spiritual nutrition because we are now in our new spiritual immortal bodies. (2 Corinthians 5:1-2)
In Luke 23:39-43, Jesus told the thief that day that he would be with Him in paradise. It was on Resurrection Day, the last day of the last days that the thief was resurrected into life in the heavenly realm never to die again. This happened in AD 70. (John 5:28-29, 6:39, 40, 44, 11:24)
Paradise was restored, eternal life in the presence of God for evermore.
Spiritual life is dependent on being connected to the Tree of Life which is Jesus Christ. In John 15:4-6, Jesus said, “I am the vine, ye are the branches…..ye can do nothing without me.” (Romans 11:16)
Partaking of the Tree of Life is being actively involved with maintaining your life in Christ. Psalms 34:8 and Psalms 119:103 are just a few of the prophetic statements that find fulfillment in the New Covenant.
Working and serving in the Kingdom of God brings strength to your spiritual life. (John 6:27, 55; 1 Corinthians 10:3-4)
Many times, in the scripture we find physical words denoting spiritual realities. Examples of these words are hunger, thirst, drink, eat, etc.... (John 4:14, 1 Corinthians 10:4, 12:13)
Conclusion
Through obedience to the Gospel of Jesus Christ, access to the Tree of Life has been restored. (1 Timothy 1:10) Jesus is the Tree of Life which is in the paradise of God which is the third heaven.
Paul spoke of this third heaven being in his near future of his day. We are in that third heaven today. Therefore, we have access to the Tree of Life.
In 2 Peter 3:13, the Apostle Peter spoke of the third eternal heaven and earth which came when Jesus returned the second time in AD 70 and consummated the everlasting covenant in the eternal kingdom of Jesus Christ.
Remember, the Bible is a spiritual book given by inspiration of the Holy Ghost. Without being born again, you cannot see or understand its clarity of the story of redemption. (John 3:3, 1 Corinthians 2:14)