Today’s Bible Study, Authored by Arthur Cincotti. 12/22/2024
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Three Spheres of Life
“The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.” Jn. 10:10
This very familiar verse of Scripture may be interpreted many different ways and most likely has been. The simple truths that God has shown me in this passage are useful, I believe, in understanding the universe that He created, and our place in it. Prov. 4:7 says, “Therefore get wisdom.
And in all your getting, get understanding”
It is of vital importance for us to understand God’s order if we are to align and agree with Him. Science, in ages past, aimed to decipher God’s design that we may better understand God and better steward His creation. As believers we are called to steward our own lives, creation, and the lives of whom we may have priestly authority over. This great responsibility requires wisdom and understanding.
The above verse is the centerpiece of a lengthy parabolic type of discourse from 10:1-18, wherein Jesus describes Himself as “the good shepherd” verse. 11. He also describes Himself as “the door” in verse. 7, which suggests that He is using figurative language. We must always be careful to consider the deeper meaning when Jesus uses such language. Obviously, He is neither and actual door, nor a shepherd nor a loaf of bread. Jesus often uses agricultural metaphors for clarity since He was engaging an agricultural people. Today He may quote popular TV shows. We often strain to draw meaning from these agricultural metaphors.
The general commentary is that “the thief” refers to the Pharisees since they are His secondary audience. His sayings send them into “division” (verse 19) and deeper contention.
He makes a huge statement in verse 8, “All who ever came before Me are thieves and robbers…” I believe that it is appropriate to say that, in an overarching manner, “the thief” is Satan; perhaps not him personally but certainly those who are willingly under his sway. Jesus makes more glancing references in places like Jn. 14:30, “...for the ruler of this world is coming and he has nothing in Me.” Also, in Mt. 13:39, explaining a parable, He is very plain to say, “The enemy who sowed them is the devil…” Finally, I Jn. 5:19 says, “We know that we are of God, and the whole world lies under the sway of the wicked one.”
When Jesus says, “steal, kill, and destroy” I believe that it would be a mistake to assume He is using repetition for dramatic effect. These three activities have very different dynamics, and this is the main point of our study.
To steal has to do with our prosperity, or what the Bible sometimes calls, “increase.” What other primary function would a thief have in mind? Our financial well-being has great significance in God’s creative order. The late Larry Burkett, author, speaker and founder of Christian Financial Concepts, which later merged with Crown Ministries, has rightly said that the Bible speaks more on the subject of money and finances than any other subject. If the financial well-being of His children is important to God, it is safe to assume that financial chaos is consistent with Satan’s objectives. Consider the suffering it causes, whether self-inflicted or by happenstance.
To kill signifies ill health, since death is the ultimate form of ill health. Death was not a part of God’s original design, but since the fall it has stalked mankind with its predecessor sickness. Much of Jesus earthly ministry was to heal the sick. He demonstrated authority over sickness, disease and even death. As with financial order, Jesus has handed off, to the church, the ministry of healing by the power of the Holy Spirit. When Jesus sent out the twelve to minister, in Mt. 10:8, He said, “heal the sick, raise the dead…”
Finally, when the thief comes to destroy, I believe that this is speaking to destruction of relationships. In many instances, this is the most vexing weight of the fall. We can easily see how there is much in common with these three activities of Satan. They ping pong one another and wreak havoc in society and individual lives. His imperative is to tear down everything that God sanctioned and called “good” in Gen. 1 and 2. With regard to relationships, Satan’s prime target is our relationship with God in Christ. God’s antidote is reconciliation. II Cor. 5:18 says, “Now all things are of God, who has reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation.” The vehicle for this is forgiveness, which is huge in God’s economy, Lk. 11:4, “And forgive us our sins, For we also forgive everyone who is indebted to us.”
We see here evidence of the sway that Satan has over the three spheres of life in the natural. There are only three spheres of life; finances, health and relationships and they govern our attention and affairs during our time here in the dash (so to speak). These are time base vehicles and realities which have no authority over eternity but do impact our eternity.
To reaffirm this as a truth, let’s consider Job. In Job 1:12 God gives Satan latitude over Job’s life, to afflict him. Satan destroys his closest relationships; his children, and wipes out his prosperity, and is even given sway over his physical health up to the point of death. Job’s relationship with his wife and three close friends is also harshly affected as a consequence of his affliction. Held in the balance is Job’s relationship with God. Prior to his affliction, the LORD said to Satan of Job, “have you considered My servant Job, that there is none like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man, one who fears God and shuns evil?” Even his wife tempts him, in 2:9, “Do you still hold fast to your integrity? Curse God and die!” Eternity in the balance.
Where is the good news in the midst of this great unveiling? We all have afflictions and may be tempted to curse God and die.
Rom. 8:28 is the great leveler, “And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.” Following last week’s study we might be moved to say, “those who (choose to) love God.” In the same chapter Paul says, “For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.” Rm. 8:18. Peter adds, “Beloved, do not think it strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened to you; but rejoice to the extent that you partake of Christ’s sufferings, that when His glory is revealed, you may also be glad with exceeding joy.” I Pt. 4:12,13
Jesus has the last word in Jn. 10:10 when He says, “I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.” What does “abundant” life look like. Is this the prosperity gospel? Certainly abundant life has elements of the antithesis of that which the thief overshadows. And God wants us to be happy in this life. One of the definitions of blessed is happy; another is abundant. We saw last week that God has put before us blessing and curses, and told us to choose blessing. But what of Job? He had no choice in the matter of his affliction other than to curse God. It’s noteworthy to point out that it ends well for Job and he receives abundantly from God, but we can’t hold this precise level of transaction as a steadfast principle with God. Some very good people suffer greatly in this life and never see their ship come in, so to speak.
What then is a steadfast principle, because God is steadfast?
“your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ who is our life appears, the you also will appear with Him in glory.” Col. 3:3,4
The dash is not our life. If you are in Christ, then your real life, your true identity is safe and protected and Satan has no sway over it. There is, in essence, another sphere wherein our citizenship lies and in this we can rejoice with all the saints who have gone before.
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Encouragement for the Path of Christian Discipleship
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