Tree of Life
Immortality
The Bible tells us that God is the only one who has immortality. He is eternal; He does not depend on anyone for His existence.
16. Who only hath immortality, dwelling in the light which no man can approach unto; whom no man hath seen, nor can see: to whom be honour and power everlasting. Amen.
When God created the universe, the angels, and man, He designed for them to live forever. He gives to them the gift of eternal life.
For this purpose, God created a special tree for man--the tree of life.
9. And out of the ground made the LORD God to grow every tree that is pleasant to the sight, and good for food; the tree of life also in the midst of the garden, and the tree of knowledge of good and evil.
This verse teaches us an important truth about eternal life. This life is not inherent in man; it is derived and borrowed. Man receives immortality from God.
Not only did Adam receive eternal life at the beginning of his existence, but every moment he was dependent on God for the reception of that life. The way God arranged for man to receive his daily dose of immortality was through the tree of life:
In order for man to possess an endless life he must continue to eat of the fruit of the tree of life. Deprived of that tree, his life would gradually wear out. (1SP 69.1)
The tree of life had the purpose of perpetuating eternal life. Even in his perfect sinless estate, Adam had to eat in order to possess immortality. We generally think eternal life is a one-time gift, something Adam became possessor of when he was created. But it was not so. Adam had to receive it daily, by eating from the tree of life.
22. And the LORD God said, Behold, the man is become as one of us, to know good and evil: and now, lest he put forth his hand, and take also of the tree of life, and eat, and live for ever:
When God's children will be clothed with immortality at the Second Coming, they will have to eat from the same tree to perpetuate their eternal existence:
2. In the midst of the street of it, and on either side of the river, was there the tree of life, which bare twelve manner of fruits, and yielded her fruit every month: and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations.
Physical life vs Eternal life
There are two kinds of life: physical life and eternal life (immortality). Man can be physically alive, be able to walk, eat, and sleep, and yet lack eternal life. In Bible language, he is spiritually dead.
- And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins;
40. And ye will not come to me, that ye might have life.
In the meantime
While we are on this earth, how can we have access to eternal life? We cannot eat of the tree of life anymore. Has God provided some other way for man to receive this life?
There is no doubt that God wants to give us eternal life. He sent Jesus Christ, to give us that life:
16. For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
Through Jesus Christ, God has provided a way for us to receive eternal life:
51. I am the living bread which came down from heaven: if any man eat of this bread, he shall live for ever: and the bread that I will give is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world.
52. The Jews therefore strove among themselves, saying, How can this man give us his flesh to eat?
53. Then Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink his blood, ye have no life in you.
The image of the bread is very appropriate. We need to eat daily of the bread of life, just like Adam had to eat daily of the fruit of the tree of life. Otherwise, the spiritual life that we receive at one specific moment will gradually wear out. There must be a continual communion.
God is the fountain of life, and we can have life only as we are in communion with Him. Separated from God, existence may be ours for a little time, but we do not possess life. (MB 61.2)
The same idea is conveyed by the image of the vine and the branches. There must be a continual abiding, so that the life of the vine can be transferred to all the branches and leaves:
4. Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me.
As long as we are in communion with Christ, we are possessors of eternal life. Notice how Jesus uses the present tense:
54. Whoso eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day.
The example of Jesus
55. For my flesh is meat indeed, and my blood is drink indeed.
56. He that eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, dwelleth in me, and I in him.
57. As the living Father hath sent me, and I live by the Father: so he that eateth me, even he shall live by me.
Jesus told His disciples that He lived by the Father. Daily, He was being fed by communion with His Father in Heaven. In the same way, we are to be fed daily by communion with Christ.
But how exactly did Christ receive this life from God? How are we to live by Him? Christ gives us the answer in verse 63:
63. It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life.
We receive life through the word of God.
The Word is the Tree of Life
The Word of God is our sanctification and righteousness, because it is spiritual food. To study it is to eat the leaves of the tree of life. Nothing is more uplifting to God's servants than to teach the Scriptures just as Christ taught them. The Word of God contains divine nourishment, which satisfies the appetite for spiritual food. (Ev 138.4)
We need to understand these words of Christ, “The flesh profiteth nothing. The words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life”—the Holy Word accepted and brought into the practical life. Spiritual life consists in Christ's being the light and life of the soul temple, as the blood is the life of the body. All who study the word are represented as eating the word, feeding on Christ.... Even as the bodily necessities must be supplied daily, so the word of God must be daily studied—eaten, and digested, and practiced. This sustains the nourishment, to keep the soul in health. The neglect of the word means starvation to the soul. The word describes the blessed man as one meditating day and night upon the truths of God's word. We all are to feast upon the word of God. The relation of the word to the believer is a vital matter. Appropriating the word to our spiritual necessities is the eating of the leaves of the tree of life that are for the healing of the nations. Study the word, and practice the word, for it is your life. (Lt 4, 1902)
Transformation by the Word
When we have the word of God in our hearts, we have the life of God. It is the power that transforms us and cleanses us from sin. We are brought to a new life by the power of the word:
23. Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever.
The creative energy that called the worlds into existence is in the word of God. This word imparts power; it begets life. Every command is a promise; accepted by the will, received into the soul, it brings with it the life of the Infinite One. It transforms the nature and re-creates the soul in the image of God. The life thus imparted is in like manner sustained. “By every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God” (Matthew 4:4) shall man live. (Ed 126)
The Scriptures are the great agency in the transformation of character. Christ prayed, “Sanctify them through Thy truth; Thy word is truth.” John 17:17. If studied and obeyed, the word of God works in the heart, subduing every unholy attribute. (COL 100.1)
For further study
How does God dwell in us through the Word? What are the implications of this doctrine on our understanding of the presence of God and corporate worship? Read the note on Indwelling of Christ and the Holy Spirit.
Did Jesus receive eternal life from the Father? Read the following note: Why angels could not save man.