Longevity of Life
Wade E Taylor

“There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus … For the law of the Spirit of Life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death.”  Romans 8:1-2

This “condemnation” is the judgment of death, which was given Adam for his transgression, which judgment has been handed down to each of us.  Jesus said that He came that we might have life, and have life more abundantly (John 10:10).  This speaks of the “law of the spirit of life,” which is longevity of life with divine health.  Those who receive this gift will stand out from all others in the quality and length of their life span.

Jesus fed the multitude with five loaves and two fishes, which were multiplied until all were filled.  But when they again became hungry and asked for more, Jesus told them that He had something better for them.  He said, “Except you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His blood, you have no life in you” (John 6:53b).  He also said, “Your fathers did eat manna, and are dead; he that eats of this bread shall live forever” (John 6:58b).  Jesus offered them a better meal, which would result in their not dying.  The condition being that they eat, not loaves and fishes, but rather, his very flesh and blood.

In Genesis Chapter 3, a “flaming sword” was placed before the Tree of Life, “lest Adam put forth his hand, and take also of the Tree of Life, and eat, and live forever” (Genesis 3:22).  Adam had to come daily and partake of the Tree of Life in order to continue living.  All that the Lord did in order to allow the penalty of death to set in, was to hinder Adam from partaking of the Tree of Life (communion).

This flaming sword again became a friend on the day of Pentecost.  It descended and sat upon the head of each of the one hundred twenty, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit.  The veil was rent in two and a way of access made.  Now, we can come boldly into His presence and partake.

When Jesus told the multitude that they were to eat His flesh and drink His blood, they murmured, and then left.  He could not explain this, because His ministry was not yet completed.  Then, the evening before His death on the cross, Jesus took bread.  He did not say, “this is a symbol or an emblem of My body.”  Rather, He said, “This is My body.”  He took the cup and said, “This is My blood.”  Jesus then said that He would not partake again, until we partake with Him in the kingdom.

The Word tells us that except we become as little children, we cannot enter the kingdom.  In believing faith, as being a child, we simply believe what Jesus said - that we are literally partaking of His body and blood, which in His ascension became “quickening, life giving spirit.”

“And so it is written, The first man Adam was made a living soul; the last Adam was made a quickening spirit.”  I Corinthians 15:45

Thus, when we partake of Communion, we are eating the very life of One who is able to impart life.  He, as a “root” out of dry ground, is the Tree of Life in mystical form, recognizable to those who have spiritual eyes and ears.  Communion then is the mystical form of the Tree of Life, hidden from the spiritually blind.

“He that has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches; To him that overcomes will I give to eat of the Tree of Life, which is in the midst of the paradise of God.”  Revelation 2:7

Jesus said that if we partake without understanding (unworthily), we are partaking of death.  We are simply receiving bread and the fruit of the vine, another good meal, and we are that much closer to death.  But if we partake, knowing what we are doing, we will no longer be weak, sickly, and dying prematurely.  Rather, we will have received quickening life giving spirit, and we will be living.

As often as we do this, we are “showing” the Lord's death - that is, we are demonstrating the value of it.  If we die the same as other people, we are not demonstrating anything.  When we partake of Life, we are receiving the life that Jesus came to offer – “Life, more abundantly.”

Paul tells us that we have been set free from the “law of sin and death.”  We are free from sin because, as we partake of the bread (His body) and identify ourselves with Jesus in His death, we are forgiven through the blood that Jesus shed on the cross.  Then, as we partake of the fruit of the vine (the blood of Jesus) and identify with Him in His resurrection as “quickening” spirit; we become free from death.

Therefore, we should no longer be dying, but living.  Just as Adam, we must come to the Tree of Life in order to live; or we will continue to die.  Therefore, if we understand that communion is the Tree of Life, and then in faith, partake of communion as being the Tree of Life, we will live, and not die.

This is an end-time revelation, as we live in the time of the redemption of the body.  The Lord is beginning to reveal the connection between communion and the Tree of Life to those He is calling to become “remaining” ones.

“Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.”  I Thessalonians 4:17

Jesus, on the 8th day, was taken into the temple to be dedicated.  Two people were there, Anna and Simeon.  Anna was old, but Simeon had a word that he would not see death until he saw the anointed of the Lord.  Anna was alive, but Simeon was remaining.  Thus, two classes of people were present.

These “remaining ones” are those who are believing to live beyond their normal span of life, because they have learned the principle of communion.  They are looking beyond liturgical religious forms into spiritual reality, and are partaking in faith, knowing that they are eating the flesh and drinking the blood of Jesus, who is the Tree of Life.

Communion can be taken as often as we desire.  The Word says, “For as often as you eat this bread, and drink this cup …” (I Corinthians 11:26).  When we realize that we are partaking of life and strength, we will want to do so quite often.

Then in that day, Jesus will say to us: “… Well done, good and faithful servant; you have been faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things: enter you into the joy of your lord” (Matthew 25:23).