I do not look for the meaning of a word in scripture, save on scripture subjects. Yet in this case it does afford proof. Spontaneous movement is commonly taken as the characteristic of life: some spores seem to have it where there is not animal life, but that is all. But it is said, "In him we live and move and have our being:" the moving is the consequent of life. God works in us to will and to do, but we are already alive. But that spontaneity is the expression of life is the common doctrine of all thinkers, unless rank materialists, as distinguishing animal existence from all below it—is identical with life, the expression of it. But in divine things there is no question at all: "God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son": "he that hath not the Son of God hath not life." Because He lives we shall live also: "this life is in his Son."
You talk of the power of spontaneity. These words have no sense to my mind unless they mean the source of it. But what I insist on is that there is something, called life in scripture, given; not an operation on what is there, but a gift of something that was not there. So that I say, "not I but Christ liveth in me," not a mere disposition of 'I.' What I fear is that you lose this. What you do is to separate what is carefully put together, and you connect what is carefully separated. Nobody thinks there are two souls; but it says, "in me, that is in my flesh:" "it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me:" "Nevertheless I live, yet not I, but Christ liveth in me:" "If Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin." It is not merely a condition of the soul, but power that is there by the personal indwelling of the Spirit of God, "the Spirit of Life in Christ Jesus." It acts in the soul, but it is in virtue of it that even the body will be raised. If there were not more than a condition of the soul, how could it be said, "because I live ye shall live also"? When Christ breathed on His disciples, and said, "Receive ye the Holy Ghost," was it only a condition of soul? It was not the Holy Ghost sent down from heaven; but the second Adam is a life-giving Spirit.
Your affectionate brother in Christ.
September 9th, 1879.