So I just started the book of John this morning and, as much as I feel a bit intimidated to do it justice since this passage at the beginning is so profound and important in all the Bible, I feel like sharing just a bit with you today, especially if you are unfamiliar with the Bible or Jesus and who He is or would like to learn some basic truths.
Just like the very first words of the Bible in the book of Genesis say, “In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth,” the book of John begins saying, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” The “Word,” or the Logos, is Jesus Christ Himself, the only begotten Son of God. He was not created, but John goes on to say, “All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made.” So we see that the earth and the heavens as stated in Genesis, created by God, were made through Jesus Christ. Thus, the Bible explicitly states that Christ *is* God and this is crucial to one’s faith in Him. Some state the Bible never makes this claim, but that is clearly not true. It is important to realize that Christ is God because we then can understand that only a holy God can save a sinful human being. It is His Justice we face in our lives. Apart from His mercy, we have no hope. He has shown us in the cross, that His mercy comes by sacrifice since the wages of sin is death. He took our place for our sake.
The next lines in verses 4 and 5 say, “In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overcome it.” For those who say, “why does God allow evil in the world if He is good?” It is the free will of man serving the will of Satan and evil that brings evil into the world. God Himself is light and no evil can overcome Him. When we are found in God as His child, no evil can overcome us either. No matter what trial befalls us, God has the last say and He is able to bring good from evil, if even in the final gift of eternal life. Romans 8:28 says, “For we know that God works all things out for the good of those who love Him and are called according to His purpose.” So how do we love Him? We put our faith in His Son, who gave His life for us.
Look at the warning and truth in verses 11-13: “He came to His own, and His own did not receive Him. But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name, who were born not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.” We are called not to deny Him as those who rejected Him in His earthly ministry, but to receive Him in faith. While we are innocent as infants and young children, once we are the age of accountability, we must answer to God for our freewill and conscience. We face judgment. We are not automatically “children of God” as some may assume. We can, however, become His child by receiving Christ in faith and being baptized by God with His Spirit. That is what it is to be born again by the Spirit of God. His Spirit then begins in us a work of sanctification to bear the fruits of Christ and be made into His image. In this way, we testify of Him and draw others to faith. In this way, we are prepared to receive the gift of eternal life with Him in heaven.
The next verse in John 1:14-17 says, “And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth… And of His fullness we have all received, and grace for grace. For the law was given through Moses, but grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.” Before Jesus, God did not reveal Himself in the flesh. He gave the Jews the law through Moses and this was the vehicle of salvation. As much as God was faithful to save the righteous through His covenant, the Bible says that all fall short of the glory of God and need His mercy to cover their sin. Only Christ came bearing the glory of the Father in the flesh so that in putting His holy flesh to death in place of our sinful flesh, He could grant us the life that is in Him and the light that that life brings. In Him, we bear His holy light and life to the world around us and testify of Him. In Him, we contain His eternal life by His grace granted upon grace of sanctification and faithful, abiding love and mercy. Furthermore, the law of Moses brought death, but Christ brought grace. While the law of Moses brought guidelines, Christ’s teachings revealed the truth of God’s heart and intentions in the law and prophets. What is the true heart of the law? What is the truth of salvation in Christ? What is the role of the Holy Spirit in our salvation? All these truths Jesus revealed in His teachings. We know we will find the heart of the truth of God in Him.
Some say “all roads lead to God,” or “I believe only in God the Father,” or “God is one, He has no Son” (ie. Muslims). But listen to what John says next in verse 18, “No one has seen God at any time. The only begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, He has declared Him.” No one has seen the Father, but God in the flesh, Jesus Christ, has declared Him to the world. In John 14:6, Jesus said of Himself, “I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life. No one comes to the Father except by Me.” All spiritual roads do NOT lead to the Father, and God indeed DOES have a Son. It is only by Him that we come to the Father. He is said to be the exact representation of the Father. He told His disciples that they have seen the Father already because the image of the Father is in Him.
While these truths are simple, they are very important to know and understand, especially for those who may not be familiar with what the Bible teaches us about Christ. If you don’t know Him yet, I encourage you to continue to learn of Him through the gospels. Starting in the book of John like we have today is a good way to get to know fundamentals of the faith. One thing is key: He is our hope and the only way to be reconciled to God by faith. He calls each one of us to repent and follow Him. Praise God for such a high calling that does not burden us but rather delivers us. Praise God for His Gift of sharing His Christ with us and granting us to share His eternal life in our flesh even as He became flesh and dwelt among us. God is Amazing!! Amen!