The Lord Jesus led me to read
John 1 (Select vv. NASB).
Jesus Christ, the Son of God
(and God) is the Word of which this passage speaks. This fact will become clear
as we near the end of this scripture.
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with
God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things came
into being through Him, and apart from Him nothing came into being that has
come into being. In Him was life, and the life was the Light of men. The Light
shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it.
The Son of God, Jesus Christ,
was with God in the beginning, and he was and is God, the second person of our
triune God - Father, Son and Holy Spirit. He always existed with God, and all
things which were created were made by him, i.e. He is our Creator God, and not
just our Savior.
Jesus Christ is the Word of
God, thus he speaks the very words of God. Our written Word, the Bible, was
authored by him, by God, who breathed his words into godly men who then penned
the books of the Bible.
Jesus Christ is life, he is
the author of life, he gives the breath of life to all living beings, and he
gives eternal and abundant life to all who believe in him as Lord and as Savior
of their lives.
Jesus Christ is also the
Light of men, i.e. he is the way, the truth, and the life. He is righteousness
and holiness. Jesus, the true Light, shines in the darkness (wickedness). He
lets his truth known. But, the lost world has not taken hold of that truth,
i.e. they have not accepted and received the truth which has been revealed. In
fact, many people who claim to be Christians have also not eagerly seized and
applied the truth (the Light) to their lives.
There was the true Light which, coming into the world,
enlightens every man. He was in the world, and the world was made through Him,
and the world did not know Him. He came to His own, and those who were His own
did not receive Him. But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to
become children of God, even 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.
Jesus Christ, the Son of God,
because of the sin of humankind, came to earth, took on human flesh, ministered
to the needs of the people, and preached repentance for forgiveness of sins,
and for eternal life with God. Yet, the people of the world did not recognize
him as the Son of God, and neither did most of the Jews, who were then the
children of God.
Even many of his own family
members, and the people of his hometown, did not receive (accept, take hold of)
him as their Messiah and Lord. They also did not take hold of him and his truth
as the fulfillment of prophecy of scripture, and as coming from God the Father.
In addition to this, Jesus said that if we follow him, we should expect to be
treated the same as he was. We will also have our testimonies rejected and not
believed by many.
But, to any who receive him
and his truth into their lives, by faith, taking hold of it, and making it their
own, by applying it to their lives, actively believing on him, they will become
the children of God, born of the Spirit of God.
And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we
saw His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and
truth. John testified about Him and cried out, saying, “This was He of whom I
said, ‘He who comes after me has a higher rank than I, for He existed before
me.’” For of His fullness we have all received, and grace upon grace. For the
Law was given through Moses; grace and truth were realized through Jesus
Christ. No one has seen God at any time; the only begotten God who is in the
bosom of the Father, He has explained Him.
Yet, not everyone rejected
Jesus Christ as their Messiah and Lord. He had followers, although they were
few in number in contrast to the majority who rejected him. Those who were his
true followers saw Jesus for who he was and is. They saw his holiness, his
righteousness, and his divine qualities and nature, although they didn’t
completely understand him when he walked this earth. But, their understanding
became more complete after Jesus died and was resurrected from the dead, and
after he reappeared to them.
Now speaking of John the Baptist…
The next day he saw Jesus coming to him and said,
“Behold, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world! This is He on
behalf of whom I said, ‘After me comes a Man who has a higher rank than I, for
He existed before me.’ I did not recognize Him, but so that He might be
manifested to Israel, I came baptizing in water.” John testified saying, “I
have seen the Spirit descending as a dove out of heaven, and He remained upon
Him. I did not recognize Him, but He who sent me to baptize in water said to
me, ‘He upon whom you see the Spirit descending and remaining upon Him, this is
the One who baptizes in the Holy Spirit.’ I myself have seen, and have
testified that this is the Son of God.”
John the Baptist, not the
apostle John, was called of God to testify to Jesus Christ and to prepare the
way for him, to make a straight (upright, pure) path for him, for the people to
receive him. So, he preached repentance for the forgiveness of sins, and he
baptized with a baptism of repentance.
Here John declared that Jesus
Christ was the Lamb of God who came to take away the sins of the world. He also
declared him to be the Son of God, who existed before him. John also came to
make Jesus Christ known to the Jews as their Messiah and Lord, and also as the
one who baptizes with the Holy Spirit. So, what does that mean, to be baptized
with the Holy Spirit?
Well, Jesus Christ came to
the earth, not just to do what he did during his earthly ministry, but to die
on a cross, to become sin for us on that cross, and to take our punishment for
sin so that we could go free. He died on that cross, nonetheless, not just to
take our punishment for sin, but so we could die to sin and live to
righteousness. This is the essence of the gospel message. And, this is what our
water baptism represents (symbolizes).
Yet, this baptism with the
Spirit is not with water. John had made that distinction between his baptism
with water and that of Christ Jesus, which is baptism with the Spirit and with
fire. Thus, it is spiritual, i.e. it is our new birth in Christ Jesus, of the
Spirit, via dying with Christ to sin and being resurrected with Christ to
newness of life, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness
(See: Rom. 6:1-23; Eph. 4:17-24).
When this takes place in our
lives, the Spirit of God comes to live within us, to strengthen, to teach, to
counsel, to guide and to empower us to live godly and holy lives, pleasing to
God. Thus begins the process of the Spirit conforming us to the likeness of
Christ, as we yield our lives over to God for him to work his will and his
purposes in our lives. All glory to God!
To Be Like Him
/ An Original Work
March 16, 2014 / Based off
Scripture
Crucified you are with Jesus.
To be like Him, oh, you’ll
be,
Because He died at Calv’ry,
So from sin you’d be free.
Oh, what joy He brings into
your life,
Giving life with Him
endlessly.
Oh, what plans He has for
your life.
Share the gospel faithfully.
Show the people He loves
them.
Now His witness you’ll be.
Tell the world of sin about
Jesus,
How He died for them on a
tree.
Purifying hearts, He saves
them,
Who believe on Christ, God’s
Son.
Turning now from their idols,
New lives they have begun.
Jesus saves from sin; we’re
forgiven.
Over sin, the vict’ry He won!
When He comes again to take
us
To be with Him evermore,
There will be no more crying.
Gladness will be in store.
Heavens joys will now
overtake us:
We’ll be with our Lord
evermore.
Friday, December 1, 2017,
6:18 a.m. – Thank you, Jesus, for these words from John, chapter 1, and for how
you have spoken to my heart through them. And, thank you for the encouragement
they give to us to follow you in truth.
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