John 1:1-18: Jesus is not just a man

PDF Document of my tracing of John 1:1-18

According to John 20:31, the reason John wrote this book is “so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.”  Keep this in mind as we examine John 1:1-18.  This passage may be broken up into two sections: verses 1-5 and verses 6-18.

Verses 1-5 – Jesus is the Word, Life, and Light.

John begins his presentation of Christ by going back to a time before time even existed as we know it.  John says that “In the beginning was the Word…”  Notice the past tense verb used in conjunction with the phrase “In the beginning was…”  Before the world was created, the Word existed.  In fact we see that the Word was the one who actually created everything.  The Word created everything that was created, therefore we may safely conclude that nothing created the Word.  The Word existed with God in fact the Word is God.  John is here setting the stage for his presentation of Jesus as the Son of God and presenting the claims for His deity.

John says that the Word contains Life.  The Life spoken of here is not normal everyday life, but spiritual life.  There is a difference between physical life and spiritual life.  Physical life is having breath in our lungs and a beating heart.  Spiritual life means being free from the condemnation of sin.  You see, sin brought death and death came to all.  All who sin are under the judgment of God and deserve the just punishment for sin.  The Word however is free from sin, free from the judgment of God and therefore does not deserve to die.  (This is an important aspect that makes the gospel clearer!)

The good news is that the Word has Life, but the better news is that the Word shares this life.  ”The life was the light of men…”  This life is meant to be given to us because of our current state of condemnation.  But take heart lest you feel that you are too far gone to receive this life, the life is a light that shines upon us and the darkness is powerless to stop it.  No matter how evil or far gone you feel you are, the life of the Word is able to come upon you.

As we shall soon see, the Word, Life, and Light are all Jesus of Nazareth, the Christ, the Son of God!

Verses 6-18 - John’s testimony and the Revelation of the Word/Life/Light

A man named John (not the author of this book) came as a witness to the Light to be revealed.  He was not the Light but came to tell everyone that the Light was coming and to prepare themselves for that day by believing that this was from God.

This Light came into the world, the world He created, yet the world rejected Him.  The very people He created refused to believe who He was, but some did believe and they were given the right to become children of God.  It is important to see that one becomes a child of God not through heritage, or hard work, but through the grace of God.

The Word, the Life, and the Light are revealed as Jesus of Nazareth!  The Word became flesh, which means that the preexisting Word of God (the agent of creation) became born in a human body.  This magnificent, all-powerful God, came down from heaven and lived here among us!  Unbelievable!  What a thought!  He came to us to break the curse started in the Garden of Eden and to redeem mankind from our rebellion.  John saw His glory!  John saw Him as the special/unique Son of God, who is God.  Jesus is greater than the most godly man anyone at the time could imagine, John the Baptist.  For John himself said Jesus far outranks him.

Jesus, the Word, came not to bring law but to bring grace.  Jesus did not come to condemn because we are already condemned.  Jesus came to bring us the grace of God, which is life.  Jesus perfectly reveals God to us because He Himself is God.

Jesus is the Son of God and He is the Christ promised and my prayer is that you believe and by believing you may have life in his name.

The Lord as seen in the book of Hosea

The faithfulness of the Lord to His covenant, symbolized and demonstrated, by means of discipline with the promise of redemption; written to instruct us about how the Lord deals with His people: namely, His justice in punishing sin and mercy in forgiving sin.

The Faithfulness of the Lord to His covenant

The very fact that Hosea has been sent to the children of Israel proves the faithfulness of the Lord to His covenant. Every prophet who ever uttered a prophesy, every statute written in the Law proves this.

Symbolized and demonstrated in Hosea by means of disciple with the promise of redemption

4 Commands given to symbolize and demonstrate the Indictment the Lord has against the Children of Israel: (this is His discipline)

1. Command: Marry a woman who will be unfaithful to you. (1:2)
   Reason: Israel is unfaithful to the Covenant.
2. Command: Call your son Jezreel (1:4)
   Reason: I will avenge the blood of Jezreel by the house of Jehu
3. Command: Call your daughter No Mercy (1:6)
   Reason: I will no longer have mercy on the house of Israel.
4. Command: Call your other son Not My People (1:9)
   Reason: You are not my people and I am not your God.

   Yet, in spite of their unfaithfulness, the Lord promises redemption: He remembers His promise to Abraham:
   1:10 Yet the number of the children of Israel shall be like the sand of the sea, which cannot be measured or numbered. And in the place where it was said to them, ”You are not my people,” it shall be said to them, ”Children of the living God.”

Covenant Language alluding to Gen 22:15-18 “And the angel of the LORD called to Abraham a second time from
heaven and said, “By myself I have sworn, declares the LORD, because you have done this and have not withheld
your son, your only son, I will surely bless you, and I will surely multiply your offspring as the stars of heaven and
as the sand that is on the seashore. And your offspring shall possess the gate of his enemies, and in your offspring
shall all the nations of the earth be blessed, because you have obeyed my voice.”

Verse 11 – prophesy of Christ being the “head appointed”

2:11 and 2:23– Promise of showing mercy and being my people

1 Command given to symbolize the Faithfulness of the Lord to the Children of Israel:
Command: Love the woman who is unfaithful to you (3:1)
Reason: The Lord loves the Children of Israel

Written to instruct us about how the Lord deals with His people:

1) Justice in punishing sin

Like a loving parent, the Lord will not let His children continue in their destructive ways, but will discipline and correct them.

2) Mercy in forgiving sin.

The Lord will not cast off, but will have mercy. He will have compassion and He will continue to offer salvation.

Consider the Lord God of heaven and His justice and mercy!

Hosea – The Covenant Broken: Disregarding the Law of the Lord

Hosea 1:1-2 The word of the LORD that came to Hosea, the son of Beeri, in the days of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah, and in the days of Jeroboam the son of Joash, king of Israel. When the LORD first spoke through Hosea, the LORD said to Hosea, “Go, take to yourself a wife of whoredom and have children of whoredom, for the land commits great whoredom by forsaking the LORD.”
The language of whoredom is a powerful image of unfaithfulness. Israel, represented as a wife unfaithful to her husband, has not been faithful to the covenant. The “land committing great whoredom” is another way of saying that Israel is like Adam in that “they transgressed the covenant; there they dealt faithlessly with me.” (6:7)

How did Israel transgress the Covenant? Three main ways are discussed:
First, Israel forgot who provided for her needs.
Second, Israel disregarded the Lord’s Law.

Last time we discussed the fact that Israel forgot who provided their needs in that they forgot the Lord and ascribed that their needs were being provided by other things than the Lord.

This time we will discuss the second main way Israel transgressed the Covenant: they disregarded the Lord’s Law.

On Mount Sinai, “the Lord said to Moses, ‘Come up to me on the mountain and wait there, that I may give you the tablets of stone, with the law and the commandment, which I have written for their instruction.’ ” (Exo 24:12) Here the Lord gave the children of Israel His law which they were to keep. Why was the Law given? The Law was “added because of transgressions” (Gal 3:19). What does that mean? Romans 7:7 helps us understand this when it says, “if it had not been for the law, I would not have known sin. For I would not have known what it is to covet if the law had not said, ‘You shall not covet.’ “. Therefore we understand that the law was given in order to bring us a “knowledge of sin” (Rom 3:20)

This is important because it ensures, “that every mouth may be stopped, and the whole world may be held accountable to God.” (Rom 3:19). This is important because “God has consigned all to disobedience, that he may have mercy on all.” (Rom 11:32). The Law is an act of mercy in that it brought knowledge of sin, but we must understand that it did not give life.

Paul says in Gal 3:21-24, “if a law had been given that could give life, then righteousness would indeed be by the law. But the Scripture imprisoned everything under sin, so that the promise by faith in Jesus Christ might be given to those who believe. Now before faith came, we were held captive under the law, imprisoned until the coming faith would be revealed. So then, the law was our guardian until Christ came, in order that we might be justified by faith.”
To summarize all that, “The Law was given to show us that we are sinful and need a Savior to redeem us.

But Israel disregarded the Lord’s law and thus disregarded the Lord Himself. By rejecting the Lord’s law, Israel was rejecting their only means of salvation. The Lord says in Hosea 4:1-2, “Hear the word of the LORD, O children of Israel, for the LORD has a controversy with the inhabitants of the land. There is no faithfulness or steadfast love, and no knowledge of God in the land; there is swearing, lying, murder, stealing, and committing adultery; they break all bounds, and bloodshed follows bloodshed.”

Israel rejected the Lord and thus rejected what pleases the Lord. Things like steadfast love and gaining knowledge about God dwindled while at the same time acts of lying, murder, stealing and adultery increased.

When a nation rejects the Lord’s law, the nation becomes more and more wicked, the nation calls evil good and good evil and ultimately the nation is forsaken by the Lord Himself. It is important that we see this as more than a simple history lesson, but rather see this as a warning. Consider to this verse from Hosea, it could be written to America in 2009: “They are all adulterers; they are like a heated oven whose baker ceases to stir the fire, from the kneading of the dough until it is leavened.” (7:4)

Let us consider the warning from the prophet Hosea and repent of disregarding the Law of the Lord and repent of satisfying our sinful sexual lusts. Let us reject the oversexualization of our culture and actively fight against it. Whether it is refusing the watch inappropriate Television programs, let us refuse to gossip and slander others, let us refuse to cheat or steal, or whatever; let us as David said, “I will not set before my eyes anything that is worthless.” (Psalm 101:3)

Let us return to the Lord so that he will listen to our pleas for mercy and heal us (Isaiah 19:22). And let us pray that the Lord would awaken this nation to seek Him.

On Modern Medicine…

The advancements in Modern Medicine are truly a wonderful thing. The fact that doctors are able to help people with various diseases is something to be celebrated and not shunned.
Here is the hot topic: Should Christians reject Modern Medicine and “in faith” pray about everything? For example: Jim has been diagnosed with cancer, should Jim reject any and all cancer treatment and devote himself to prayer and fasting in order for the Lord to heal him?
The first question that should be raised is: “Why reject Modern Medicine?” Is it because Jim thinks that Modern Medicine is opposed to God? I would hope not, because it is not. While Jim should petition the Lord for healing (or at least strength to accept His will); nowhere in Scripture is it hinted that Jim should not seek medical attention. What is presented in Scripture is for Jim to not place all his faith and trust in the medicine/procedures alone.
We must remember that it is God alone who grants wisdom in any and all areas. The only reason doctors and scientists are able to understand our bodies and various diseases is because there is (for the most part) regularity in those things. A doctor can examine a patient and be very certain that a certain disease will act a certain way and be treated a certain way. This certainty is only possible through a body created by God. Doctors are also granted with wisdom to know that certain drugs/herbs can have certain positive and negative effects on certain diseases.
Christians should not reject Modern Medicine, but see it for what it truly is: a gracious God granting wisdom to help us. Let us never assume that Modern Medicine is opposed to God. Let us never assume that Modern Medicine is our god. Also, as a final point, let us never assume that the diseases we may get are “proofs” that either God does not exist or do not care. Nowhere does God promise us that in this life we will live disease free, but rather these diseases are the result of our fallen world and our need for redemption. Let us instead see our diseases as further proof of our need for a Savior!

Thoughts on Man’s “Will”

The following post is an attempt to understand the complex situation of Man’s Freedom and God’s Soverienty.  Please know that I respect many from various sides of this issue and in a spirit of Christian love and charity wish to dialouge with any interested.  God Bless.

Man’s Will

Man’s Will is that by which man actively chooses. It is the innate ability through which, if unhindered, allows man to choose the most desirous option. It is my desire to prove that man will never choose anything against his Will and that God chooses men to salvation harmoniously with man’s Will, not in violation of man’s Will.

What do I mean by that definition of Will? Here are some practical examples:
Example 1:
Johnny is walking down the street when a man points a gun at him. The robber makes the following statement: “Give me your wallet or I will kill you.” Johnny gives the wallet to the robber who runs away.
One might say, “The robber took the wallet against Johnny’s Will because Johnny did not want to lose his wallet.” It is true that Johnny does not desire to lose his wallet, however when the robber pointed the gun at Johnny, Johnny was presented two options:1) Give the wallet and live and 2) Keep the wallet and die. Johnny responded according to his Will and chose the most desirous option (Give the wallet and live). Johnny’s Will was never violated because Johnny freely chose the most desirous option.

Example 2:
Johnny is walking down the street when a net is lowered on him and he cannot move or escape. (I know…poor Johnny) A robber comes out of the shadows, takes Johnny’s wallet and runs away.
One might say, “The robber took the wallet against Johnny’s Will because Johnny never had a chance to decide therefore Johnny’s Will was violated.” It is true that Johnny never had a chance to make a choice and it is for that very reason that Johnny’s Will was not violated. The Will was never brought into the event. Johnny never had an option to choose so therefore he never had his Will violated. The Will manifests itself in the action of choosing, where there is choice there is no action. A sad event occurred in Johnny’s life, but his wallet was not taken against his Will.

I hope that I have shown that a man’s Will is never violated in the course of human events. He is always free to choose what he most desires—as long as the ability to choose is present. With regard to man’s Will, man has the freedom to choose, but is always in bondage to his desires. Thus man’s Will is free, yet bound.

I now want to prove that God does not violate man’s Will when He sovereignty chooses men to become Christians—for this is a common objection to Reformed Theology in that many say it makes men to be nothing more than robots. When God calls a sinner to repentance, He does not violate that sinner’s Will. What God does is that He reveals truth to the sinner. It can be said that God “removes the spiritual blinders from the sinners eyes.” By God revealing himself to the sinner, the sinner sees God for who He truly is: Holy; sees himself who he truly is: sinful; and sees his sinfulness for what it truly is: deserving of punishment. It is at this moment that the sinner responds to the Call of God. This response is done according to his Will and not is violation of his Will. Even though the sinner is choosing something that he would not have before, the Will is not violated because the man’s desires have changed—desires being that which the Will is bound. The Will still chooses that which is most desirous, in this case it is the most desirous option to respond to God’s Call. Ephesians 2:1 says, “And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins;”  I hope, in a spirit of love and respect, that I have proven that man will never choose anything against his Will and that God chooses men to salvation harmoniously with man’s Will, not in violation of man’s Will.

Hosea: The Covenant Broken – Forgetting who provides

Hosea 1:1-2 The word of the LORD that came to Hosea, the son of Beeri, in the days of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah, and in the days of Jeroboam the son of Joash, king of Israel. When the LORD first spoke through Hosea, the LORD said to Hosea, “Go, take to yourself a wife of whoredom and have children of whoredom, for the land commits great whoredom by forsaking the LORD.”
The language of whoredom is a powerful image of unfaithfulness. Israel, represented as a wife unfaithful to her husband, has not been faithful to the covenant. The “land committing great whoredom” is another way of saying that Israel is like Adam in that “they transgressed the covenant; there they dealt faithlessly with me.” (6:7)

How did Israel transgress the Covenant? Three main ways will be discussed:
First, Israel forgot who provided for her needs.
Second, Israel disregarded the Lord’s Law

I will discus the second reason in a future post. But First, Israel forgot who provided for her needs.
The Lord, as part of the covenant, promised Israel that He would place them in a good land. In Exodus 3:8 the Lord said, “I have come down to deliver them out of the hand of the Egyptians and to bring them up out of that land to a good and broad land, a land flowing with milk and honey”. Joshua said of this land in Num 14:7 “The land, which we passed through to spy it out, is an exceedingly good land.” The land was good, but God warned them in Deu 28:15 “if you will not obey the voice of the LORD your God or be careful to do all his commandments and his statutes that I command you today, then all these curses shall come upon you and overtake you.” The curses mentioned included pestilence, disease, lack of rain, and exile.
The curses mentioned did come upon Israel because they transgressed the covenant in that they forgot it was the Lord who provided their needs. In Hosea 2:5 the Lord says, “For [Israel's] has played the whore; she who conceived them has acted shamefully. For she said, ‘I will go after my lovers, who give me my bread and my water, my wool and my flax, my oil and my drink.’ “
We must ask ourselves: how do a people who belong to the Lord end up ascribing their prosperity to something other than the Lord?
At first, they obeyed the Lord and then they became blessed by the Lord which led to prosperity in which they became complacent and forget the Lord. Then, when they forgot the Lord, they gave themselves over to a pursuit of their lusts and they ascribed their prosperity to whomever/whatever took the place of Lord in their life.
In Hosea 2:8 the Lord says Israel “did not know that it was I who gave her the grain, the wine, and the oil, and who lavished on her silver and gold, which they used for Baal.” In 10:1, the Lord says, “Israel is a luxuriant vine that yields its fruit. The more his fruit increased, the more altars he built; as his country improved, he improved his pillars.”
The more Israel prospered the more they turned away from the Lord. Hosea 11:2 describes the Lord calling to Israel through the prophets but “The more they were called, the more they went away; they kept sacrificing to the Baals and burning offerings to idols.” and in 14:8 we hear the Lord call: “O Ephraim, what have I to do with idols? It is I who answer and look after you. I am like an evergreen cypress; from me comes your fruit.” But Israel refused to listen to the Lord’s call and now the Lord comes with the indictment: “You have transgressed my covenant.”
In these times of economic uncertainty, Americans and especially the American church must not look to the government for their bread, but must remember that blessing comes from the Lord as a result of obedience. If we keep transgressing the covenant, forsaking and forgetting the Lord; no amount of money will stimulate our economy because our economy rests in the hands of the God of Creation!
One reason why the Lord does not always bless with material prosperity, and tragically this is one of the fundamental weaknesses of the American church is that prosperity breeds complacency and complacency breeds apostasy!
Consider how America is similar to Israel: At first, America obeyed the Lord and then America became blessed by the Lord which led to prosperity in which over time America became complacent and forget the Lord. Then, when America forgot the Lord, they gave themselves over to a pursuit of their lusts and America ascribed their prosperity to whomever/whatever took the place of Lord in their life: whether it be beauty, science, or whatever.
My brothers and sisters have we forgotten who provides for our needs? Have we become conformed to the culture so that we never think to ask God to “give us this day our daily bread” (Matt 6:11)?

You will appear before the Judgment Seat of Christ

So whether we are at home or away, we make it our aim to please him. For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive what is due for what he has done in the body, whether good or evil. (2Co 5:9-10 ESV)

According to the Bible, every single person will stand before the judgment seat of Christ and He will judge you. How does Paul react to this? Does he have a cocky assurance? No, he says, “we make it our aim to please him”.

Are you making it your aim to please the Lord because you know one day you will stand before Him to be judged?

An Intolerant Paradox

Why are some people intolerant of intolerance? Why can’t they be tolerant of intolerance since tolerance is so important? Who determines what must and must not be tolerated?

If you don’t tolerate my intolerance in certain areas, you are being intolerant of my beliefs; which means you are engaging in the same activity you condemning!

Do you claim to be without sin?

1 John 1:8-9

If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.

Does God have a wonderful plan for my life?

Have you ever asked yourself that question? Has anyone ever approached you with that question? How would you respond? Would you tell them Yes? Would you tell them No?

The Biblical answer to this question is both Yes and No depending on what one means by the word “Wonderful”.  If by wonderful one means expensive cars, large houses, 65″ Flat Screen TV with a Blu-Ray player and surround sound, perfect family, perfect health, perfect teeth, etc. then the answer is No.

If by wonderful one means personally knowing the Almighty Creator of the universe, having all your sins forgiven, being reconcilled to God, and having your strength renewed daily then the answer is Yes.

You see, the whole question: “Does God have a wonderful plan for my life?” spawns from a misunderstanding of Jesus’ words in John 10:10, “I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.”  People think with their sinful mind, “Abundant life means having everything I want and I want the things of this world!”  But they forget something else the Bible says:

Now there is great gain in godliness with contentment, for we brought nothing into the world, and we cannot take anything out of the world. But if we have food and clothing, with these we will be content. But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation, into a snare, into many senseless and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evils. It is through this craving that some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many pangs. But as for you, O man of God, flee these things. Pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, steadfastness, gentleness. (1Ti 6:6-11 ESV)

If you find yourself wondering if God has a wonderful plan for your life, consider what you mean by wonderful.  If it is a selfish desire for the things of this world then know that God never promises you that.  If you mean a life filled with righteousness, godliness, faith, love, steadfastness, gentleness and love then that is exactly what God promises.