The living Word, active, powerful and true.

1 John 1:1-10 Introduction, The Incarnate Word

1 What was from the beginning, what we have heard, what we have seen with our eyes, what we have looked at and touched with our hands, concerning the Word of Life— ² and the life was manifested, and we have seen and testify and proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and was manifested to us— ³ what we have seen and heard we proclaim to you also, so that you too may have fellowship with us; and indeed our fellowship is with the Father, and with His Son Jesus Christ. ⁴ These things we write, so that our joy may be made complete.

God Is Light

⁵ This is the message we have heard from Him and announce to you, that God is Light, and in Him there is no darkness at all. ⁶ If we say that we have fellowship with Him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth; ⁷ but if we walk in the Light as He Himself is in the Light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin. ⁸ If we say that we have no sin, we are deceiving ourselves and the truth is not in us. ⁹ If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. ¹⁰ If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar and His word is not in us.

John begins this letter to the church with some of the same words and themes that he began his gospel account.

John 1:

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. ² He was in the beginning with God. ³ All things came into being through Him, and apart from Him nothing came into being that has come into being. ⁴ In Him was life, and the life was the Light of men. ⁵ The Light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it...¹⁴ 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. ¹⁵ 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.’” ¹⁶ For of His fullness we have all received, and grace upon grace. ¹⁷ For the Law was given through Moses; grace and truth were realized through Jesus Christ. ¹⁸ No one has seen God at any time; the only begotten God who is in the bosom of the Father, He has explained Him.

We see the importance that John places on light as a defining  character of God. John had seen some of the light and glory of God. He was present when Jesus was baptized and the  Holy Spirit descended and God spoke. Matthew 3:¹⁶ After being baptized, Jesus came up immediately from the water; and behold, the heavens were opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending as a dove and lighting on Him, ¹⁷ and behold, a voice out of the heavens said, “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well-pleased.”  

He was also there when Jesus was transfigured on the mountain. Matthew 17

Six days later Jesus *took with Him Peter and James and John his brother, and *led them up on a high mountain by themselves. ² And He was transfigured before them; and His face shone like the sun, and His garments became as white as light. ³ And behold, Moses and Elijah appeared to them, talking with Him...a bright cloud overshadowed them, and behold, a voice out of the cloud said, “This is My beloved Son, with whom I am well-pleased; listen to Him!”

John wants us to catch at least a glimpse of the glory of God, to see the greatness of His light. It's the other repeated theme that John expresses though that stands out to me. It is the idea of the incarnate Word, that Jesus is in fact the Word become flesh. This is a powerful truth that John brings to us. He begins by saying in the begining was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. In saying this John establishes the eternal quality of the Word of God. This affirms what it says in Isaiah 40:8 The grass withers, the flower fades, But the word of our God stands forever. Jesus says this too in Matthew 24:35 Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away. In addition John also establishes the oneness of the Word with God Himself. Who God is and what He says are inseperable. Numbers 23:19 says “God is not a man, that He should lie,Nor a son of man, that He should repent.Has He said, and will He not do? Or has He spoken, and will He not make it good? 

If God and His Word are indeed inseperable. If Jesus appearance on earth as a man was the incarnation of the Word of God and if God Himself says that His Word will last forever, how dare we think we have the right to change it, dipute it or debate it. It is important that we hear it, read it, study it, recognizing that to know God's Word is to know Him. Just as we can never fully comprehend God because He is eternal and infinite, we can not expect that we can fully comprehend all of God's Word. We should study to know God better not to try to prove we know better than God! 

Let me leave you though today with this from Hebrews 4:12  For the word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart.

The Word of God is living. As we are faithful to hear, read and study that living Word regularly, God will be faithful to reveal Himself and teach us through the Holy Spirit, as  Jesus says   in John 14: ²⁶ But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you.

Heavenly Father, Lord Jesus, the Word, Holy Spirit, thank You that You have made the way that I can fellowship with You. That You have given me Your very Spirit to live in me so that I might know You, Your Word and Your will. I pray that You will strengthen and enlighten me each day as I fellowship with, study and delight myself in You.   Amen