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Thoughts of a saint and slave
by Sam Isaacson
This is the second week of our study through John. I am sure that we will begin to move a bit more quickly when we get to see some of Jesus' teaching and miracles but, for the moment, there is an enormous amount of weighty doctrine that we must look at. Last week we saw that Jesus is 'the Word', and that He 'was in the beginning with God', and even more than that 'was God' - the awesome truth that Jesus is Creator! This week we will look at the next verses (John 1:4-5,9-13):
'In him was life, and the life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.
The true light, which enlightens everyone, was coming into the world. He was in the world, and the world was made through him, yet the world did not know him. He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him. But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.'
'In him was life...'
This passage begins with the statement that in Jesus 'was life'. This is enormous; Jesus, the Creator God, who was 'in the beginning' (John 1:1) was, and is, alive. This means that true life existed before creation did - does that blow your mind as much as it does mine?! It means that real truth, the essence of truth in all its fullness is a living God - which in turn means that every person you see is simultaneously a reflection of absolute truth in that they live, yet that because they are not in themselves true (we know that people are sinners, and lie, and are imperfect reflections of God) every person that we see is, at least in part, dead. And in need of a life giver.
'...the life was the light...'
Expanding on this idea John explains that the life that Jesus had in him was light. So Jesus=God=truth=life=light. Therefore humans=not God=sinners=dead=blind. This is an astounding and humbling truth, that as Christians we were blind and could not see, dead and could not do anything! Thank God that our salvation is not to do with us because dead people can't do anything, and blind people cannot find a way on their own!
'...enlightens everyone...'
The incredible truth, however, is that Jesus' light brings light to us, and that we can understand the truth and see again by benefiting from his light. Faith in Jesus is enough to enable us to see the truth of creation, more so than anything else, because without him we're blind!
'...were born...of God'
In addition, 'all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God' - can you see the links here? We were blind, but Jesus' light enlightens us. We were dead, but Jesus' life enables us to be 'born again' (see John 3). Literally, without Jesus, we were dead and blind - this should lead us to two responses:
Firstly, we should have gratitude for what Jesus has done for us - without him we'd be literally dead! Secondly, we should be encouraged to tell others - they are dead right now! Without Jesus they will remain dead and blind, and it's our responsibility to bring them closer to Jesus.
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