The
Apostle John has revealed that Jesus is the Word, Light and Life.
Jesus “was in the world, and though the world was made
through Him, the world did not recognize Him. He came to that which
was His own, but His own did not receive Him.” John 1:11 The other Gospel writers focused on Jesus' birth in the flesh, but John reveals Jesus as the Preexistent One. The Word-Jesus and God were always connected as One. The
world was made through Jesus as the Word in Genesis 1:3.
Yet the world didn't recognize Him. His “own” is
humanity—whether Jew or Gentile, male or female, young or old. Acts 17:26-27: From one man (Adam) He made every nation of men, that they should inhabit the whole earth, and He determined the times set for them and the exact places where the should live." Jesus is the Lord and Savior of all. Through Jesus, all of mankind can be saved no matter what nation, tribe or tongue. We are fearfully and wonderfully made by God. He knew us before we were in our mother's womb. God doesn't want a Gentile to become a Jew, or a Jew to become a Gentile. What He does want is for all -- Jew and Gentile -- to come to His precious and chosen Son Jesus for salvation and eternal life. Many Jews were so bound to Moses and the Law that they wouldn't receive Jesus and His Truth. Jesus told them that He was the fulfillment of the Law and the Prophets but they didn't believe Him.
Chapter
1 of the Gospel of John goes on to say, “Yet to all
who received Him, to those who believed in His name, He gave the
right to become children of God—children born not of natural
descent, nor of human decision or a husband's will, but born of God.”
v12-13 The
Pharisees thought that being born a Jew would get them eternal life.
Notice that this scripture doesn't say just the Jews, but to all
who received Him. His own was not just the Jews which is often
taught, but all whether Jew or Gentile. Jesus taught the multitudes.
The Father, Word/Jesus and the Holy Spirit created Adam/Man in their image and likeness. Adam had no nationality. He was a holy man who was lovingly shaped and formed out of the clay of the earth by the Godhead. Though Jesus took on flesh through a Jewish woman, He is the Creator of all along with the Father and the Holy Spirit. We can't take away the fact that He is the Creator God just because He came in the flesh through a Jewish woman. All of mankind descend from Adam and Eve no matter what nationality they are. And, unfortunately, because of the original sin of Adam and the Woman, we all inherit their sinful nature. This scripture in John says that those who received Him and believed in His Name are spiritually born of God—born again—not of natural descent or human decision, but of God. All of humanity has a “natural” descent, but it is through Jesus that we have our “spiritual” ascent. Adam and Eve descended when they sinned. They had to be removed from God's presence because what is unholy cannot reside in the same place as the holy. But thanks be to God. He provided a way for sinful man to reside with God once again through the shed blood of Jesus Christ. Because Jesus ascended, we who believe in Him will also ascend to the Father. Jesus wants to take us from the descent of our sinful nature into a higher, spiritual level in Him.
The Father, Word/Jesus and the Holy Spirit created Adam/Man in their image and likeness. Adam had no nationality. He was a holy man who was lovingly shaped and formed out of the clay of the earth by the Godhead. Though Jesus took on flesh through a Jewish woman, He is the Creator of all along with the Father and the Holy Spirit. We can't take away the fact that He is the Creator God just because He came in the flesh through a Jewish woman. All of mankind descend from Adam and Eve no matter what nationality they are. And, unfortunately, because of the original sin of Adam and the Woman, we all inherit their sinful nature. This scripture in John says that those who received Him and believed in His Name are spiritually born of God—born again—not of natural descent or human decision, but of God. All of humanity has a “natural” descent, but it is through Jesus that we have our “spiritual” ascent. Adam and Eve descended when they sinned. They had to be removed from God's presence because what is unholy cannot reside in the same place as the holy. But thanks be to God. He provided a way for sinful man to reside with God once again through the shed blood of Jesus Christ. Because Jesus ascended, we who believe in Him will also ascend to the Father. Jesus wants to take us from the descent of our sinful nature into a higher, spiritual level in Him.
All
who believe in Jesus have the right to be adopted as children of God.
This includes both Jews and Gentiles. All – both Jew and Gentile –
must be grafted into the Tree of Life – Jesus. It was God's love
for all of humanity that sent His Son so we could become children of
God once again. Some Jews did not receive Jesus or understand His
spiritual truth. They heard His words and saw His actions and
miracles but still they did not receive Him and be saved. (John
12:37 quoting
Isaiah
6:1-4; Isaiah 6:10) God
knew that this was going to happen. Isaiah prophesied it. There are
no surprises with God.
Word
Became Flesh – John 1:14
Jesus,
the Word of God and the voice of God, became flesh and tabernacled
among us. In other words, the Holy Spirit planted the Seed of God –
the Word – into the womb of Mary. In that womb, the Word
progressively grew and took on flesh until Jesus was birthed through
her. The Word still does the same today in the hearts and minds of
believers. The Word, if we are willing, will take on our flesh by
removing its carnal ways until Jesus is birthed in us and then
through us.
A
tabernacle
(tent) is
a temporary dwelling place on earth. Jesus left His eternal place
with the Father in the heavenly sanctuary to come to earth to
temporarily dwell with mankind so we could know and see God. Jesus
returned to His place of glory after His death and resurrection. Now
Jesus dwells in believers on earth, but His permanent home is in the
heavenly throne room with the Father. We too will live with Him in
His permanent home in the heavens. Jesus said, “I
and the Father are One.” John 10:30 When
Philip asked Jesus to show Him the Father, Jesus answered, “Don't
you know me Philip, even after I have been among you such a long
time? Anyone who has seen Me has seen the Father.” John 14:9 The
Father is in Jesus and Jesus is in the Father just as we are in Jesus
and He is in us making us one. The Holy Spirit is in both the Father
and the Son. Jesus and the Holy Spirit are dwelling in our
temporary, earthly bodies until we are glorified and with Him in
heaven. God's Divine presence that was foreshadowed in the shekinah
glory in the tabernacles and temples is now dwelling in fullness in Jesus.
Jesus' incarnate life was temporary, but His glory that He had in the
beginning is eternal. His glory and light in us will join with His
glory and light as One and light up the heavenly New Jerusalem.
There will be no more darkness or sin, tears or sorrow or death. Our
earthly journey is our training ground for our heavenly reality.
Full
of Grace and Truth
“We
have seen His glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the
Father, full of Grace and Truth.” John 1:14 As
I stated previously, Jesus is the only One who came from the Father. Jesus is one of a kind -- unique. The Holy Spirit planted the Word – Seed of God – into the womb of
Mary. Jesus is the Seed of God not man. No man had anything to do
with Jesus' birth. It was the work of the Father, the Holy Spirit
and the Word/Jesus.
Grace
is not only God's unmerited favor, it is also God's love. The Law
came through a servant Moses, but grace and truth came through a Son.
(John 1:17)
It is a Son who is to inherit all that belongs to the Father, not a
servant.
Grace
is the Greek word charis
which means:
1. that
which affords joy, pleasure, delight, sweetness, charm, loveliness:
grace of speech
God bestows grace upon grace on believers. In other words, one grace
merging into another continuously. God's grace and love never run
out because it comes from God's initiative, not man's. We are saved by grace but we are to also live by grace. (see Ephesians 2:8-9; 1 Corinthians 15:10)
God's
grace can be resisted. Hebrews
12:15: See to it that no one falls short of the grace of God....
God's
grace can be abandoned by the believer. Galatians
5:4: “You who are trying to be justified by law have been
alienated from Christ, you have fallen away from grace.”
Truth
is Divine instruction – true doctrine. Jesus is the fullness of
all Truth. In other words, the Word of God is all about Jesus from
beginning to end, because He is the Word of God and Truth. God raised revelation knowledge to a new and greater level in His Son Jesus. This
scripture in John 1:14 says that Jesus is “full” of grace and
truth. He is the fullness of grace and truth. He is the fullness of
the Father's love, His favor and loving-kindness and His Truth—the
Word of God. To those under the Older Covenant, there was a measure
of grace and the veiled truth regarding Jesus Christ, but in Jesus is
the fullness of grace and truth. Once Jesus came to earth, His truth
was no longer veiled.
God revealed Himself to the Israelites in the
Older Testament not because they deserved it, but because He is
faithful and true. God will be faithful to His covenant promises in
the Older Testament. The Israelites were no more deserving of God's
love and grace than Christians are today. The Law was “given,”
but grace and truth “came” in Jesus. The Word of God came among
us in a Person – Jesus Christ. The Apostle John also wrote in
Revelation 1 that the voice that spoke to him was a Person – Jesus.
In
His grace and love for undeserving sinners, God sent His Son to save
and restore us to relationship with God. His grace and power were
multiplied when He sent the Holy Spirit. Grace and truth are
available to the believer to the fullest extent because of Jesus and
the Holy Spirit. Through Christ and the Holy Spirit, the truth is no
longer veiled through types and shadows. Revelation is the unveiling
of Truth and the removal of that which stands in our way (i.e.
sin,
untruth). God removed the veil of the Law and the veil of the
tabernacle and temple at the cross of Jesus. Jesus also removed the
veil of His flesh body because His work in the flesh was finished.
He now lives in the Spirit. He has no more blood because He shed it
all. His life is no longer in the flesh but in the Spirit.
The
veil of our fleshly nature must also be removed so we can see and
hear God and walk in His love. As we allow our fleshly ways to die,
we become one with Him in Spirit. 1
John 2:-6: We know that we have come to know Him, if we obey His
commands. The man who says, “I know Him, but does not do what He
commands is a liar, and the truth is not in Him. But if anyone obeys
His Word, God's love is complete in Him. This is how we know we are
in Him: Whoever claims to live in Him must walk as Jesus did. Jesus
Himself said, “Why
do you call me Lord, Lord, and don't do the things I say?” Luke
6:46 God
wants to perfect His love in us. The only way this can happen is
through obedience to God's Word.
May
the love of God live in us richly because we walk as Jesus walked. We
thank you Lord for your undeserved favor. We also thank you for your
Truth that will set us free of all that binds us and veils our eyes
to your Truth. Please give us spiritual eyes to see and spiritual
ears to hear your Truth, so we can share it with others. You are a
gracious and marvelous God, dear Lord, and we praise and glorify you
through our actions, words and deeds. In Christ's mighty name, we
pray. Amen
Blessings and love in Christ,
Sandy
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