"But ye [are] a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of Him who hath called you out of darkness into His marvellous light ..." (I Peter 2:9)
The significance of this scripture can be found in the first chapter of John, where the words describe in sufficient detail who "Him" really is. Who is this God who loves us beyond measure? And how did He show His love for us? To keep the original meaning, I have taken out the "added" words from the text. Using the King James version, John 1 states:
"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God." (John 1:1-2) Note here that it says "the same was in the beginning with God." Not that "He" was in the beginning with God as so many suggest today. One God who created the world and then became the Light of the world for those who love Him.
"All things were made by Him, and without Him was not any thing made that was made. In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. And the light shineth in darkness and the darkness comprehended it not." (John 1:3-5)
"There was a man sent from God, whose name John. The same came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light that all -- through Him might believe. He was not that Light but to bear witness of that Light. Was the true light which lighteth every man that cometh into the world. He was in the world and the word was made by Him and the world knew Him not. He came unto His own and His own received Him not.
But as many as received Him, to them gave He power to become the sons of God, to them that believe on His name -- which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. And the Word was made flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.
John bare witness of and cried, saying, "This was He of whom I spake, He that comes after me is preferred before me, for He was before me. And of his fulness have we received, and grace for grace ... for the Law was given by Moses; grace and truth came by Jesus Christ.
No man hath seen God at any time, the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, He hath declared. And this is the record of John, when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, "Who art thou?" And he confessed, and denied not, "I am not the Christ."
And they asked him, "What then? Art thou Elias?" And he saith, "I am not." "Art thou that prophet?" And he answered, "No." Then said they unto him, "Who art thou? That we may give an answer to them that sent us. What sayest thou of thyself?"
He said, "I THE VOICE OF THE OF ONE CRYING IN THE WILDERNESS. MAKE STRAIGHT THE WAY OF THE LORD, as said the prophet Esaias." And they which were sent were of the Pharisees. And they asked him, and said unto him, "Why baptizest thou then, if thou be not that Christ, nor Elias, neither that prophet?"
John answered them, saying, "I baptize with water, but there stands one among you, whom ye not know. He it is, who coming after me is preferred before me, whose shoe's latchet I am not worthy to unloose. These things were done in Bethabara beyond Jordan, where John was baptizing." (John 1:6-28)
Note that these Pharisees only missed Jesus by a single day. "Behold the Lamb of God which taketh away the sin of the world. This is He of whom I said, "After me cometh a man which is preferred before me; for He was before me. And I knew Him not, but that He should be made manifest to Israel, therefore, am I come baptizing with water." (John 1:29-31)
What do I notice here? First, that the record in the scriptures is very different from the message often presented by the religious culture of this day. That is, Jesus really was God in the flesh -- the same Lord God who created man and woman in the beginning willingly became as one of us -- so that we might have His gift of salvation.
Second, why did the Pharisees NOT know the scriptures? John quoted scripture from the prophet Esaias in verse 23 but the Pharisees still had to ask John's identity. Perhaps, a similarity to religion today, where ministers would rather "declare" their own fancy words, rather than the good news gospel message of the kingdom wherein God declared "peace be unto you."
Third, in verse 12, the scripture actually states: "But as many as received Him [Jesus] to them gave He the power to be the sons of God ..." Imagine, by receiving Jesus into our heart, He will give us the "power to become the sons of God." (John 1:12)
And finally, from the latter part of verse 12, "But as many as received Him [Jesus] to them gave He the power to be the sons of God -- to them that believe on His name." (John 1:12) Note that the word "even" is an added word and not part of the original text. So read the verse again as it was originally intended.
"But as many as received Him to them gave He the power to be the sons of God -- to them that believe on His name." (John 1:12) In other words, we not only have to receive Him, but we also must believe on His name. What is His name for this current dispensation of grace?
JESUS, the only name under heaven whereby we can be saved. The only name in which whatever we do, in both word or deed, including water baptism should be performed in His precious name -- the name of Jesus. (Acts 2:37-42) Jesus said, "I am the way, the truth and the life. No man cometh unto the Father but by Me. If ye had known Me, ye should have known My Father also, and from henceforth ye know Him and have seen Him." (John 14:6)
Even when Philip asked, "Shew us the Father and it sufficeth us" Jesus said, "Have I been so long time with you, and yet hast thou not known Me, Philip? He that hath seen Me hath seen the Father." (John 14:8-9)
No greater love story than our Lord God Himself becoming our Saviour. And then to think that we are also "His chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of Him who hath called you out of darkness into His marvellous light ..." (I Peter 2:9)
I am sure you have your own observations about the first chapter of John. Regardless, it's no wonder we -- as believers in Jesus the Christ -- can be continually thankful, even in a world that is in constant sinking turmoil around us.
"In everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you." (I Thessalonians 5:18)
Stand in the offering plate.
The significance of this scripture can be found in the first chapter of John, where the words describe in sufficient detail who "Him" really is. Who is this God who loves us beyond measure? And how did He show His love for us? To keep the original meaning, I have taken out the "added" words from the text. Using the King James version, John 1 states:
"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God." (John 1:1-2) Note here that it says "the same was in the beginning with God." Not that "He" was in the beginning with God as so many suggest today. One God who created the world and then became the Light of the world for those who love Him.
"All things were made by Him, and without Him was not any thing made that was made. In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. And the light shineth in darkness and the darkness comprehended it not." (John 1:3-5)
"There was a man sent from God, whose name John. The same came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light that all -- through Him might believe. He was not that Light but to bear witness of that Light. Was the true light which lighteth every man that cometh into the world. He was in the world and the word was made by Him and the world knew Him not. He came unto His own and His own received Him not.
But as many as received Him, to them gave He power to become the sons of God, to them that believe on His name -- which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. And the Word was made flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.
John bare witness of and cried, saying, "This was He of whom I spake, He that comes after me is preferred before me, for He was before me. And of his fulness have we received, and grace for grace ... for the Law was given by Moses; grace and truth came by Jesus Christ.
No man hath seen God at any time, the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, He hath declared. And this is the record of John, when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, "Who art thou?" And he confessed, and denied not, "I am not the Christ."
And they asked him, "What then? Art thou Elias?" And he saith, "I am not." "Art thou that prophet?" And he answered, "No." Then said they unto him, "Who art thou? That we may give an answer to them that sent us. What sayest thou of thyself?"
He said, "I THE VOICE OF THE OF ONE CRYING IN THE WILDERNESS. MAKE STRAIGHT THE WAY OF THE LORD, as said the prophet Esaias." And they which were sent were of the Pharisees. And they asked him, and said unto him, "Why baptizest thou then, if thou be not that Christ, nor Elias, neither that prophet?"
John answered them, saying, "I baptize with water, but there stands one among you, whom ye not know. He it is, who coming after me is preferred before me, whose shoe's latchet I am not worthy to unloose. These things were done in Bethabara beyond Jordan, where John was baptizing." (John 1:6-28)
Note that these Pharisees only missed Jesus by a single day. "Behold the Lamb of God which taketh away the sin of the world. This is He of whom I said, "After me cometh a man which is preferred before me; for He was before me. And I knew Him not, but that He should be made manifest to Israel, therefore, am I come baptizing with water." (John 1:29-31)
What do I notice here? First, that the record in the scriptures is very different from the message often presented by the religious culture of this day. That is, Jesus really was God in the flesh -- the same Lord God who created man and woman in the beginning willingly became as one of us -- so that we might have His gift of salvation.
Second, why did the Pharisees NOT know the scriptures? John quoted scripture from the prophet Esaias in verse 23 but the Pharisees still had to ask John's identity. Perhaps, a similarity to religion today, where ministers would rather "declare" their own fancy words, rather than the good news gospel message of the kingdom wherein God declared "peace be unto you."
Third, in verse 12, the scripture actually states: "But as many as received Him [Jesus] to them gave He the power to be the sons of God ..." Imagine, by receiving Jesus into our heart, He will give us the "power to become the sons of God." (John 1:12)
And finally, from the latter part of verse 12, "But as many as received Him [Jesus] to them gave He the power to be the sons of God -- to them that believe on His name." (John 1:12) Note that the word "even" is an added word and not part of the original text. So read the verse again as it was originally intended.
"But as many as received Him to them gave He the power to be the sons of God -- to them that believe on His name." (John 1:12) In other words, we not only have to receive Him, but we also must believe on His name. What is His name for this current dispensation of grace?
JESUS, the only name under heaven whereby we can be saved. The only name in which whatever we do, in both word or deed, including water baptism should be performed in His precious name -- the name of Jesus. (Acts 2:37-42) Jesus said, "I am the way, the truth and the life. No man cometh unto the Father but by Me. If ye had known Me, ye should have known My Father also, and from henceforth ye know Him and have seen Him." (John 14:6)
Even when Philip asked, "Shew us the Father and it sufficeth us" Jesus said, "Have I been so long time with you, and yet hast thou not known Me, Philip? He that hath seen Me hath seen the Father." (John 14:8-9)
No greater love story than our Lord God Himself becoming our Saviour. And then to think that we are also "His chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of Him who hath called you out of darkness into His marvellous light ..." (I Peter 2:9)
I am sure you have your own observations about the first chapter of John. Regardless, it's no wonder we -- as believers in Jesus the Christ -- can be continually thankful, even in a world that is in constant sinking turmoil around us.
"In everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you." (I Thessalonians 5:18)
Stand in the offering plate.
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