Jesus: The Word, the Life, and the Light

We can learn a lot about Christian beliefs from one book in the Bible, the Gospel of John. If you are new to Christianity, I suggest reading this book first, along with the associated verses.

John the Baptist has a very interesting life story. Before he was even born, God had a very specific purpose for his life. He was sent to prepare the people of Israel for the arrival of the Messiah. His conception and birth were very unusual and miraculous, as was his lifestyle. See Luke 1 for more details .

John’s gospel tells the story of Jesus’s early days and explains that Jesus is God in the flesh. In other words, Jesus is the physical representative of the triune God. But you don’t have to understand the concept of the Trinity to understand salvation . The first chapter of John contains five verses that are critical to understanding the continuity between the Old and New Testaments’ message of hope.

In verse 1 we find a reminder of the Genesis 1 creation account with the words “In the beginning”, but John gives us the additional information that Jesus, who is called the Word, was God.

In verse 4 John explains that Jesus is the light of the world and the life. Without Jesus there would be no life on this planet, no energy, no people, because light is necessary for life. The earth was formless and void before he changed it with his words, “Let there be…”. The Word is the source and sustainer of all life on earth.

[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 were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made. [4] In him was life, and the life was the light of men. [5] The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. John 1:1-5

The Fall from Grace

When God created the world it was a perfect paradise for the first humans and animals. People did not eat animals at that time.

But Satan tempted the first humans with knowledge and they rebelled against God’s authority causing all humans and the creation to be corrupted by their sin. Because of this desire to be wise, they disobeyed God’s command. He warned them that if they “ate from the tree of knowledge of good and evil” would die, but their pride and curiosity was their downfall.

And now , because of the effects of the Fall, humans are cut off from God, the source of spiritual life. People who do not repent and believe have spirits that are “dead” even though their bodies are alive. They are dead in the sense that they are unable to connect to God, the source of life. However they’re still alive physically and they are under Satan’s power. However because of his skill at deception, many people are unaware that they are “dead men walking”, like zombies .

This is why there is evil in the world, not because God isn’t good, but because of man’s sin. But God had a plan to redeem us even before He made the world.

After the Fall people were so evil that God killed them all with a worldwide flood. But he saved the family of Noah and gave them the job of starting over. Unfortunately the people quickly began to rebel against God again, it was just their nature to rebel and desire to be independent. They attempted to build a tower to heaven. God protected them from themselves by confusing their language and they scattered over the earth.

Hope and Judgment

God began to reveal himself to certain people. But the Law was given to show our need for a savior. Then Jesus became a man in order to save His creation by fulfilling the law and defeating death on the cross.

Life on earth is winding down. It will not go on forever. People are building another tower to heaven right now. It’s called AI. But God is going to stop this tower. This time he won’t use a flood, he’ll use fire. Jesus offers a lifeline to anyone who will believe in Him. This means recognizing and admitting that you are dying and condemned in a doomed world.

[14] And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth. John 1:14

For now, thanks to the Word, there’s light and life on earth, but judgment is coming for Satan his angels and for those who refused to come into the light and be saved because they loved their sins.

[16] For from his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace. [17] For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. John 1:16-17

[19] And this is the judgment: the light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their works were evil. [20] For everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his works should be exposed. [21] But whoever does what is true comes to the light, so that it may be clearly seen that his works have been carried out in God.” John 3:19-21