And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth. John 1:14
While as God was uncreated and eternal, then the pre-existent Word of God, Jesus Christ, also was before the universe began, the Second Person of the Trinity, has always existed too. The Word “became” emphasizes that Christ’s taking on humanity did have a beginning. So were told by John, that Jesus has stepped into time that exists in our world from eternity which is without time. Surely our minds cannot grasp the scope of this. So we are to take what we know and receive it by faith. The disciples, as years passed and they had opportunities to really reflect upon Jesus, and their acquaintance with Him, must have marveled at the great lengths that God had taken to reveal Himself to them. This reality is surely the most profound ever because it indicates that the infinite became finite; the Eternal One was reduced to the conformity of time and space. The Invisible became visible; the Supernatural became natural. And in all of this, however, The Word did not cease to be God but became God in human flesh.
And so John, as he begins his first epistle, he is just reflecting on his relationship with Jesus, “We beheld His glory” when we heard Him talk, we were listening to the voice of God. When we looked upon Him, we were looking upon the face of God. And when we were touched by Him, we were being touched by the hands of God. Pretty amazing when you come to think of it! In John chapter 14, we read: Phillip said to Him, “Lord, show us the Father, and it is sufficient for us.” Jesus said to him, “Have I been with you so long, and yet you have not known Me, Philip?” He who has seen Me has seen the Father; so how can you say, ‘Show us the Father?’ Do you not believe that I am in the Father, and the Father in Me? The words that I speak to you I do not speak on My own authority; but the Father who dwells in Me does the works. Believe Me that I am in the Father and the Father in Me, or else believe Me for the sake of the works themselves. (vv.8-11) John, in his writing is making it unmistakably clear in his gospel, to know Jesus, is to know God.
Dwelt—The word has meaning “To pitch a tabernacle,” or “live in a tent.” The term recalls to mind the OT tabernacle where God met with Israel before the Temple was completed. It was called the “Tabernacle of Meeting” (Exodus 33:7); Where God spoke to Moses face to face, as a man speaks to his friend (Exodus 33:11). In the New Testament though, God chose to dwell among His people in a far more personal way through becoming a man. So here, Jesus is, in the beginning with God, the creator of all things and coming to His creation was not recognized, coming to His own yet not being received by them. And yet, as many as would receive Him into their life, His Word of grace into their heart, He gave the right to become the sons of God, even as many as believed on His name (John 1:12). You cannot become a child of God by genealogy. I am not a child of God because my parents were Christians. My children, and grandchildren are not automatically Christians because of my choice, to want to become born again and become a Christian. It’s not something you can inherit from your parents or pass on to your children. But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name: who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God (John 1:12-14). The divine side of salvation: Ultimately it is not of man’s will that produces salvation but God’s will.
So we can learn from this at least two questions: Do you want to know what God is like? Do you want to know the truth about God? Then you/we must look at Jesus Christ, and study His life carefully. For He was and still is God manifested for us in the flesh. For the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, in order that He might reveal the Father unto man, so that man would not rely on false concepts about God. Later in His life John wrote other epistle letters, for we read in 1 John, And this is the testimony: that God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life. These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life, and that you may continue to believe in the name of the Son of God (vv.11-13). This summarizes the blessings of believer’s life through out the ages. Those who lived by faith, and believed the Words God has said, Has this testimony, that they can know that they have eternal life. And it is a life lived through the grace and truth He provides us.
Beloved friend, Being gentle and “full of grace” is a Christlike quality. Look at the way Jesus described Himself to those in need of His help: “Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.” (Matthew 11:28-30) Here is a description of the strongest and most loving Person the world has ever known. Strong enough to create the universe and wise enough to stand against the hypocrisy and self-centeredness of the most powerful people of His day. Yet, He did so while being full of both grace and truth. Jesus is reminding us that while love calls for truth, truth expressed without kindness is not loving as God loves. Join me would you? Let our actions match that of our declarations that Jesus Christ is indeed God incarnate, and is the only way to salvation for our world. May the Lord’s love through us, be full of grace and truth.
May the Lord bless your walk with Him today!
