The gospel of John reveals Jesus as being full of grace and truth. Jesus is a complete contrast from the Old Testament law, which produced condemnation. John 1:17-18 "For the law was given through Moses, but grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. No one has seen God at any time. The only begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, He has declared Him (Jesus revealed Him as full of grace and truth)."
This opens up the main themes of the gospel of John represented in two major passages. John 8:31-32 "Then Jesus said to those Jews who believed Him, "If you continue in My word (the word of grace and truth, not the Old Testament Law), you are My disciples indeed, and you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free." Also John 13:34-35 "A new commandment I give to you, that you should love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another." When we continue in the Word of grace brought by Jesus, we are His disciples. When we extend that grace and love to others, people can actually see that we are His disciples. As we continue in the Word of grace, it cleanses us of the guilt and condemnation in our hearts that we experienced under the Old Testament Law. Then that grace and love are extended through us to other people. His Word of grace will have come to full fruition in our lives. Grace is His gift of righteousness to us, forgiving us of all our sins. Truth is God working in and through us, as we extend grace to others and walk in love toward them.
The gospel of John reveals John's transition from an Old Testament mindset of Law and condemnation to seeing God's grace and love through the Person of Jesus Christ. John was raised as a Jew under the Old Testament Law. In Luke 9:51-56, John and his brother James wanted to call down fire to destroy a village that did not receive Jesus, in a manner similar to Elijah in the Old Testament. In Luke 9:55-56 Jesus rebuked them and said "You do not know what manner of spirit you are of. For the Son of Man did not come to destroy men's lives but to save them." This event was part of John's transition to understand God's grace and love. John saw that God, Who in the beginning created the heavens and the earth, is full of grace toward people.
Jesus used the words light and darkness often in the gospel of John. As we shall see, the light represents the grace and love of God that was demonstrated in Jesus Christ. God gives us grace and righteousness as a free gift through His Son Jesus. The darkness represents the accusations and condemnation and judgment produced under the Old Testament Law given through Moses. The Law of Moses is just and holy and good. But when we try to earn our right-standing with God through our own attempts at self-righteousness by trying to keep the Old Testament Law, it produces condemnation and shows us our need for a Savior. When Jesus forgave the woman caught in the midst of adultery in John chapter 8, He said "I am the light of the world (grace and love); he who follows Me (in not condemning people for their sins but offering them grace) shall not walk in darkness (accusing and condemning others for their sins), but shall have the light of life."
John 1:1-4 "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made. In Him was life, and the life was the light of men." In the beginning is a reference to Genesis 1:1 and the story of creation. John is stating that this God Who created the world in the beginning is a God Who is love. 1 John 4:8 states that God is love. His very life and nature is love and grace. That life, that grace and love, was the light of men.
John 1:5-14 "And the light (His grace demonstrated through Jesus) shines in the darkness (condemnation in the hearts of people), and the darkness did not comprehend it. There was a man sent from God, whose name was John (John the Baptist). This man came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all through him might believe. He was not that Light, but was sent to bear witness of that Light. That was the true Light which gives light (grace and truth) to every man coming into the world. He was in the world, and the world was made through Him, and the world did not know Him (know that God is love). He came to His own (the Jewish people), and His own did not receive Him. 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. And the Word (Jesus) 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."
It is easy to see that Jesus is the Light. He is full of grace and truth. So the light is the grace of God extended to us through Jesus. Darkness or condemnation from the Old Testament Law is expelled from us when we receive the Light.
John 1:16-18 "And of His fullness (Jesus is full of grace and truth) we have all received, and grace upon grace. For the law was given through Moses, but grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. No one has seen God at any time. The only begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, He has declared Him (Jesus revealed God to be full of grace and truth and love for us)."
John is making a complete contrast between the Old Testament law, given through Moses, and the grace and truth by Jesus Christ in the New Testament. The Old Testament Law brings the knowledge of sin and fear of punishment. But Jesus died for the sins of our entire lifetime, past, present and future. We are made righteous by what Jesus did for us. We should have no more fear of punishment from God.
Keith Oliver
No comments:
Post a Comment