Monday, March 21, 2011

John 1:1 and God's "word of life" from 1 John 1

Before a car materializes on the road,it exists within the heart and mind of the designer.Before a warm home is inhabited and appreciated by a family,it exists within the heart and the mind of an architect and builders.Before Yahuwah's plans for mankind and gifts to mankind materialize in the flesh,you better believe they exist within his heart and mind.

Job 10:13: Yet these things you *hid in your heart*;I know that this was your *purpose.*

So Yahuwah's purposes are hidden in his heart before they enter the real world.

Job 23:13 he is unchangeable, and who can turn him back?What he *desires*, that he does.14 For he will complete what he *appoints* for me,and many such things are *in his mind.*

Discussing the much misused and misunderstood John 1:1,we must ask ourselves:What IS God's "word" thousands of times in the Hebraic mindset of the bible authors and to our creator?Well,it can mean a number of things.Some of the ways it's used in scripture are:as a powerful utterance,a self expressive medium,a decree,a promise,an intention,a design,a plan,an extension of Yahuwah himself.So what was this word hidden in and "with" God from the beginning?Let's see if we can't discover texts that can be used along with John 1:1 to shed light on the matter that John presents to us.

Colossians 1:25 I became a minister according to the stewardship from God that was given to me for you, to make the word of God fully known, 26 the mystery hidden for ages and generations but now revealed to his saints. 27 To them God chose to make known how great among the Gentiles are the riches of the glory of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.

So the word of God isn't a pre-existing spirit entity that transmigrated into a human womb in these texts but rather "the mystery hidden for ages and generations" but "now revealed" to his saints."This entailed our hope of glory and eternal life in Christ.:).How else is this described for us in scripture?

1 Corinthians 2:7 But we impart a secret and hidden wisdom of God, which God decreed before the ages for our glory.

and verse 9 says:

“What no eye has seen, nor ear heard,
nor the heart of man imagined,
what God has prepared for those who love him”

So this word that was with God(also the hidden wisdom of God imo) was something that God "prepared for those who love him."It was the "secret and hidden wisdom of God" which he "decreed before the ages for our glory."

To quote James Dunn from "Christology in the Making"

"The thought is not so much of pre-existence as of predetermination;it is the MYSTERY that was "hidden for ages",not Christ.Christ is the content of this mystery as he is the content of the word of preaching.God having previously kept hidden his purpose has now realized it in Christ Jesus.(Eph. 3:11)--Christ,in other words,seen not so much as the mystery itself,but rather as the mystery revealed,the one who had from the beginning been predetermined to bring the divine master plan for men and world to its fulfillment."p.236

For man and woman,what is the most exceptional,significant,and important decree and purpose(again,God's *word* is his will and decree) that existed with God before it manifested itself to us?First it was with and within God,then spoken and prophesied,before it came to be.Well,that would be his intention to gift eternal life to faithful mankind in a savior.According to the holy word of God,Christians were seated in & raised up with Christ long ago.We were also glorified,possessing grace with God before time even began!(2 Tim. 1:9,Eph. 2:5,6,Rom. 8:28-30)Though we didn't pre-exist,faithful Christians existed in God's sure decrees.To quote James Dunn:

"It is the divine purpose for Christ which existed from the beginning,not the one in whom it should be fulfilled;just as Paul can speak of the divine purpose similarly predetermined for those who believe in Christ(Rom. 8:28-30)No thought of the personal pre-existence of either Christ or the believers is involved."p.235 "Christology in the Making"

Specifically,what does the bible actually *call* those plans and intentions of Yahuwah to give life to faithful mankind in Yahushua?We've already discussed a few ways it's described already,but another very important poignant descriptor is also that found in 1 John ch. 1,as Yah's "word of life."This "word of life" is "the word that was in the beginning with God."Even in trinitarian bias bibles,this word of life is called an "it."That,my friends,is significant considering the fact that trinitarians would call it blasphemy to refer to the word in John ch. 1 as an "it" before it manifest itself in Christ,considering they believe that "Word" was a literal spirit being(Yah) in heaven that transmigrated into a human womb.Let us examine 1 John 1,please,while we keep in mind these texts' explicit correlation with John chapter 1:

1 John 1:1:That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we looked upon and have touched with our hands, concerning the *word of life*— 2 the life was made manifest(became flesh?Jn 1:14), and we have seen *it*, and testify to *it* and proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father(in the beginning with God?Jn 1:1) and was made manifest to us— 3 that which we have seen and heard we proclaim also to you

Titus 1:2 might help us understand this even further.It says:

"a faith and knowledge resting on the hope of eternal life, which God, who does not lie, promised before the beginning of time"


So what was manifest was a *promise* of eternal life which was fulfilled in Christ,as opposed to a preexistent spirit entity manifesting.Also,notice again,that even in trinitarian bias bibles the "word of life" is termed an "it" as opposed to a "him" and even a "which" as opposed to a "who."No doubt it became a "him" and a "who" when Christ fulfilled it and was manifest in the flesh.Before that,Yahushua was present(throughout the OT) in prophecy,in typology,in prefigurement,in foreshadowings,in God's heart and mind poignantly as the eventual fulfillment of and heir of all things!Could there be anything more amazing?He wasn't a spirit entity waiting to become a man or a Godman but rather God's word of life ready to be revealed when the "fullness of time" came.That word of life that was in the beginning with God.When,again,was this "mystery",this "word of life",this "hope of glory",this self-revelation of(in that in it was life,light,and love) of Yahuwah manifest to man in and through his Son?

Galatians 4:4 But *when the fullness of time had come*, God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law

This would correlate with "the mystery hidden for ages and generations *now* revealed to his saints" from Colossians.And the word of life becoming manifest to the saints.(1 John 1:2)Also the word of God becoming flesh.(John 1:14)The word (or decree and plan to give immortality and glory to mankind in Yahushua) was revealed in the Last Adam,when "the fullness of time had come."To articulate all this even further,examine:

Ephesians 1:9: making known to us the *mystery of his will, according to his purpose, which he set forth in Christ*

So we have God's will and purpose which was mysterious till Christ was manifest.This,I believe,was his word of life,the word that was in the beginning with God,manifest in Christ in the Last days.Going further in the same chapter in Ephesians,we have:

10 as *a plan for the fullness of time*, to unite all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth.11 In him we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to the *purpose* of him who works all things according to the counsel of his *will*, 12 so that we who were the first to hope in Christ might be to the praise of his glory. 13 In him you also, when you heard the *word of truth, the gospel of your salvation,* and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit,

So even further we have a "plan for the fullness of time" that involved our inheritance in Christ,which was God's "purpose" according to his own "will".This was also known as his "word of truth" and the "gospel of our salvation."It is my view and the view of many others that this was the decree and purpose that was with God in his heart and mind that manifests itself in the flesh in Messiah Yahushua.Yes,this "word of life","word of truth",and "gospel of our salvation" manifest itself in John ch. 1 when the word became flesh.

So God's purpose and intent to give life to mankind was made flesh in Yahushua who,as a genuine man,as opposed to GOD with ONLY the "nature" of a genuine man,dwelt among mankind.He brought God the FATHER's light,life giving power,and love to mankind.While fulfilling all things and every gospel promise and decree that was most significant for the life of mankind and the guarantee of a kingdom.Christ was the incarnation of the FATHER's WORD,as opposed to the incarnation of the second person of a triune essence.

Yahushua was "foreknown before the foundation of the world but was made manifest in the last times for the sake of you."(1 Peter 1:20)

Dunn says:

"The contrast is not between pre-existence and incarnation,but between that which was predestined and that which was revealed.Christ was the one who was thus predestined and who was thus revealed or who appeared at the right time just as planned.In other words,Peter may well mean(in 1 Peter 1:20)that what was "made manifest" was not so much Christ as what was pre-destined for Christ,God's eternal plan of salvation for Christ,believers,and the world."p.237

Yes,Yah has in "these *last days* spoken to us by his Son."(Heb. 1:2)The Son became his word to mankind in that Christ fulfilled ALL things and also in that God spoke through him to man in a number of ways after he was manifest to us.The word with God in the beginning was a "decree" for our "glory"(1 Cor. 2:7,again)and "eternal life."(1 Jn. 2:25,5:11)

Acts 2:23 says "this Jesus, delivered up according to the definite plan and foreknowledge of God, you crucified and killed by the hands of lawless men."The word of God made flesh,manifest,encompassed,and fulfilled in Yahushua indeed!This was the decree and will of God long before it came to fruition in historical reality in Christ.

Ephesians 3:11 says further that "This was his eternal plan, which he carried out through Christ Jesus our Lord."

So in the respect that God plans,schemes, and thinks what comes to be before it's spoken forth and made material and tenable,God's "word" encapsulates both the plan and then it's realization.It's hidden in and with him,then spoken forth into existence,brought about by his spirit.

What I've covered here should also make clear that the word of God that was the word of life with God from the beginning could also properly be described as :

1."the mystery hidden for ages and generations" but "now revealed" to his saints,our "hope of glory" in Christ.(Col. 1:25-27)
2."a secret and hidden wisdom of God, which God decreed before the ages for our glory"(1 Cor. 2:7)
3.something that God had "prepared for those who love him" before time began.(1 Cor. 2:9,2 Tim. 1:9,Rom. 8:28-30)
4.a decree of eternal life for faithful mankind in Christ.(1 John 1:1-3)
5."the mystery of his(Yah's) will, according to his purpose, which he set forth in Christ as a plan for the fullness of time, to unite all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth."(Eph. 1:9-12)
6."God's eternal plan carried out through Christ Jesus our Lord."(Eph. 3:11)
7."a promise of eternal life for us since before time began."(Titus 1:2)



We should be attempting to understand how GOD HIMSELF and JOHN(along with other bible authors) connected God's word with his hidden eternal life decree and mysterious purpose revealed in Christ when the fullness of time came.Instead,most Christians keep God's word in their modern little box where they've managed to disconnect it from all that while they proceed to call it a pre-existent spirit entity distinct from God the father.What was manifest when Christ was born?God's purpose to give life to the world or the second person of a triune substance?Christ encompassed the gospel in the flesh.As the revealer and fulfiller of its content.There is no way if John 1:1 said "In the beginning was the gospel" you would think "In the beginning was another person of a God who's three people."Why is it any different for "word?"Let God's word define itself while attempting to understand how it became Christ(as the fulfiller of all things!) and you will have the answer to God's "mystery",as opposed to inventing your own.Mysteries get revealed and are meant to be understood when they are.:)No,the mystery wasn't a trinity but rather something and someone in the foreknowledge and magnificent will of the Most High manifest(made flesh) for our very lives and infinite sustenance.Yahushua *became* God's word to mankind as the fulfillment of it!Yes ,"no matter how many promises God has made, they are "Yes" in Christ."(2 Corinthians 1:20)God showed his OWN love and light,his own intent to give LIFE to man in Christ.Christ was an incarnation of the *father's* "word of life" as opposed to the incarnation of a pre-existing son with the actual name "Word" or "word of life."

4 comments:

  1. Hello, Kellie:

    Certainly using 1 John 1:1-3 provides for a persuasive reading of John 1:1ff as it relates to the "word" and what "it" or "he" is.

    I think 1 John 1:1-3 legitimizes your view of John 1. Good stuff.

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  2. Hey Ivan.Glad it made sense to you.I put some TLC in this blog so thanks for appreciating.

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  3. You got it right! Have you ever visited kingdomready.org/blog?

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  4. Yes,Jaco.Kingdomready is one of my favorite sites and I've subscribed to their blog.

    ReplyDelete