In John 1:4 we find recorded a simple, yet incredibly deep statement, the understanding of and obedience to which are essential for the attainment of eternal life. This series will prove that both understanding and obedience relative to this life or death Truth are lacking within professing Christendom. This Satan-induced travesty was prophesied by Jesus in Matthew 7:13,14 and 22:14, as well as several other passages. From day one, under the direction of the Holy Spirit of God, I have delivered this Biblical Truth extensively and exclusively to that which calls itself “the church.” I have not in the past, nor will I in the future, deviate from that God-directed Scripturally-focused message as long as He directs me to do so. That day will arrive, for a time is coming when His Word will not be available to mankind. Men will “run to and fro” in a desperate search for it (Amos 8:12), but it will have been outlawed by a world-ruling power that was discussed in the series titled The Sign, the Sabbath and the Serpent. Key word–Serpent. Therefore, let us “work while it is day, for night comes when no man will be allowed to (do God’s) work” (Jn. 9:4). This will take place during the time leading up to and during the 3 1/2 year Tribulation Period that will end with the return of Jesus Christ to earth. Read What is the Great Tribulation? Key word–Tribulation.

Notice in John 1:4 that the apostle states that IN Christ is (eternal) life. Notice also that he equates that which was IN Christ and ETERNAL LIFE itself–they are one and the same. So what was in Christ that, when placed within others, produced eternal life? As we will see, the answer LIGHT and is still the answer for those whom God has assigned to bear that light. But what is that light? As we will see, that LIGHT is GOD’S WORD. That Jesus, in His spirit, pre-human form was called “the Word,” and in that while on earth He called Himself THE LIGHT shows us that He was God’s Word, which was also His light, which was life also life itself. In this series we will learn what God says about these Truths. I admit that I do not understand some of the ways of God. As he said, some of His ways are not known by man (Rom. 11:33).

Not even Jesus knows everything (Mat. 24:3,36/ Acts 1:6). Because He was 100% man He did not, and still does not know everything. For example, He did not and still does not know the time of His return to earth. THOUGH THE WORD WAS A SPIRIT, HE (JESUS) IS NOW, AND WILL FOREVER BE A MAN. Note in First Timothy 2:5 that “The MAN Jesus Christ” NOW sits at the right hand of the Father in heaven. As a man, He knows neither the day nor the hour of His return to earth to “restore AGAIN the kingdom” (to Israel)–Acts 1:6) as it had been under King David. When asked by Saul of Tarsus to identify Himself, Jesus said: “I am Jesus of Nazareth, Whom you persecute” (Acts 22:8). Note that, years after His death and resurrection, He continued to identify Himself by using both His human name and home town.

Relative to the Jesus-light-life connection, it is written in Matthew 4:16: “The people who lived in (spiritual) darkness saw a great light, and to them which lived in the region and shadow of death (darkness), light appeared” in the person of Jesus of Nazareth Who came to bring light into the world. In John 9:5 He gave a direct statement relative to the light that came into the dark world, as well as a hint concerning the relationship of those who would serve Him to that same light. He said: “As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.” Later He told His disciples in reference to the disciples’ lives and ministries, “You are the (same) light of the world” (Mat. 5:14). Obviously, Jesus and the 12 disciples were 13 different men, with different personalities and different ways of saying and doing things. However, in that they were ALL THE SAME LIGHT. THERE HAD TO BE SOMETHING THAT THEY ALL HAD THAT MADE THEM ALIKE. That something had to be a commodity that they all possessed–something that was IN them made them all the same. That something was the LIGHT (WORD) OF GOD.

Now notice that Jesus said that He WAS (not had) the light, and that the disciples WERE (not had) that same light, something had to happen that made them what they possessed–God’s Word. This means that they were so filled with God’s Word that they SPIRITUALLY BECAME WHAT THEY HAD RECEIVED–GOD’S WORD. THEY BECAME WHAT THEY SPIRITUALLY INGESTED–THE HOLY WORD FROM GOD GIVEN TO THEM BY WAY OF HE HOLY SCRIPTURES. NOTE IT: THEY WERE ALL THE SAME–THEY WERE ALL THE WORD MADE FLESH. GOD IDENTIFIES WITH HIS WORD, WHICH IS HIS WILL IN WRITTEN FORM. GOD’S WORD IS GOD IN WRITTEN FORM. JESUS, THE WORD MADE FLESH, WAS GOD’S WORD IN HUMAN FORM. THE DISCIPLES, WITH THE EXCEPTION OF JUDAS, WERE GOD IN HUMAN FORM. FOR THIS REASON JESUS SAID THAT TO SEE HIM WAS TO SEE THE FATHER.

This being God’s Truth, those who will rise to meet Him in the first resurrection, who will rule and reign with Him from their earthly headquarters (New Jerusalem) must, in this life, “walk even as He walked” (1 Jn. 2:6), “keep themselves pure even as He is pure” (1 Jn. 3:3) and “overcome (Satan’s temptations) even as I (He) overcame (him)” so that they can rule the universe with Him from His throne (Rev. 3:21). In summary, in order to rule and reign with Him forever means that TO SEE A TRUE CHILD OF GOD IS TO SEE GOD. So much for the devil’s “repeat after me and you are saved” garbage coming out of the mouths of His false prophets every sun god worship day–Sunday–which Roman Emperor Constantine called “the venerable (holy) day of the sun (god)”, and on television, and in movies, books and magazines and on the street. Satan is working overtime because he knows and believes the Scriptures and therefore knows that his time is short. He has captured the vast majority of the world’s people. He wants to affect a total sweep which he is coming ever closer to accomplishing as the churches continue to be drawn into his web of deceit. Like dominos, the churches are falling for his “come as you are; stay as you are; Jesus loves you the way you are. Just love Him and remember to repent” mantras that are being put forth as Gospel Truth (Gal. 1:6-9). For this reason God commands true salvation seekers to come out of that “unclean thing” (the counterfeit church) never again to “touch” it (2 Cor. 6:14-7:1). ONLY THEN will He be one’s God and one will be His child.

God’s true saints are what the Apostle Peter says they are in First Peter 2:9, which is what Jesus was when He walked this earth. He was, and God’s people are, the Lord’s light to those around them whose light draws true Truth seekers to them, whose light lights all who are in “the house,” meaning those who are under the influence of those through whom God’s light shines, in whom His Word is manifested in their thoughts, words and deeds.

“The eyes of the Lord are upon the righteous, and His ears are open to their prayers” (Ps. 34:15). Notice that the psalmist, writing under the power of the Holy Spirit, did not say that God hears sinners saved by grace, or those who have completed a prescribed ritual, taken Jesus as their Savior and been baptized. Jesus said that God would fill with righteousness ONLY THOSE WHO HUNGER AND THIRST FOR IT AND WILL WALK IN IT AFTER RECEIVING IT. The righteousness necessary to receive eternal life must be appropriated through hungering and thirsting for it, then, having received it, continue to live in it “until the end.” Only those who “endure (in righteousness) until the end in spite of the church’s hatred and rejection will be saved” (Mat. 10:22). The unchurched world does not hate the saint because they do not care what he/she does, says or thinks. The church hates God’s people because, as Jesus said, “Darkness hates the light because it exposes its sins” (Jn. 3:20).

Those who are accepted on a spiritual level by the Institutional Church are not God’s people. Jesus said that religious people hated Him, and that they would hate those who follow Him, and for the same reason–light exposes darkness. Recall that the religious people caused Him and the apostles to be martyred. Let us be about righteousness and holiness, the end result of is eternal life (Rom. 5:21 and 6:22). Let us be God’s light/Word made flesh in this life, thereby assuring ourselves of eternal life in the presence of the Father and the Son. L.J.