“And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.” John 1:14
It has been said that “truth is not mine, until it becomes me.” Is there a Biblical precedent for saying such a thing, and if so, what is the practical outworking of it? In John’s gospel, we find him writing of “the beginning” of all creation, and that which existed before creation. He speaks of “the Word,” that expression used not only of someone who was WITH God the Father, but who WAS God. In the progression of his thoughts, John makes it very clear that the reason for which the eternal “Word” is revealed to men is first and foremost to give light to men, the light and knowledge of Himself as the truth. Without the revelation of that light, there is only darkness, the absence of the knowlege of the truth, so essential in knowing the Life of God, and experiencing the power of that life to overcome, and escape the darkness.
It is then that John brings us face to face with the identity of this Word, who is God, for he speaks of Him “…coming unto his own, and His own receiving Him not.” (1:11) This Living Word is the giver of power to sinners far and near, who receive the Light. He is that One by whom the world was made. By His power, believers become sons of God. These are those who are “born of God,” by the miraculous and blessed intervention of God in the life. Lest there be any doubt as to the identity of this Word, John continues by declaring that, “…the Word was made 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.” (v.14) It is here at this point, that the great truth and power of Christ’s coming and dwelling among us is made clear. It is further declared clearly in the book of Hebrews, when the author writes: “Wherefore when He cometh into the world, he saith, ‘Sacrifice and offering Thou wouldest not, but a body hast Thou prepared for Me.” (10:5) The great issue here is that the eternal God, who is Spirit, and must be worshipped in Spirit and truth, has come to us, this fallen world, here taking upon Himself flesh and blood, to dwell among us, revealing the light of His nature and truth, and communicating His power to men so that they might be saved out of darkness to live in His glorious light. The eternal Truth was made flesh, and dwelt among us, and as John put it: “…we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.” (1:14) So, how does the coming of Christ into the world, revealing His grace and glory, ministering to fallen men, and accomplishing a perfect work on the cross, apply to the individual? How does God’s truth become flesh and blood in him?
First, let us begin with things as they are. Paul wrote to the Ephesian believers, “For we are members of His body, of His flesh, and of His bones.” (5:30) What does this mean? The moment a person is placed into Jesus Christ by the Father, at the moment of his conversion to Christ, and the new birth by the Spirit, he is forever baptized into Him, into His death, burial, and resurrection. The new man created at that moment, is one that is placed in union with the Son of God by the Spirit. Though the body of Christ is primarlly a spiritual body, yet, our physical bodies also become the very extension of His own, as he dwells in the heart. All that the believer is and has in Christ is now available to him, so that by faith, the truth of his union with Christ should be seen in flesh and blood. Christ is then revealed in us.
Dear Father, Fill us with Christ. In Jesus’ name, Amen.