“The Living Word” ~ ✨
In 1 John 1:1, the aged John revealed himself as the last remaining of the twelve apostles—one who had seen with his own eyes, touched with his own hands, and walked with the Lord Jesus Christ for three years. Therefore, what the Apostle John declares in the Gospel of John and his three epistles is truth and reality personally experienced. By the authority of his own experience and his divine appointment as an apostle, he speaks as he is moved by the Holy Spirit.
What John proclaims is the “Word of Life” which was from the beginning—beginning with “eternal life” (1 John 1:2) and concluding with “eternal life” (1 John 5:20). This “which was from the beginning” refers to what is declared in John 1:1: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” The final book of the Bible, the Revelation, was also written by John, who records in Revelation 22:13: “I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End.”
The Greek word for “Word” is Logos. “The Word of Life” thus means the Word that is Life. This Word of Life is the essence of the Christian faith—that life is in Jesus Christ, and this life is the light of men (John 1:4). The words Jesus Christ speaks to us are spirit and life (John 6:63). Moreover, Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today and forever (Hebrews 13:8).
For believers who have never seen Jesus with their own eyes, touched Him with their hands, or walked with Him for three years, how can they know that they are abiding in the Word of Life? I offer the following four reflections:
1) Knowledge + Insight:
Personal knowledge refers to one’s understanding of Scripture. The Scriptures bear witness to Jesus Christ (John 5:39); they are inspired by God (2 Timothy 3:16). Personal insight is the union of biblical knowledge with one’s lived experience of God. Every word that proceeds from the mouth of God is powerful for those who believe and trust in Him (Luke 1:37).
2) Emulating Christ:
Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the living God (Matthew 16:16), and also the Son of Man (Luke 1:30–31, 35). Though He was in the form of God, He did not count equality with God something to be grasped, but emptied Himself, taking the form of a servant, being born in human likeness. And being found in human form, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross (Philippians 2:6–8). Through Christ’s humility and obedience, God accomplished salvation. Those who are saved and born again are to bear the image of Christ and follow His example (Colossians 3:10).
3) The Character of a Believer:
The Lord’s Sermon on the Mount presents an eightfold heart (Matthew 5:3–10)—a heart that is poor in spirit, mournful, meek, hungering and thirsting for righteousness, merciful, pure, peacemaking, and willing to endure persecution for righteousness’ sake. The heart of a believer is revealed through such spiritual discipline.
4) Fellowship and Communion:
2 Peter 1:4–17 teaches that believers are to become partakers of the divine nature, having received God’s precious and magnificent promises. Therefore, we must flee from the corruption that is in the world through lust, for such lust is not from the Father (1 John 2:16).
Peter outlines eight virtues: add to faith, virtue; to virtue, knowledge; to knowledge, self-control; to self-control, perseverance; to perseverance, godliness; to godliness, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, love.
Fellowship is the sharing of one another’s lives in spirit and truth, with the purpose of manifesting how the Lord loved us—so we ought also to love one another. By this, all will know that we are His disciples (John 13:34–35).
In short: knowledge joined with insight, the emulation of Christ, and the cultivation of character and virtue that shares in the nature of God and the excellence of Jesus. Through love for our brothers and sisters in the Lord and for all people, the radiant glory of God’s grace is revealed through those who are born again of the Spirit.
God’s will is for humanity to be restored in relationship with Him as His children, and to glorify Him by being conformed to the image of His firstborn Son, Jesus Christ. Therefore, let us purify ourselves from what is dishonourable, and we will be vessels of honour, sanctified, useful to the Master, and prepared for every good work (2 Timothy 2:21)—for the glory of God.
The covenant sealed by the Word is the one and only truth. The Word of truth declares that all have sinned. Our ancestors Adam and Eve sinned and brought sin into the world. Sinners must repent.
Yet John presses believers towards the highest standard. He declares: “No one who abides in Him sins; no one who sins has seen Him or known Him” (1 John 3:6). And again: “No one born of God makes a practice of sinning, for God’s seed abides in him; and he cannot keep on sinning, because he has been born of God” (1 John 3:9).
The born-again of a Christian is through the Spirit of God. Adam, the first man, was formed by the hand of God; Eve was the second. All their descendants are born according to the flesh. That which is born of the flesh is flesh; that which is born of the Spirit is spirit (John 3:6).
If anyone claims to be without sin, he deceives himself, and the Spirit of truth is not in him. Where truth does not dwell in a believer’s heart, the indwelling Holy Spirit is not present. Yet even in those who do have the indwelling Spirit, as Paul describes in Romans 7:21–25, the law of the flesh still wages war against the Spirit.
Thus, the Lord who saved us is still saving us now, and will save us still. The Holy Spirit, our Comforter, guides and preserves our love for God and our strength to walk with Him. Through watchful prayer and communion with the Spirit, our minds and actions are united in Christ.
When we know and testify that Christ is all and is in all, our lives become abundant and vibrant. Scripture affirms that we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand for us to do (Ephesians 2:10).
Those who do good seek not their own advantage, keep no record of wrongs, and are not easily angered. Day by day, we train ourselves in Christ—humbling ourselves, submitting, bearing all things, believing all things, hoping all things, enduring all things. A life so lived is a life that glorifies God.
From the day of our born-again life until eternity, we offer thanksgiving and praise as our sacrifice, serving God day and night, forever and ever. Amen!
✨✨💖 ~
en yan hua fang 