John 1:1-5 - True God

Joshua Carpenter
4 days ago
3 min read

Never forget the lengths God has gone for you.

Cartoon of Ole and Lena smiling, with Ole in green cap and Lena in yellow headscarf. Text shows a humorous conversation about inheritance based on Psalm 49. — ourdailyverse.com

John 1:1-5 (ESV)

1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was in the beginning with God. 3 All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made. 4 In him was life, and the life was the light of men. 5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.

Canons of Dordt

Point 1 - God's Unconditional Election

Point 2 - Limited Atonement

Articles 1-3

Article 4: Reasons For The Infinite Value of Christ’s Death

This death is of such great value and worth for the reason that
1. the person who suffered it is—
  1. as was necessary to be our Savior—
  2. not only a true and perfectly holy human,
    1. but also the only begotten Son of God,
    2. of the same eternal and infinite essence with the Father and the Holy Spirit.
2. Another reason is that this death was accompanied by the experience of God’s wrath and curse, which we by our sins had fully deserved.

Summary

'Was when He was not…,' 'Was not when He was not…'

If you lived in the early 300s AD, you could have heard slogans or jingles along these lines. Throughout the early Church, various points of theology were being hammered out and nailed down; in this particular case, the deity of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ was being vigorously debated.

So, what do these two phrases mean? 'Was when He was not' translates out to be that there was a time when Jesus did not exist, that He was a creation of the Father at some point in time. This is what is known as the Arian heresy, which was espoused early on in the Church.

The other, 'Was not when He was not,' is the biblical doctrine that we believe, uphold, promote, and defend, that there has never been a time when Jesus did not exist. He is co-eternal with the Father and the Holy Spirit, One God forever and ever; as the Canons put it: Jesus is of the same eternal and infinite essence with the Father and the Holy Spirit.

As we read just a few moments ago in the beginning of John’s Gospel account, 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 was not any thing made that was made.

Jesus has existed from all eternity, as John reminds us here, and He is one hundred percent God!

Dig Deeper

The beautiful and wonderful truth that Jesus is fully God is so important to our theology, especially to our salvation, as we’re going to see more in depth on Wednesday. But as we’ve been seeing throughout the year, our theology is not just dry, head knowledge, but practical.

The amazing truth that Jesus is one hundred percent God should lead us to such praise and worship since He Who is eternal God - the One who created Heaven and earth, who created you and me, who willingly humbled Himself as He took on our flesh in order to save, redeem, and reconcile us to Himself!

When the enemy would tempt you, trying to get you to doubt God’s love and care for you, remember the unfading truth that He Who is God from eternity, came and was born, lived, died, and rose again for you and me! Never forget the lengths that He was willing to go for you, as He showed you just how much He loves and cares for you!

AAA Prayer (About)

ACKNOWLEDGE WHO GOD IS: Our Father, who made all things through the Word;
ALIGN YOUR LIFE WITH GOD'S WILL: Pray that you would live in the truth of knowing that He Who Is God became flesh to give you peace with God;
ASK GOD FOR WHAT YOU NEED: