In Him Was Life

: In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made. In him was life; and the life was the light of men. And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not. There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. The same came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all men through him might believe. He was not that Light, but was sent to bear witness of that Light. That was the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world. He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not. He came unto his own, and his own received him not. But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. And 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. John bare witness of him, and cried, saying, This was he of whom I spake, He that cometh after me is preferred before me: for he was before me. And of his fulness have all we received, and grace for grace. For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ.; (John 1:1-17)

The above passage of Scripture is one of those that is so full of meat (Hebrews 5:11-14) that it is often not fully understood and even with the help of the Holy Spirit we only see through a glass, darkly.: For we know in part, and we prophesy in part. But when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away. When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things. For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known. And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity.; (1 Corinthians 13:9-13)
It is pertinent here that a truth be commented on at this stage that has little to do with the main teaching; and this is that the Authorised Version of the Bible is the only one which gives a true understanding of the phrase "through a glass, darkly". All other versions so far consulted use the phrase "in a mirror" or some such.
There is a vast difference.
We are speaking of spiritual things here, so the things seen spiritually must be True.
In the days of Jesus of Nazareth (the Word that dwelt among us) the poor people did not have polished metal plates to use as mirrors and in any case mirrors as we know them were not yet invented. The poor people used a piece of cast glass with a layer of soot on one side as a mirror and if held up to the sun the light shone through.
The important point to understand is that the reflected image that was used in these home-made mirrors was a mirror image, in other words not a true picture, but the image seen through the dark smoky glass was unclear but the right way round.
Another example of what is meant is looking into a calm pool in a stream of clear water. You can brush your hair in the reflection off the water, but you can see every pebble in the bottom, reach down and pick one up.
This is the difference between the untrue, reflected, image that may appear clearer, and the true one which is not always immediately perceived.

The word of God tells us all we need to know to get on and stay on the narrow path (2 Peter 1:3), but there will be spiritual dimness from time to time and we need to have confidence that we are reading from God's word and not that which is contrived by the great deceiver.
So "see through a glass, darkly" does not give a lie to the truth that can be seen as we study to show ourselves approved with the guidance of the Holy Spirit.
Another word in the Corinthians passage that is different and has been commented on previously on this web site¹ is "charity". All other versions use the word "love". Love can be passive - you can just sit there and love someone, but charity is active - you will get up and do something for that person because you love him or her as yourself in the love of Jesus Christ.

Because most Christians do not understand the implications of the Blood Covenant² that came into effect at the time of their conversion, it's not realised that they have a loving responsibility to God through their Covenant Representative, Christ Jesus.

Just think on these things.

Therefore, seeing through a glass, darkly, we'll study the passage in John chapter one as best we can.
Who is Jesus?: 1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.; 2 The same was in the beginning with God.; 3 All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.; From the first two verses of Genesis chapter one we see that God who is spoken of was the Spiritual Person who we now know as Lord Jesus Christ. The Spirit of God was also present at the time.
: 4 In him was life; and the life was the light of men.; In verse three we see that Jesus also created physical light by which this writing can be read. Jesus also created and creates life. This mysterious thing that we call life cannot be created by man, only by God. Break a twig off a living shrub, stick it in the ground and care for it and the chances are that the life therein will cause it to grow.; Try it with a dead twig?; We see that the life was the light of men. The plants need physical light to live and so do we. Are we fully aware that our spiritual life, our living souls (Genesis 2:7), need spiritual light to flourish? It can only flourish if the way to that life is discovered. The way to that light has been determined by the Creator of that light, Christ Jesus. No one else.
: 5 And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not.; The word "comprehend" is one chosen by the original translators from a Greek word that also means "apprehend", "to lay hold of", "perceive". The verse therefore means that the darkness was not aware of the light and also had not the power to lay hold of or destroy it. Moreover, from Genesis chapter one we understand that darkness was upon the face of the earth. Darkness is the status quo, the default as it were. God (Jesus) spoke the light into existence, which enabled life to go forward. The spiritual light performs the same miracle. Therefore those persons who are in spiritual darkness cannot perceive nor understand to catch hold of the light of Truth. They might say that there is no God, or might walk away from your witnessing to them of the Light because they cannot or will not acknowledge the Truth.; This is confirmed in verse ten below.
: 6 There was a man sent from God, whose name was John.; 7 The same came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all men through him might believe.; 8 He was not that Light, but was sent to bear witness of that Light.; Are we God conscious and willing?
: 9 That was the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world.; 10 He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not.; All have the light of life and the Originator thereof has given it to them, but the true Light is not of this world and is not seen by worldly people.
: 11 He came unto his own, and his own received him not.; The people (nation) of the Covenant.
: 12 But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:; 13 Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.; Some individuals saw the Light.
: 14 And 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.; God stepped down from heaven, in love, to show the Light more clearly, and to others besides the Covenant nation.
: 15 John bare witness of him, and cried, saying, This was he of whom I spake, He that cometh after me is preferred before me: for he was before me.; 16 And of his fulness have all we received, and grace for grace.; They become Spirit orientated, reborn, that acknowledge Him.
: 17 For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ.; Here is the difference between the Old and New Covenants.

Jesus is God who became a man to show us the true Way (Hebrews 2:9-10).
I pray that this is or shall become reality to you.

Again, we see who Jesus was and is:: God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets, Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds; Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high; Being made so much better than the angels, as he hath by inheritance obtained a more excellent name than they. For unto which of the angels said he at any time, Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee? And again, I will be to him a Father, and he shall be to me a Son? And again, when he bringeth in the firstbegotten into the world, he saith, And let all the angels of God worship him. And of the angels he saith, Who maketh his angels spirits, and his ministers a flame of fire. But unto the Son he saith, Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever: a sceptre of righteousness is the sceptre of thy kingdom. Thou hast loved righteousness, and hated iniquity; therefore God, even thy God, hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy fellows. And, Thou, Lord, in the beginning hast laid the foundation of the earth; and the heavens are the works of thine hands: They shall perish; but thou remainest; and they all shall wax old as doth a garment; And as a vesture shalt thou fold them up, and they shall be changed: but thou art the same, and thy years shall not fail. But to which of the angels said he at any time, Sit on my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool?; (Hebrews 1:1-13)
: Therefore we ought to give the more earnest heed to the things which we have heard, lest at any time we should let them slip. For if the word spoken by angels was stedfast, and every transgression and disobedience received a just recompence of reward; How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation; which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed unto us by them that heard him; God also bearing them witness, both with signs and wonders, and with divers miracles, and gifts of the Holy Ghost, according to his own will?; (Hebrews 2:1-4)


¹ www.hosanna.org.za.
² Heart of the Gospel.