Life and Light to Men

Whom, existing from the beginning, whom we heard, whom we saw with our eyes, whom we looked upon, and our hands have touch, concerning the Word of Life, this Life we bring to Light, and behold and witness and proclaim to you the Eternal Life, that existed with the Father and which is brought to Light to us. Whom we have seen and heard we proclaim also to you that you too might have fellowship with us and indeed the fellowship of ours, together with the Father and with the One Son Jesus Christ. These things we are writing that your joy may be complete.^

It is an amazing thing that He who existed from the beginning, He came to earth, and they heard His words, they looked upon Him, and with their hands touched, whom was in the beginning. "In the beginning existed the Word and the Word existed with the One God and the Word existed God."^  They heard, saw, and touched the Word of Life, who was in the beginning. "He existed in the beginning with the One God and all creation in Him, and a part from Him not one was created whom He did not create."^  And this is what it means concerning the Word of Life, that He gives Life, so He who created all in the beginning has "made us alive." We exist a new creation in Christ who came as Life and Light to men.

In Him exists Life, and that Life exists the Light of spiritual man, and the Light came to appear in the darkness and the darkness perceives it not, not laying hold of the same.^

Concerning the Word of Life, He came as a Light placed upon a lamp stand in a dark world. Darkness doesn't lay hold of it, but those who love truth, these come to the Light. So we see keys to believing; perceive, lay hold of the Word of Life; hear, look upon, consider, behold, touch. "For this is the will of the Father, that everyone who looks upon the Son and believes in Him, has eternal Life..."^ This word for look upon means "to see, behold, look at, watch closely; perceive, consider, experience, to come to a knowledge of." When we hear the Word of Life, the Father reveals the knowledge of the Son, through the Holy Spirit, so all who look upon the Son, "all whom the Father gives me comes near me; and the one who comes near me, I in no way turn away."^

This exists the message we heard from him and proclaim to you: God exists light and exists absolutely no darkness in Him. If saying that fellowship we have with Him but follow in the darkness, we lie and are not established in truth.^

In the beginning, God said, "Let there be light, and there was light. And God saw that the light was good. And God separated the light from the darkness."^ The concept of following Christ is that we are being established in truth, walking or living in the Light, abiding. Jesus said to the Jews who had believed in him, "If whoever abides in the One, my Word, this one exists truly my disciple, and perceiving the truth and the truth is your liberation."^ We know that Freedom from darkness comes in the Light, one must lay hold of it, not being overcome by darkness. We see perceiving (or understanding in the knowledge of the Son, or personally experiencing and knowing Jesus the truth) comes through revelation of the Spirit and by abiding in the vine, or the Word of Life, this sets one free from darkness. 

If we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin.^

Remember that Satan is a deceiver, a liar, the accuser of the brethren, and he masquerades as light. It is why a lying tongue, one that falsely accuses a brother is an abomination to God. Satan works to enslave men to evil and to destroy the creation of God. Paul writes, evil wars through the flesh, against the Spirit bringing us into captivity, so wretched is the child of God who has not found the ability to overcome the flesh as these are kept enslaved to evil. Those who are enslaved are under the influence of the principalities of darkness, thus they walk in darkness. Paul writes, many of these spirits are being introduced in the Church through doctrines, teachings, and traditions of men. We see such in teachings of authority that "lords" over others, making them untouchable nor accountable to the Body and truth. 

Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.^

At work in these false teachings are spirits of darkness, whose ultimate goal is to cause little children to stumble, to lead the Church astray. The child deceived doesn't come to the Light because he doesn't trust it, having believed a lie and because there are spiritual forces at work, like a spirit of condemnation. Where did he believe the lie? In the world? Many have come under the influence of spirits of fear, condemnation, shame, and guilt... through teachings in the Church. Such is profound, the monstrous deception of it is that such spirits masquerade as light, deceiving many. To enslave and to cause children to stumble is its goal, thus it controls and manipulates. Now, anyone who is being manipulated, knows something is wrong, but when you introduce spirits which masquerade as light?

I have come into the world as a light, so that everyone who believes in me should not abide in darkness.*

Jesus came as a Light, giving us not a spirit of fear, but power, love, and He is working in us, giving us power and ability, transforming us through the renewing of our minds, not destroying trust, but building us up in all things good, teaching us, perfecting us through love. In this we find Life, being grounded in His great love for us. He is proving trustworthy and faithful. This is the fellowship we have with the Father and Son. Seek the truth, the Word of Life, many of His words are written in the new testament, which means new covenant, established in His blood. Do not follow false teachers who walk in darkness or you will fall in darkness with them. 

But if walking in the light, as he is in the light, having fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, the one his Son, purifies us from all sin.^

What does it mean to have fellowship? Oneness, unity of Spirit, bond of peace, faith active in love, truth in love; fruit of the Spirit, faith, love, joy, peace, long suffering, gentleness... Is not fellowship communion? "doesn't it exist as a sharing in the blood of Christ?"* We know we have been cleansed, washed by the blood of Jesus, those who Jesus wash are a part of Him, and we see Jesus washes the feet of the disciples. How can I say I have fellowship with Christ and not have fellowship with a brother? How can I falsely accuse my brother? or if I have worldly goods turn my heart from his need? I walk in darkness. If I say I do not sin, the truth is not in me. So how do we walk in Light? We see we have spiritual forces of darkness against us, so we need to know the truth, to seek it and to guard our hearts and minds from false teachings. And the doctrine that counts, is one insight of faith, as Paul writes, faith active in love.

Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth.*

The carnal mind is not subject to the things of God, thus how can one walk in the Light if the mind is hostile toward God? We see the answer in the prayer of Jesus, "sanctify them by the truth." One must hear or read the Word of Life, and must receive or come to the Light, behold, look upon the Light and believing in Jesus. The one who looks and believes has Life and Light in him, being born from above. Only if we were made perfect, but we are left in the world as Jesus prayed we should be. Creation was subjected to futility "in hope, that creation itself would be set free from its bondage to decay into the glorious liberty." This is glorification, we are being transformed into the image of the Son, and this is a great testimony that people see this change, saying what is different about you, why are you joyful, at peace in this world?  This glory of oneness and fellowship we have with the Son and the Father is the greatest glory to the Father, and in it is our glorification. 

I glorified you on the earth, accomplishing the task that you gave me to do, and now, Father, glorify me with yourself, the glory I had with you, the place before the world began.*

Unity of Spirit, a bond of peace, unity of faith that is active in love, truth in love, these things are fruit of God. Jesus had a place before the world began, what was it? Such speaks of oneness, fellowship, and glory. Jesus is the Word of Life, the glory of the Father. And what task did He accomplish? That through the Light, from the Father, we would be enlightened, know the Father and the Son, and have everlasting Life.* This is the greatest glory the Father desires and this is how we know our joy is complete, such glory and fellowship with Father and one another. Jesus gives us the word of the Father, and it is truth, life, and Light to men, and the darkness of the world hates it. Jesus, the Truth, protected those who came to Him. He prays to the Father that they be left in the world and protected from the evil one. So the child of God, is born of Spirit,  a new creation, left in this darkness, how will the Father protect them?

My prayer is not that you take them out of the world but that you protect them from the evil one. They are not of the world, even as I am not of it. Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth. As you sent me into the world, I have sent them into the world. For them I sanctify myself, that they too may be truly sanctified.*

We are protected from the evil one when we are sanctified in truth. You see, the Light came among darkness and those who came to Him he sanctified and protected. And so it is with us, abiding in Him we are set free. Who created all? the One from the beginning, the Word of Life. For what purpose? that which was created would be set free from bondage. He ascended on high to take captivity captive. Having been captive to the darkness and corruption we are being set free and thus we help others to Liberty. So the One who created everything in the beginning, creates you a new creation, like nothing else created. Even for those who were under the Law, they were slaves held captive. But those born a new are descendants of God, not slaves, but sons. God is not against these, he is not manipulating his children through the fear of punishment, though Satan will condemn us, our heavenly Father is for us, perfecting us in love, working all things for our good. We are being transformed "into the glorious Liberty, the one, the descendants of God."*

I have written to you children because you know the Father, I have written to you, fathers, because you know him who is from the beginning. I have written unto you, youth, because you are strong, and the word of God abides in you, and you have overcome the evil one.*

So we are being transformed into the image of Christ, such is our sanctification in truth and our glorification. Foremost, is the fellowship we have with the Father, and the Son. And we have fellowship with one another, best seen in our love, "By this all will know that you exist a follower of me, if you have love for each other."2 In darkness we remain, but not forever, in it His glory is being made known in our sanctification, when we exist or abide, we walk in Light overcoming the darkness. And we give glory to the Father, as those in darkness see Christ in us, not in our good works but in His good work the created workmanship, who in darkness is proclaiming Life and Light to men.

Let There Be Light