Memory – John 1.12 But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.
We are in the third week of Advent, and the church is largely focusing on the birth narratives of Jesus in the Gospels of Matthew and Luke. It is worth noting that the apostle John also speaks of the incarnation. From the outset of his Gospel John focuses on the Deity of Jesus. He opens his Gospel reference to Genesis and creation: In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. John creates a sense of wonder and awe at the majesty of God with his description of the incarnation and in verse 14 makes an implicit reference to God’s physical presence with Moses and the Israelites in their desert wanderings: And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth (John 1.14 cf. Exodus 40.34—38). The word dwelt (tent or tabernacle skenoo – Greek) refers to God living with man; in a metaphorical sense it foreshadows the return to the innocence of Adam and Eve’s relationship with God in the garden of Eden.
This relationship comes about by means of faith. Throughout his Gospel John refers to believing in Jesus (pisteou – Greek to have faith or to trust). The apostle uses “to believe” as an active verb; that is, it is not merely intellectual assent or passive agreement. Rather, to believe results in a compelling indwelling of God’s Spirit (If anyone loves me, he will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him John 14.23). For John this action is summarized in love. In the upper room when Jesus observed the Passover meal with his disciples, he gave them this charge: A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another” (John 13.34-35). We enter into a relationship with God not because we love him and he responds, but because he first loves us and draws us to himself: In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation [a sacrificial act of Christ’s atoning work to appease God] for our sins (1 John 4.10).
The consequence of being the recipient of God’s love is that we become children of God. Fundamentally, it is a filial relationship. It is why in some Christian circles people refer to each other as brothers or sisters; in a Christian context that is exactly the case. Again, John writes: See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are. The reason why the world does not know us is that it did not know him. Beloved, we are God’s children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when he appears we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is. And everyone who thus hopes in him purifies himself as he is pure (1 John 3.1-3). One possible takeaway from this passage is the importance of thankfulness that God loves you and is at work within you drawing others to Himself. A loving spirit is contagious, and the love of God is at work within you.
This relationship comes about by means of faith. Throughout his Gospel John refers to believing in Jesus (pisteou – Greek to have faith or to trust). The apostle uses “to believe” as an active verb; that is, it is not merely intellectual assent or passive agreement. Rather, to believe results in a compelling indwelling of God’s Spirit (If anyone loves me, he will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him John 14.23). For John this action is summarized in love. In the upper room when Jesus observed the Passover meal with his disciples, he gave them this charge: A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another” (John 13.34-35). We enter into a relationship with God not because we love him and he responds, but because he first loves us and draws us to himself: In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation [a sacrificial act of Christ’s atoning work to appease God] for our sins (1 John 4.10).
The consequence of being the recipient of God’s love is that we become children of God. Fundamentally, it is a filial relationship. It is why in some Christian circles people refer to each other as brothers or sisters; in a Christian context that is exactly the case. Again, John writes: See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are. The reason why the world does not know us is that it did not know him. Beloved, we are God’s children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when he appears we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is. And everyone who thus hopes in him purifies himself as he is pure (1 John 3.1-3). One possible takeaway from this passage is the importance of thankfulness that God loves you and is at work within you drawing others to Himself. A loving spirit is contagious, and the love of God is at work within you.
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