Man Points to the Light While a Family Listensby CBPepper
1:7John 1:7
The same came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all men through him might believe.
John was the Baptist, a man sent from God to bear witness to the Light, and he was not himself that Light. The Light is Jesus Christ, the true Light that enlightens every person, the incarnate Word and revelation of God and the source of life, knowledge and character. He was sent for this stated purpose, that all people might believe through his testimony by receiving and obeying God's Word. Those who so receive Christ and believe on His name are given power to become sons and daughters of God, not by human power but by cleansing of the heart and renewing of the Holy Spirit. His work is the pattern for all ministers and servants of Christ, who as mere instruments are to put self out of sight and point every mind away from self to Jesus alone, with the burden, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.
The Witness and the Light
The verse speaks of John the Baptist, a man sent from God to bear witness of the Light, and he was not himself that Light. The Light to which he testified is Jesus Christ, the true Light that enlightens every person coming into the world. He is the incarnate Word of God, faithful and true, the fullness for both Jew and Gentile, the Word and revelation of God whose character, law, love and life are made known, and the crucified One to whom John ever pointed. He is the source of true light, knowledge, life and character, and receiving Him and His words provides the only foundation for a lasting character that reveals God.
John came for the stated purpose that all men through him might believe, and all may believe by receiving and obeying God's Word. Human refusal to recognize the Light does not put it out, for Christ came to dispel the world's moral darkness. His work began at a time of intense interest in Christ's mission, in the fullness of time when the world before His first coming seemed wholly given into the control of the enemy, with all heaven interested in the great event of the eternal Word appearing as Instructor. As the lesser light to the greater Light, John came in the spirit and with the power of Elijah, ordained of God as a reformer and child of promise, filled with the Holy Spirit from birth.
He stood as prophet and as the connecting link between the two dispensations, whose special preparatory work was to prepare a people to receive and appreciate Christ. That work was to shake confidence in traditions and ceremonies, to denounce corruptions and reprove prevailing sins with plain, pointed and convincing preaching, to call sins to remembrance and lead to repentance, and by inspired illumination to remove superstition and darkness from honest minds. He foretold future events, called many to conviction with baptism in Jordan as evidence of repentance, and thus executed a preparatory work for Christ's reception which Christ by His baptism and ministry would complete.
Though He was in the world He had made and came to bring light through the darkness covering the earth, breaking Satan's hold on human minds and revealing the prospect of immortality, the world did not know Him. Though He came to His own, His own did not receive Him, because His teaching challenged their pride and their received ideas. Those convicted by plain truths yet rejecting the light become enshrouded in deeper darkness, fully prepared to turn from the evidences that Jesus is the true Messiah. That same history of unbelief and rejection is being repeated today and will be repeated again and again before the Lord comes in the clouds of heaven, when deceptions rest upon earth-dwellers and the enemy claims to be Christ and deceives all except those who are steadfast and true to God.
Believing and Its Gifts
John was sent to bear witness of the Light so that all might believe through him, and that Light is Christ, through whom men and women may become sons and daughters of God and be brought into close relationship with God. This divine sonship is not gained by human power or effort but is given only to those who receive Christ as Saviour and believe on His name. When the penitent look to Him in faith, Christ alone cleanses the heart and the Holy Spirit begins transforming it. Because this promise is open to all, greater effort should be made to set the hope of the gospel before those still in the darkness of error.
He came at the appointed time, when the fullness of the time was come and the world before His first coming seemed wholly given into the control of the enemy, with all heaven interested in the great event, as the Son of God Himself, the eternal Word appearing as Instructor. He came to give the world an evidence of the love of God by dying for the fallen race, gathering to His own pure sinless soul the penalty resting upon the sinful race and offering Himself as a sacrifice to redeem those under the law that they might receive the adoption of sons. His coming revealed both the love of God and the immutability of God's law, not a jot or tittle of which could be changed to meet man in his fallen condition. Yet sinners were not left without hope to die in transgression, for a ransom was found in Christ become their substitute and surety with the iniquities of all laid upon Him, so that those who receive Him as Saviour are freely granted pardon and become members of the royal family.
The assurance founded on His spotless righteousness is that His blood cleanses from all sin. Forgiveness and reconciliation are gifts, not rewards for human works or merit. Even one who feels unable to pray because of sin should pray and believe in forgiving love. Hearts cleansed by His blood are renewed and sanctified, called to serve God wholeheartedly and to prepare for future life.
Human refusal to recognize the Light does not put it out, for Christ came to dispel the world's moral darkness, though those who rejected Him did so because His teaching challenged their pride and their received ideas. He came into the world to bring light through the darkness covering the earth and its people, breaking Satan's hold on human minds and revealing the prospect of immortality. The light He brings shines into moral darkness, superstition, ignorance and error, offering truth and peace to all nations and peoples. Receiving Christ, the Word and revelation of God whose character, law, love and life are made known, and receiving His words, provides the only foundation for a lasting character that reveals God. Those who receive that light are to carry it to others near and far, for the mission reaches everyone.
Pattern for Witness Today
John came as a witness to the Light and was not himself the Light, so that people might believe through his testimony, and his work is the pattern for ministers and all servants of Christ. As he was sent, so they are sent to bear witness of the Light, which is Christ and Christ crucified, in every place and among all classes of people. They are only God's instrumentality, with talent and ability only lent by God, and are not to attract people to self, take His place, claim His glory, or take praise, place, power, or glory to themselves. Their work is not to draw the sympathies of the people to themselves but to direct every word of praise away from self, put self out of sight, and turn affections and sympathies away from self to center them upon Christ until the mind's eye sees only Jesus. The burden of the messenger sent by God is, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world, ever pointing to Jesus and attesting His glory to lead all to believe in Him.
God's messengers today likewise bear witness to Christ, who gave His life so that people might believe, and who came to reveal God. Those who testify to the Light must have its light shining in their minds and souls and bear an abiding inner witness, yielding themselves to God to be purified and enabled under the Holy Spirit's teaching to bring light into a dark world. They are to bear witness to the true Light in clear and simple language, and by letting His light shine through good works that lead people to glorify the Father. Their words communicate truth, but Christ's presence and power, not words alone, impress hearts.
The mission of the church in the verse is to bear witness to Christ the Light so that people may believe, and those who receive that light are to carry it to others, near and far. The Light Christ brings shines into moral darkness, superstition, ignorance, and error to offer truth and peace to all nations and peoples, and this promise open to all should stir greater effort to set the hope of the gospel before those still in the darkness of error. Through Him men and women may become sons and daughters of God, not by human power or effort but only as they receive Christ as Saviour and believe on His name, when the penitent look to Him in faith, Christ cleanses the heart, and the Holy Spirit begins transforming it. That same Christ, the source of true light and knowledge, is to be presented to students rather than the world's account of education.
John was a messenger sent of God with a plain message of present truth, the same message people need now and that was still needed in 1904. That message calls people to serve God with full purpose of renewed heart, wholeheartedly with renewed, sanctified hearts cleansed by Christ's blood. It calls them to live in this world the sanctified life that prepares for future life measuring with the life of God.
The verse belongs to God's true presentation of Christ before the world in word description instead of a physical description or picture by human art, since neither God nor heaven nor Christ the image of the Father can be truly shown by man. It belongs to that true revelation of the Word made flesh in human form full of grace and truth, who speaks with the authority of true greatness and bears His commission from the Excellent Glory. To Him God summons the world to listen with submissive attention, receiving every word He speaks as law and life so that all might believe through the witness.
John was the Baptist, a man sent from God to bear witness to the Light, and he was not himself that Light. The Light is Jesus Christ, the true Light that enlightens every person, the incarnate Word and revelation of God and the source of life, knowledge and character. He was sent for this stated purpose, that all people might believe through his testimony by receiving and obeying God's Word. Those who so receive Christ and believe on His name are given power to become sons and daughters of God, not by human power but by cleansing of the heart and renewing of the Holy Spirit. His work is the pattern for all ministers and servants of Christ, who as mere instruments are to put self out of sight and point every mind away from self to Jesus alone, with the burden, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.
The Witness and the Light
The verse speaks of John the Baptist, a man sent from God to bear witness of the Light, and he was not himself that Light. The Light to which he testified is Jesus Christ, the true Light that enlightens every person coming into the world. He is the incarnate Word of God, faithful and true, the fullness for both Jew and Gentile, the Word and revelation of God whose character, law, love and life are made known, and the crucified One to whom John ever pointed. He is the source of true light, knowledge, life and character, and receiving Him and His words provides the only foundation for a lasting character that reveals God.
John came for the stated purpose that all men through him might believe, and all may believe by receiving and obeying God's Word. Human refusal to recognize the Light does not put it out, for Christ came to dispel the world's moral darkness. His work began at a time of intense interest in Christ's mission, in the fullness of time when the world before His first coming seemed wholly given into the control of the enemy, with all heaven interested in the great event of the eternal Word appearing as Instructor. As the lesser light to the greater Light, John came in the spirit and with the power of Elijah, ordained of God as a reformer and child of promise, filled with the Holy Spirit from birth.
He stood as prophet and as the connecting link between the two dispensations, whose special preparatory work was to prepare a people to receive and appreciate Christ. That work was to shake confidence in traditions and ceremonies, to denounce corruptions and reprove prevailing sins with plain, pointed and convincing preaching, to call sins to remembrance and lead to repentance, and by inspired illumination to remove superstition and darkness from honest minds. He foretold future events, called many to conviction with baptism in Jordan as evidence of repentance, and thus executed a preparatory work for Christ's reception which Christ by His baptism and ministry would complete.
Though He was in the world He had made and came to bring light through the darkness covering the earth, breaking Satan's hold on human minds and revealing the prospect of immortality, the world did not know Him. Though He came to His own, His own did not receive Him, because His teaching challenged their pride and their received ideas. Those convicted by plain truths yet rejecting the light become enshrouded in deeper darkness, fully prepared to turn from the evidences that Jesus is the true Messiah. That same history of unbelief and rejection is being repeated today and will be repeated again and again before the Lord comes in the clouds of heaven, when deceptions rest upon earth-dwellers and the enemy claims to be Christ and deceives all except those who are steadfast and true to God.
Believing and Its Gifts
John was sent to bear witness of the Light so that all might believe through him, and that Light is Christ, through whom men and women may become sons and daughters of God and be brought into close relationship with God. This divine sonship is not gained by human power or effort but is given only to those who receive Christ as Saviour and believe on His name. When the penitent look to Him in faith, Christ alone cleanses the heart and the Holy Spirit begins transforming it. Because this promise is open to all, greater effort should be made to set the hope of the gospel before those still in the darkness of error.
He came at the appointed time, when the fullness of the time was come and the world before His first coming seemed wholly given into the control of the enemy, with all heaven interested in the great event, as the Son of God Himself, the eternal Word appearing as Instructor. He came to give the world an evidence of the love of God by dying for the fallen race, gathering to His own pure sinless soul the penalty resting upon the sinful race and offering Himself as a sacrifice to redeem those under the law that they might receive the adoption of sons. His coming revealed both the love of God and the immutability of God's law, not a jot or tittle of which could be changed to meet man in his fallen condition. Yet sinners were not left without hope to die in transgression, for a ransom was found in Christ become their substitute and surety with the iniquities of all laid upon Him, so that those who receive Him as Saviour are freely granted pardon and become members of the royal family.
The assurance founded on His spotless righteousness is that His blood cleanses from all sin. Forgiveness and reconciliation are gifts, not rewards for human works or merit. Even one who feels unable to pray because of sin should pray and believe in forgiving love. Hearts cleansed by His blood are renewed and sanctified, called to serve God wholeheartedly and to prepare for future life.
Human refusal to recognize the Light does not put it out, for Christ came to dispel the world's moral darkness, though those who rejected Him did so because His teaching challenged their pride and their received ideas. He came into the world to bring light through the darkness covering the earth and its people, breaking Satan's hold on human minds and revealing the prospect of immortality. The light He brings shines into moral darkness, superstition, ignorance and error, offering truth and peace to all nations and peoples. Receiving Christ, the Word and revelation of God whose character, law, love and life are made known, and receiving His words, provides the only foundation for a lasting character that reveals God. Those who receive that light are to carry it to others near and far, for the mission reaches everyone.
Pattern for Witness Today
John came as a witness to the Light and was not himself the Light, so that people might believe through his testimony, and his work is the pattern for ministers and all servants of Christ. As he was sent, so they are sent to bear witness of the Light, which is Christ and Christ crucified, in every place and among all classes of people. They are only God's instrumentality, with talent and ability only lent by God, and are not to attract people to self, take His place, claim His glory, or take praise, place, power, or glory to themselves. Their work is not to draw the sympathies of the people to themselves but to direct every word of praise away from self, put self out of sight, and turn affections and sympathies away from self to center them upon Christ until the mind's eye sees only Jesus. The burden of the messenger sent by God is, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world, ever pointing to Jesus and attesting His glory to lead all to believe in Him.
God's messengers today likewise bear witness to Christ, who gave His life so that people might believe, and who came to reveal God. Those who testify to the Light must have its light shining in their minds and souls and bear an abiding inner witness, yielding themselves to God to be purified and enabled under the Holy Spirit's teaching to bring light into a dark world. They are to bear witness to the true Light in clear and simple language, and by letting His light shine through good works that lead people to glorify the Father. Their words communicate truth, but Christ's presence and power, not words alone, impress hearts.
The mission of the church in the verse is to bear witness to Christ the Light so that people may believe, and those who receive that light are to carry it to others, near and far. The Light Christ brings shines into moral darkness, superstition, ignorance, and error to offer truth and peace to all nations and peoples, and this promise open to all should stir greater effort to set the hope of the gospel before those still in the darkness of error. Through Him men and women may become sons and daughters of God, not by human power or effort but only as they receive Christ as Saviour and believe on His name, when the penitent look to Him in faith, Christ cleanses the heart, and the Holy Spirit begins transforming it. That same Christ, the source of true light and knowledge, is to be presented to students rather than the world's account of education.
John was a messenger sent of God with a plain message of present truth, the same message people need now and that was still needed in 1904. That message calls people to serve God with full purpose of renewed heart, wholeheartedly with renewed, sanctified hearts cleansed by Christ's blood. It calls them to live in this world the sanctified life that prepares for future life measuring with the life of God.
The verse belongs to God's true presentation of Christ before the world in word description instead of a physical description or picture by human art, since neither God nor heaven nor Christ the image of the Father can be truly shown by man. It belongs to that true revelation of the Word made flesh in human form full of grace and truth, who speaks with the authority of true greatness and bears His commission from the Excellent Glory. To Him God summons the world to listen with submissive attention, receiving every word He speaks as law and life so that all might believe through the witness.