1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2He 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. John 1:1-5 (ESV)
John 1:1 reads: “In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word was God.”
It is my opinion that this verse is one the most important verses in regards to the study of apologetics. It answers some important questions about Jesus.
1. Is Jesus God? Yes
2. Was Jesus created? No
3. Was Jesus an Angel or other being? No
4. Has there ever been a time that Jesus did not exist? No
Why are these questions important? Let me take them one at a time.
1. Is Jesus God? This question is important because if He is not God then His sacrifice is meaningless. There had to be a perfect sacrifice if Jesus is not God then he is not an adequate sacrifice.
2. Was Jesus created? This question is important because if the answer to this question is yes then it provides legitimacy to every humanistic cult exp. Mormon or Jehovah’s Witness. It also makes human effort necessary as is required in humanistic cults.
3. Was Jesus an Angel or other being? This question is important because some cults view Jesus as a man who became god, or an angel who was adopted by God. The book of Hebrews has Jesus above all angels not as one of them.
4. Has there ever been a time that Jesus did not exist? This question is important because once again it is an apologetic to cults. If there was a time that Jesus did not exist, the door would be open to cults. If Jesus became God then he was not always perfect. If Jesus at some point did not exist at some point He would not and could not be the agent of creation but a product of it.
These five verses say a lot. They say that Jesus was and is God. There has never been a time when He has not been. Nor has there been a time that He has not been God. They show Christ as the agent of creation not as created as the Mormons believe. The show Christ as being with God and being God witch is different then the Jehovah’s Witness who would say that Jesus was “a god” and not God.
Jehovah’s Witness teach that the Arch Angel Michel became Jesus.
Mormons teach that Christ was at berth human and became God
Jesus was the agent of creation. Imagine God’s delight as his perfect world was created. Without the Christ nothing was made, we are dependant on Him not Him on us.
There is a redemptive quality to these verses witch cannot and must not be missed.
V.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.
“In Him was life” this is speaking of Christ’s redemptive purpose. He was restoring His greatest creation Man to his Father. He was taking us out of darkness and into light.
If Apologetics is the defense of the faith then Jesus provides the ultimate apologetic. I do not say this to diminish Christ but to state the point that, He is the only one who was and is capable of defending and restoring His Father’s glory. He came to restore His creation to His father.
