Second, these verses show us that the Word is God Himself. This means that Christ is God Himself. Many people, even Christians, often have a wrong thought, supposing that Christ is a separate person from God. This is wrong. Do not think that Christ is a separate person from God-that God is God, Christ is Christ, and these are two separate persons. We have to realize that God is in Christ, and Christ is one with God. This is why verse 18 says that no man has ever seen God, but the only begotten Son of God has declared Him. God is in Christ, and Christ is the very embodiment of God, the very expression of God. In a simple word to new believers, I would say that we all have to recognize that Christ is the very God.
In these few verses there is another point. This very Christ who is the Word of God and who is God Himself, the very expression and embodiment of God, the only begotten Son of God, one day about two thousand years ago was made flesh; He was incarnated. Before two thousand years ago, He was God only, but at the time of His incarnation, the time when He was born as a man, He took the human nature upon Himself. Christ was incarnated; He came to be a man. Now by this incarnation there is something more with Him. Many times I illustrate this in the following way. I may have a handkerchief made of white cotton and nothing else, but one day I dip this handkerchief into a green dye. The handkerchief then becomes cotton mingled with dye. It is no more only white; it has become green. However, the substance is still there. There is no change of substance; only the form, the appearance, has changed. Now two things mingle together as one. Two thousand years ago before the incarnation, Christ was God only. He was the very Creator of the whole universe. But one day He came into the flesh of man. He “dipped” Himself into human nature. He was dyed in the human color, and He was named with a human name, the name of Jesus. The “handkerchief” became green, but within this green cloth is the reality, the substance, of the handkerchief. Within this little man Jesus is God. God became “colored” with man, with human nature.
Isaiah 9:6 says, “For a child is born to us, / A son is given to us; / And the government / Is upon His shoulder; / And His name will be called / Wonderful Counselor, / Mighty God, / Eternal Father, / Prince of Peace.” We know that this happened in a manger in Bethlehem. In Bethlehem, one day in a manger a child was born and a son was given. The child born to us is called Mighty God. He was truly a child, but within Him is the mighty God. He was really a “green cloth,” but within is the substance of the “handkerchief.” We can say that the handkerchief is something green, but we have to realize that it is still a handkerchief. A little child, even a babe born in the manger, is called Mighty God because He is God incarnated. He is God made to be flesh.
We all have to realize that the very Christ in whom we believe is the very God Himself. He is the Creator, the only God, the unique God in this universe. One day He became a man, being incarnated to dwell with man. His appearance was absolutely in the form of a man, but within Him was God Himself. Christ is God in man. Within this man is God; He can never be separated from God, and God can never be separated from Him. Without Him, we do not have God. God is in Christ, and strictly speaking Christ is God.
Home | First | Prev | Next