Hi Bob,
I’m not sure if you guys are havng a hard time posting, but I am on this end. The service is slow…or something.
Anyway..Bob we will address each verse if you want. Just as I address your verses on love. I'm sorry you think I'm hiding from one verse. I’m not running from anything that i know of. If I do not know, I’ll tell you.
Ok..well..one verse at a time. 1st..the one in john.
context 1st…John 1
5The light shines in the darkness, but the darkness has not understood it.
Before Christ comes the world does not understand the “Light” (salvations plan). Why do I say this is the light. Later John is asked if he is the light a few times. He always says no. Then Christ comes...John 1st says..."LOOK...The Lamb of God." This is showing who it is. 2nd..."who takes away the sins of the world" this is showing the reason for his coming. The Light is both Chrsit and salvation from sins. One in the same.
6There came a man who was sent from God; his name was John.
7He came as a witness to testify concerning that light, so that through him all men might believe.
God sent a witness to the world, to tell of this “light”. We too are told to “go tell” of the “light”. Again...salvation in Christ. Saved from our sins.
8He himself was not the light; he came only as a witness to the light.
In 8 we see that the Bible is saying John was not the Light. Before we saw where John said he was not the light. John could not save any one. John only told of the one that could save..”the light”. We too can not save. We go, for God has sent us, to share the light with the world, just as John.
9The true light that gives light to every man was coming into the world
Notice in this verse where both forms of the word is used. The true light (Christ) gives light (salvation) to every man (ALL mankind) was coming to the world. This is the same gospel we need to share.
10He was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognize him.
Notice where we are in the order of events. Christ had now come (was in the world). Salvation was HERE. But even though it was Christ that Made man….(back to verse 1)…Man did not recognize Christ as God....or as the light. (salvation)
11He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him.
1st…Christ came to His own…the Jews. You pointed this out before Bob. But the point is 2 fold. One..those that should have knewn him did not. In other words, this shows how blind mankind is. The jews were looking for Christ and know He was coming. God had worked with them and blesses them with the promise, the prophets, the Holy Word, the Law and many other great men. He came as their king. The Jews said…no way. They were looking for it..and still missed it. They would not have him as Christ, even though He the very God of heaven made them…(back to verse 1)
Also..this shows the heart of other nations. If the Jews missed it and they were looking for it, how blind are the other nations?
2nd part of this...and the real meaning as we will see later. The Jews being the choosen nation does not mean salvation. Salvation is Faith in God. Election happens before hand. Was the Jews elected for salvation? No. This small nation was elected for blessings of the Law, the profits, and the promise. Still they had to have faith just as Hebrews tells us,..faith in the promise. How about us? We are all dead in our sins. None would be saved, yet in love and mercy God elects some to remove the blindness..giving understanding by the Holy Spirit..so that they can know the state of sin they are in...and see God as their only hope of removing the guilt of their sins...and there by have faith to trust in Him for salvation. This can happen at one time, or in steps. The point of this passage is to show the Jews they are not born saved...but must have faith. The elect are not born saved. They too must have faith in God.
Yet..on the other hand. One day Christ will come to save the NATION as a whole. But that is another subject.
12Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God—
His own would not have him..Yet…..Christ had come to save. All that received Him..He (Christ) gave them right to become Children of God.
Ok that is the context...now to the meat.
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13 (a) children born not of natural descent
Not because they were Jews……as seen above
13 (b) nor of human decision
Not because THEY choose God.
13 (c) or a husband's will,
Not because of a familys willingness
13 (d) but born of God.
…born of God…what does that mean?
ok..lets see what that means...
…how is it that we get born of God? why use this term here? Not born jews...but born of God. Did they choose to be Gods choosen nation? Did they choose to be born a into this nation? The next verse tell us Christ came…why He came…and what He brought to bring us this light.
14The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.
Notice..the full story is given here.
1) The Word came…(as light/salvation)
2) For this brings God glory...(Grace is always giving God the glory)
3) And the light He brings comes from…GRACE and TRUTH.
Look down in verse 16..how do we receive His blessings? From the fullness of His grace.
16From the fullness of his grace we have all received one blessing after another.
Again…its from His grace..
If its not because who we are when we are born.. (natural descent)
If its not because we choose..( human decision)
If its not because of pull from our wife/huddy/son/dad…( husband's will)
God Blesses us with his Light/grace...WE ARE BORN INTO HIS FAMILY.
Now raise your hand..who choose to be born?
I'm teaching tonight...so i must run. But look at eph 1 now..and check out how we are blessed. The 1st chapter is a list of blessing we have in Christ...one on that list is election
I'll try to address the others later.
In Christ...James
