The True, Unknown Light Series

The TRUE, Unknown Light John 1:9-10

John 1: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was with God in the beginning. 3 Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. 4 In him was life, and that life was the light of men. 5 The light shines in the darkness, but the darkness has not understood it. 6 There came a man who was sent from God; his name was John. 7 He came as a witness to testify concerning that light, so that through him all men might believe. 8 He himself was not the light; he came only as a witness to the light.”

Today: 9 “The true light that gives light to every man was coming into the world. 10 He was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognize him.

The TRUE LIGHT COMING

Did you ever think about what may have been the most important event in history? If you were a scientist you might think that the discovery of atomic energy or maybe fire rated high on the list; If you were an inventor, maybe the invention of the wheel or more recently, electricity. Your greatest moment in history would probably vary depending on your area of expertise. If you are a Christian, the most significant moment in human history would be the event of John 1:9: The Lord God Almighty making his entrance into the created world as the TRUE LIGHT in the person of Jesus Christ.

John the Baptist was witnessing to the true light, the Eternal Word, the Eternal Son, the Creator Word, The Self-Existent Word, The Life-Giving Word, The Light-Bearing Word: THIS LIGHT was dawning on the world, in Human Form. As the faithful forerunner and the pivotal prophet, John the Baptist had the privilege of announcing the presence and power of the LIGHT DAWNING upon the Creation.

The True Light is the subject of verse 9. The TRUE LIGHT is faithful and reliable; It is genuine and authentic, as is God Himself. HIS LIGHT is the ONLY EVERLASTNING LIGHT. Remember that LIGHT as expressed in John’s Gospel represents spiritual illumination and knowledge of God. The Light of Christ speaks clearly of GODLY RIGHTEOUSNESS: Jesus is the Only Light, THE TRUTH, THE Living Bread, THE Vine that gives Life, THE LIVING Water. Jesus is the PERFECT LIGHT in whose radiance all other lights are only dim and partial at best. There may be “partial lights” that are shadowy dim pseudo counterfeits, vain philosophies, false teachings and gospels which may appear as light and that try to bring illumination but they will NEVER bring people to the truth of JESUS: Without the TRUE LIGHT people will remain in darkness. Jesus is nothing BUT LIGHT: In Him there is not darkness at all! (1 John 1:5) LOOK! HERE COMES the WORD of God in the person of Jesus Christ!

The TRUE LIGHT who is coming keeps on continually dawning, but He does not COME into every man but is coming into the World. EVERY man does not RECEIVE that LIGHT although He is available to EVERY Man; EVERY MAN will not believe the LIGHT because they prefer their own evil deeds of darkness. The LIGHT shines for all to see and apprehend, but not all will go to him and not all will be taught BY HIM even though His presence is near. The Bible does not teach the idea of an INNER LIGHT for every man; it actually teaches the opposite: It teaches that EVERY MAN is born in the darkness and deadness of sin. However, if anyone is EVER going to be “enlightened” at all, if anyone is ever going to have ANY INNER LIGHT, it will be through the Only One who is THE True Light, the Lord Jesus.

The True LIGHT shines and exposes the works of Darkness in the World into the hearts and lives of A LOST HUMAN RACE. John 3: 19-20: This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but people loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil. Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that their deeds will be exposed. (Bonhoefer: The greatest sin in the church and in the world is self-righteousness.) The overwhelming majority of mankind opposes the Christ and remains in open hostility to Him, to all that He represents, including the dawning of His Redemptive Work. Verse 10 explains that.

THE UNKNOWN LIGHT IN THE WORLD

Vs. 10: “He was (same tense of the verb used in vv.1-2; The TRUE LIGHT/Word was continuously present in the world—He created it and has continually been present with it.)