The One True Light Day 3: With God - was God

In case you haven’t managed to get your copy of The One True Light yet, we’re posting the first three days of these Advent devotional readings from John 1 on our blog. It’s not too late to start—order today and choose next-day delivery, or download the ebook.

Day 2. With God - was God

“And the Word was with God,
and the Word was God.
He was with God in the beginning.”
John 1 v 1-2

So which is it, John? Was the Word with God, or was the Word God? Because surely it can’t be both.

I can’t say, “Helen is with my wife and Helen is my wife.” The phrase “Helen is with my wife” describes two people. But “Helen is my wife” describes just one person. The only way to make this statement work is if there are two people who are both called Helen.

But John isn’t talking about two Words. “The Word” is different from God (and therefore able to be with him) and the Word is the same as God. Surely the Word is either with God or is God.

Unless… unless we are talking about a being who is completely different from us.

In Greek thought, the “word” or “reason” was the organising principle behind the world. It may be that John has an echo of this in mind as he writes. But it’s more likely that to the fore is the Old Testament use of the term “word”. John himself was Jewish and his Gospel is full of allusions to the Old Testament. John repeatedly draws attention to the way Jesus fulfils the promises and patterns of the Scriptures.

John repeatedly draws attention to the way Jesus fulfils the promises and patterns of the Scriptures.

And in the Old Testament God’s word is the means by which God speaks and acts. Indeed God’s word is synonymous with God.

We have a sense of this as human beings. We have an organic connection with our words. Suppose you complained to me, “But you said you would help”. I couldn’t reply, “No I didn’t—that was just my words”. Our words are more than sounds, or pixels in an email. They represent our thoughts and intentions. They convey our very selves.

Except, of course, that our words don’t always convey ourselves truly. The 2002 movie Catch Me If You Can tells the true story of Frank Abagnale, played by Leonardo DiCaprio. Abagnale was a con-man who at different points successfully passed himself off as a pilot, a doctor and a legal prosecutor. He certainly had a way with words. His words were very powerful. But his words didn’t convey his true self—they were lies.

But God is perfect and so his word is perfect. And that means his word is a perfect representation of his being. God’s word is such a complete revelation of himself that it is himself. God’s word conveys who he is and it does so perfectly.

God’s word conveys who he is and it does so perfectly.

The Word is with God because the Word is Jesus, the Son of God. And God is three Persons. Jesus is not the Father. They’re different persons. So Jesus the Word can be with God. God the Son is with God the Father without being God the Father. John doesn’t say Jesus is God as if there are no other Persons in the Godhead.

At the same time the Word is God because there aren’t three gods. The Father is God and Jesus is God. Father, Son and Spirit are one divine Being.

Why does this matter? It means that God can communicate in a way that is sure and true. When we hear God’s Word, we don’t just hear a second-hand report about God. We hear God himself because his Word is God.

Of course there is still much we don’t know. The Trinity is so much bigger than anything we can get our heads round.

You know the story of the baby born in the stable who was visited by three kings? Wrong. There’s no mention of a stable. We’re only told Jesus was laid in a manger. And there weren’t three kings. There were an unnamed number of “Magi”—whatever they are. Yet however well you know the details of the Christmas story, you only know the half of it; for the Christmas story begins in the life of the Trinity, and that is a mystery beyond our comprehension.

We cannot know God fully. But we can know him truly, for Jesus is the Word, through whom we hear the voice of God.

We cannot know God fully. But we can know him truly, for Jesus is the Word, through whom we hear the voice of God.

Meditate

And the Word was with God,
and the Word was God.
He was with God in the beginning.

Christ, by highest heav’n adored;
Christ the everlasting Lord;
Late in time, behold him come,
Offspring of a virgin’s womb.
Veiled in flesh the Godhead see;
Hail th’incarnate Deity,
Pleased as man with man to dwell,
Jesus, our Emmanuel.
(Hark the Herald Angels Sing)

Prayer

Good morning heavenly Father,
good morning Lord Jesus,
good morning Holy Spirit.

Heavenly Father, I worship you as the Creator and Sustainer of the universe.
Lord Jesus, I worship you, Saviour and Lord of the world.
Holy Spirit, I worship you, Sanctifier of the people of God.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit.

Heavenly Father, I pray that I may live this day
in your presence and please you more and more.
Lord Jesus, I pray that this day I may take up my cross and follow you.
Holy Spirit, I pray that this day you will fill me with yourself
and cause your fruit to ripen in my life:

love, joy, peace, patience, kindness,
goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.
Holy, blessed and glorious Trinity, three persons in one God,
have mercy upon me. Amen.
(The Morning Prayer of John Stott, 1921-2011)

 

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