John 1:9
@johnsharingthegospelJohn 1:9 (NIVUK): The true light that gives light to everyone was coming into the world. Cf. John 1:4, 17:3, 14:6, Acts 4:12. ##Jesus ##truelight ##God
John 1:6-8
@johnsharingthegospel John 1:6-8. Cf. John 1:5,10,11, 14:6, Acts 4:12 . ##Jesus ##witness ##John ##God ##Gospel ##biblestudy
John 1:5
@johnsharingthegospel John 1:5 (NIV): The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. Cf. John 1:10-11 ##Light ##creator ##owner ##God ##Word ##Jesus
John 1:4
@johnsharingthegospel John 1:4 (NIVUK): In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. Cf. John 17:3 ##John ##BibleStudy ##God ##Jesus ##Life
John 1:3
@johnsharingthegospelJohn 1:3 Through him all things were made. Without him nothing was made that has been made. Cf. Colossians 1:15-17.♬ original sound – John
We all have gone astray
Isaiah 53:6
6 We all, like sheep, have gone astray,
each of us has turned to our own way;
and the Lord has laid on him
the iniquity of us all.
Isaiah 53:6a says we all, like sheep, have ‘gone astray’ and each of us has ‘turned to our own way’.
This happens when we don’t have God’s Word and are ignorant or we know God’s Word and are rebellious. The sinners are spiritually blinded and disobedient.
When the snake deceived the woman (Genesis 3:4-5), she ate the forbidden fruits and gave some to her husband, Adam, to eat (Genesis 3:6). Although they had all other trees to eat from (Genesis 2:16), they ate from the forbidden tree (Genesis 2:17). They made a bad choice. The result was ‘destruction’. They were judged by God and received the death sentence (Genesis 3:16-19). They were expelled from the Eden Garden (Genesis 3:23) and prohibited from the tree of life (Genesis 3:22). In the New Testament, ‘destruction’ was warned in Galatians 6:7-8.
7 Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows. 8 Whoever sows to please their flesh, from the flesh will reap destruction; whoever sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life.
People repeat the mistake of the first man and woman by eating from one forbidden tree instead of all other trees freely available. The result of making such a bad choice is destruction.
Let us learn some of the Law related to love, sex and marriage for example.
Marriage is not sin (1 Corinthians 7:28). The Law does not condemn a man who seduces a virgin not pledged to be married and sleeps with her, but he must pay the bride-price, and she shall be his wife (Exodus 22:16-17, cf. Exodus 22:28-29).
However, the law condemns to death a man who rapes or sleeps with a virgin pledged to be married (Exodus 22:23-27). The law also condemns to death a man who commits adultery with another man’s wife (Leviticus 20:10).
How to avoid making a bad choice? See Psalm 119:9.
9 How can a young person stay on the path of purity?
By living according to your word.
The answer is simple: “By living according to God’s Word.”
God exists, prepares and provides for you. God prepared Eden Garden for Adam! So, it is unwise to break His law to get what your flesh desires. He will provide in His time. Wait for Him! Why would you lose the Eden Garden and the Eternal Life for the forbidden tree?
Despite it, Isaiah 53:6a was how we have been. Jesus came and paid for our sins. He died for our sins, and we don’t want to sin anymore. We want to live according to God’s Word. This is fulfilled by living according to the Spirit that God put inside us (Romans 8:3-4). Through Jesus Christ, the Spirit gave us life and set us free from sin and death (Romans 8:2). Romans 8:1-17 teaches us about the ‘Spirit-led life’. Also, learn The meaning of the resurrection of Jesus Christ.
However, if we live according to the flesh, we will die (Romans 8:13a). We have an obligation—but it is not to the flesh, to live according to the Spirit (Romans 8:12).
Note that the Word is spirit (John 6:63) and living according to the Word is the same as living according to the Spirit. Therefore, studying the Holy Bible is crucial.
References
[1] The Holy Bible: New International Version (Anglicised Edition, 2011). (2011). (Revised and updated edition). London: Hodder & Stoughton.
The True Worship
John 4:19-24
19 ‘Sir,’ the woman said, ‘I can see that you are a prophet. 20 Our ancestors worshipped on this mountain, but you Jews claim that the place where we must worship is in Jerusalem.’
21 ‘Woman,’ Jesus replied, ‘believe me, a time is coming when you will worship the Father neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem. 22 You Samaritans worship what you do not know; we worship what we do know, for salvation is from the Jews. 23 Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshippers will worship the Father in the Spirit and in truth, for they are the kind of worshippers the Father seeks. 24 God is spirit, and his worshippers must worship in the Spirit and in truth.’
The Samaritan woman wanted to know where to worship (20). In the Old Testament, the one place of worship was commanded (Deuteronomy 12:1-32, esp., Deuteronomy 12:5). Today, let us study true worship Jesus taught.
First, true worship does not depend on the location (21).
Second, true worship requires ‘to know God’ (22).
How we can know God:
- GOD’s WORD: The Holy Bible (The written revelation) is God-breathed (2 Timothy 3:16-17). Note that the Old Testament, especially the Law (the first five books) was given only to the Jews previously. And, the living God led them in their history. So, the Jews know God well.
- GOD’S IMAGE: The requirements of the law are written in their hearts, their conscience bears witness, and their thoughts accuse/defend them (Romans 2:15). We were created in His image (Genesis 1:27).
- GOD’S CREATION: God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made (Romans 1:20).
Third, true worship is in the Spirit and in truth (24).
See v23. God is spirit. He seeks the true worshippers (as opposed to ‘we go to the temple, we seek God.’). God will find you wherever you worship in the Spirit and in truth.
See v24.
24 God is spirit, and his worshippers must worship in the Spirit and in truth.’
In the Spirit (in spirit): in the human spirit moved by the Spirit of God (Romans 8:14, 16, 26) as opposed to external, stiffened, and even carnally fanatical modes of worship [2].
In truth: real, actual (in life) as opposed to symbolic, formal, ritualistic worship [2].
Some other relevant words
Our day-to-day life as a living sacrifice to God: Romans 12:1-2
References
[1] The Holy Bible: New International Version (Anglicised Edition, 2011). (2011). (Revised and updated edition). London: Hodder & Stoughton.
[2] Lange, J. P., & Schaff, P. (2008). A commentary on the Holy Scriptures: John (pp. 161–162). Bellingham, WA: Logos Bible Software.
