walkingthroughthebibleJohn 1:10-13:  He was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognize him. He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him. Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God- children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God.

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Let’s look first at verse 10, “He was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognize him.”  We see here again the reference to Christ as the creator, a clear indication of his deity.  And despite his coming to earth, only a small few came to believe in him during his time on earth.  We can go even a step further.  In verse 11, it tells us, “He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him.”  This is a clear reference to Jesus coming to the Jews, of whom, he was not only a Jew, but as it turns out, it was YHWH himself visiting his people.  I believe you have to look at it in both contexts.  This was perhaps not as obvious at the time, but nonetheless true.

Thankfully, our merciful God had a plan that included redemption, which we find in verses 12 and 13, “Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God- children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God.”  We can become children of God!  What can we say to this, but wow?!  If we see ourselves rightly, we should understand that there is nothing in us deserving of such honor, and yet the God of the world came to earth as a lowly baby, lived a humble life marching towards a death on a cross, so that he could redeem us.  That’s love!

John is nearly finished with his introduction to the gospel he is pinning and has set the framework for the presentation he will make.  He has made clear references to to the deity of Christ and the redemptive plan of salvation found in him. And importantly in this verse, he has provided what has been a hallmark of Christianity that Jesus himself spoke of, that a person must be born again; hence, where we get the term ‘born again Christian.’ There is even a clear reference to the nature of this spiritual birth in the phrase, “born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God.”  This birth is supernatural.

As we continue to read John, we will find the beginnings of what are later determined as Biblical doctrines.  Watch for them along the way.

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Walking through the Bible is a verse by verse study of the Bible. A small segment of verses will be looked at each time and a brief, but relevant study of the text will be conducted.

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