Knowing The Father

John 1 : 15 - 18, John bore witness of Him and cried out, saying, "This was He of whom I said, 'He who comes after me is preferred before me, for He was before me.'" And of His fullness we have all received, and grace for grace. For the law was given through Moses, but grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. No one has seen God at any time. The only begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, He has declared Him. NKJV

The prophet Malachi declared that God is the Lord, and He does not change. Even so, what is truth according to scripture, and why do we need to know the truth and walk in it? In the first chapter of the gospel of John, he writes to us about the Word of God. In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The Holy Spirit revealed to John the origin of truth that has the power to save people's souls. The truth that we now know to be the Word of God proceeded from the mouth of God.

Therefore, we know that truth didn't begin with man, but with God. Just by the Lord revealing this one truth about His Word, He assures us that man's beliefs and opinions have nothing to do with truth. In other words, if what we believe or what we speak as humans doesn't line-up with the Word of God, then we must be willing to accept that we are wrong in light of the Bible and begin to embrace change... if we want to know God for who He really is.

As you continue to read the first chapter of John, you will begin to see a progression of the plan of God as it pertains to the manifestation of His Word as truth. John boldly declared to his generation that the Word which proceeded from the mouth of God had become flesh and dwelt among them. We know that Jesus began as the Word of God, but when Mary received the will of God to bring God's Son into the earth to preach and proclaim the truth, He became a man. Once Jesus, the Word of God was born in the world, He was known as the only-begotten  Son of God.   

Why is it important that we understand where the Word originated, and that He became flesh? Jesus is the only (MAN) that has proceeded from the heart of God. He is the only man who knew the Father (our Creator) from the beginning. He is the only man who knows God for who He really is and not according to the knowledge of man or man's beliefs. Remember, God spoke to Mary, the mother of Jesus, about His plan to send His Son into the world in order that we might be saved. Instead of Mary being impregnated by a man, God impregnated her with the Seed of His Word through her faith. Now we can have assurance that Jesus is not just a man or just another prophet sent by God; He is, in fact, the Word and the Son of God. 

When Jesus spoke to the people of His day, He spoke the truth like no other man. He also spoke as One having great authority. Why was Jesus different than the "other ministers" of His time? He was the truth, and He had personal and intimate knowledge of God because He had been with God since the beginning. No man can make that claim, only Jesus. 

Therefore, if we as humans desire to know the truth, we must be willing to turn to Jesus, the Word of God, and believe in Him. If we will, then the Father will begin to reveal Himself to us, even though we haven't known God at all. We can conclude that truth doesn't come from our minds, but is revealed to our heart through faith in Jesus Christ. Through Jesus, we can come to know the Father and walk in the truth, just as He knew the Father and walked in the truth.

If you desire to know God as your heavenly Father in the way that Jesus does, then you must be willing to obey the command that Jesus spoke to the Jews, who believed on Him in John 8. He told those who believed in His teachings that they must continue in His Word, and they would know the truth and the (revealed) truth would make them free. There's only one WAY to the Father and one way to know Him as the true God; His name is Jesus, the Son of the living God. This is eternal life (John 17 : 3).

Walking in the Light,
Pastor Asa Dockery