THE FIFTH DAY OF CHRISTMAS -CHRISTMAS V

LESSON: ROMANS 5:6-11

In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. John 1:4

The evangelist says, “In him was life,” as though he were speaking of something in the past, and not, “In him is life.” But this must not be understood as a reference to the time before the world or the beginning. For the evangelist does not say here, “In the beginning there was life in him,” as he says just prior to this, “He was in the beginning with God.”

One must refer this to the time of Christ’s life or sojourn on earth, when the Word of God manifested Himself to men and among men. It is the evangelist’s intention to write about Christ and His life, during which He accomplished all that was needed for us to have life: “In him was life.” Jesus Himself said: “As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.” John 9:5

We should understand the evangelist’s statements to refer simply to the time of Christ here on earth. This Gospel is not as difficult as is sometimes supposed. Men have made it difficult with their lofty, deep, and powerful researches. The evangelist wrote it for all Christians, however simple they may be, and he set forth his word in a manner that is quite comprehensible.

If someone simply disregarded Christ’s life and sojourn here on earth and tried to find by his own resources that He is now sitting in heaven, he would be sadly mistaken. We must seek Him as He was and sojourned here on earth. Then we will find life, for He came to bring us life, light, and salvation. During this life on earth, all was accomplished that we should believe concerning Him, so that John declares most emphatically, “In him was life,” not the He is not now our life and that He does not now do what He did then.

SL.XI.169-170,40-41
AE 75,286

PRAYER: Lord Jesus Christ, shine into our hearts with the light of your truth and be the true light of our life, for your truth’s sake. Amen.