The Word of Life

The Word of Life

“That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, concerning the Word of life—the life was manifested, and we have seen, and bear witness, and declare to you that eternal life which was with the Father and was manifested to us—that which we have seen and heard we declare to you, that you also may have fellowship with us; and truly our fellowship is with the Father and with His Son Jesus Christ.” 1 John 1:1-3.

The apostles proclaimed the Word of life, which they had personally seen with their eyes and handled with their hands, and with which they had walked together. Jesus is called the Word of God, and we who are His followers shall also have this name. We shall walk about as the Word of life among our fellow men.

“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” John 1:1. People were in darkness and separated from the Word—the glory of life itself. But Jesus came down in order to impart the glory of this Word to us. He renounced being like God, but He was anointed with the Holy Spirit from birth so that He could hear God’s voice and do His will. God’s Word and will received legs on which to walk in the midst of this evil and dark world.

The disciples could seriously begin to follow Jesus on the day of Pentecost. Then they were anointed with the Holy Spirit, and they received power to do God’s will just as Jesus was empowered to do it. We read that then the Word of God spread, and the number of disciples multiplied greatly in Jerusalem. Acts 6:7. God’s Word received many bodies, many legs on which to walk.

All of God’s fullness came to dwell in Jesus because He received the Word from the Father and did it. “And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.” John 1:14. There is no glory outside of the Word. We are transformed from glory to glory, as the Word becomes flesh in us.

The Word is not far off, neither is it too high so that it is too difficult to find. “But the word is very near you, in your mouth and in your heart, that you may do it.” Deut. 30:14. If just one Word of God has really become life in us, we have received an indwelling, unshakable power and glory, and we are richer by far than if we possessed the largest and most precious diamond in this world. However, not a single word of God can dwell in us except that it meets the most powerful opposition from our flesh and the hosts of Satan. We can decide the outcome ourselves if we pray to receive the mind that was in Jesus and to be preserved in it so that we can always say as He did: “Not My will, but Yours, be done.”

Many people never make any further progress than speaking about God’s Word according to the oratorical gifts they have; the Word of God is not revealed in their daily life. Each Word of God must be spoken in the Holy Spirit, in faith, and in full assurance, and it has to be received in faith and in the Holy Spirit because, it has to be proclaimed with a living faith and power so that it brings forth life in us. We do not walk about like some religious apparition if God’s Word has become life in us. People will surely notice whether we have life in us or not. “For our gospel did not come to you in word only, but also in power, and in the Holy Spirit and in much assurance, as you know what kind of men we were among you for your sake. And you became followers of us and of the Lord, having received the word in much affliction, with joy of the Holy Spirit . . . .” “For this reason we also thank God without ceasing, because when you received the word of God which you heard from us, you welcomed it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of God, which also effectively works in you who believe.” 1 Thess. 1:5-6; 2:13.

If we receive the Word of God as the word of man, its power will not be effective in us; and since it is so rare that anyone receives God’s Word as it is in truth, Paul was so exceedingly thankful for the Thessalonians that he thanked God always for them.

Jesus said, “If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed.” John 8:31. The apostles proclaimed words of life so that more people could have fellowship with them, but their fellowship was with the Father and His Son, Jesus Christ. Just as there is perfect fellowship between each Word of God, so there is perfect fellowship between those in whom the Word has become flesh. We are called to nothing less than such an exalted, pure, and blessed fellowship in the light. The result is a brotherhood into which even the gates of Hades cannot drive a wedge.

Many people live their lives as living protests against the Word of God even as they praise God with their lips. They are impatient, bitter, and unthankful. If we fast and pray ever so much to be blessed, it will not succeed for us outside of the laws of the Spirit of Life. We find life, power, and joy in these laws. The children who are obedient to their parents will experience this, as well as the young ones when they are in subjection to the older ones. A woman will experience it when she finds her rightful place in the home and in the church, and a man will experience it when he finds his rightful place in humility and in the fear of God.

May God’s Word be life in us in these last days so that the glory of the Lord can radiate from us. May God’s peaceful rest, thankfulness, and joy receive legs on which to walk in the midst of these restless and disturbing times. May there be patience, humility, love, and goodness that walk about at home and away from home, and songs of praise that stand by the laundry tub. Yes, may there by an entire army of such walking “God’s Words” that have sincere fellowship with each other, with the Father, and with the Son. John writes in his first letter, Chapter 1, verse 4: “And these things we write to you that your joy may be full.”