Temple Baptist Church - 8-3-2025
John 1:3; 1 John 1:1; Genesis 1:1
Introduction: The Bible is a Christ-Book; therefore, Christology is the Knowledge of God. From cover to cover.
Psalms 40:7 Then said I, Lo, I come: in the volume of the book it is written of me,
Hebrews 10:7 Then said I, Lo, I come (in the volume of the book it is written of me,) to do thy will, O God.
A. Christology, the Doctrine of Christ, is one of the most important of doctrines. Many of today’s religions have a distorted view of Christ as they bend the Bible to fit their doctrines. As we begin this series on Christology, we will have to start at the beginning with eternal things, and eternity is incomprehensible. It is teachable, but not experiential, as all that we see and know is temporal.
B. Even the evolutionists will agree that all matter is not eternal; therefore, there had to be a true beginning. A time in eternity when nothing existed but God.
C. Though there are many such verses in the Bible, I will use three portions of Scripture
Genesis 1:1 In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth. (I call the first four words of this verse the "greatest theological statement in the Bible." It is a statement about God, not an argument for His existence.)
D. Genesis 1:1 records the Beginning of Time! The first tick of God’s clock has ticked! For the very first time in eternity, the clock of time began to move from one second to one day to one week to one month and one year.
1. This is an essential Truth. The eternality of our Lord Jesus Christ is found in the Books of John and 1 John.
John 1:1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. (This verse is the greatest theological statement in the Bible concerning Christ as the "Word" found in the Bible. You cannot divorce Christ from the Word. To do so will cause theological error concerning the Person and Work of Christ.)
1 John 1:1-2 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, of the Word of life; (2) (For the life was manifested, and we have seen it, and bear witness, and shew unto you that eternal life, which was with the Father, and was manifested unto us;) (These verses contain the availability of Christ the Word to all who seek Him.)
2. In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God! It was later in time that the Creation began: maybe one second or more, but Time was created first, as God has no time.
3. The Bible begins with the beginning of Time, then the beginning of Creation, but we find the Word, Jehovah God, our Lord Jesus Christ, was there at that first tick of the clock of time. “In the beginning God!” God, Elohim, was there at the beginning of time.
Genesis 1:1 In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.
John 1:1-2 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. (2) The same was in the beginning with God.
4. In the Volume of the Book, we find that Jehovah God has, is, and will always exist in an eternal Light. Eternity is Light on both sides of time. Perfect Light in the beginning of time and Perfect Light at the end of time.
Psalms 104:1-2 Bless the LORD, O my soul. O LORD my God, thou art very great; thou art clothed with honour and majesty. (2) Who coverest thyself with light as with a garment: who stretchest out the heavens like a curtain:
1 John 1:5 This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all.
Revelation 22:5 And there shall be no night there; and they need no candle, neither light of the sun; for the Lord God giveth them light: and they shall reign for ever and ever.
5. I find it of interest that God chose to begin time and creation in darkness. Here, the Bible is specific about the beginning of time, that first day. This is an essential truth, as everything that God made, from the first to the sixth day, began each day in darkness. Six times the Bible used these words: “And the Evening and the morning were the first …”
6. God’s creation began on the first evening of time. God’s first day began in darkness, just like ours continues to do so today. God’s first day began in the evening, then progressed from there into the light.
Genesis 1:1-3 In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth. (2) And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters. (3) And God said, Let there be light: and there was light.
Genesis 1:5 And God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And the evening and the morning were the first day.
The Jewish day begins at 6:00 PM, which is evening.
7. Our day begins in darkness, as one tick of the clock after midnight begins our next day! Then, over time, the sun comes up and we have light. Thus, we find a pattern set that is consistent throughout the Bible. Creation began in darkness, and the First Mention is consistent concerning darkness before light.
8. Not only did Creation begin in Darkness and progress into Light, our Saviour, Christ Jesus, was born in darkness.
1 John 1:1-2 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, of the Word of life; (2) (For the life was manifested, and we have seen it, and bear witness, and shew unto you that eternal life, which was with the Father, and was manifested unto us;) (These verses contain the availability of Christ the Word to all who seek Him.)
a) Physical Darkness. Luke 2:6-8 And so it was, that, while they were there, the days were accomplished that she should be delivered. (7) And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn. (8) And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night.
b) Spiritual Darkness. Isaiah 9:2 The people that walked in darkness have seen a great light: they that dwell in the land of the shadow of death, upon them hath the light shined.
c). But the Light of God began to shine. Luke 1:79 To give light to them that sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace.
John 8:12 Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.
9. All of mankind begins in darkness.
a) The darkness of sin. John 1:4-5 In him was life; and the life was the light of men. (5) And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not.
Psalms 58:3 The wicked are estranged from the womb: they go astray as soon as they be born, speaking lies.
Romans 3:23 For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;
John 3:19 And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.
b) The darkness of Satanic Blindness. 2 Corinthians 4:4 In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.
c) The light of Salvation. The Light of the Glorious Gospel. 2 Corinthians 4:4b … the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.
10. The Second Coming of Christ, in both aspects: the Rapture and the visible Return of Christ, both take place in times of darkness.
a) The darkness of the world and the light of the Rapture.
2 Timothy 3:1 This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come.
2 Thessalonians 2:1-2 Now we beseech you, brethren, by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and by our gathering together unto him, (2) That ye be not soon shaken in mind, or be troubled, neither by spirit, nor by word, nor by letter as from us, as that the day of Christ is at hand.
1 Thessalonians 4:16-18 For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: (17) Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. (18) Wherefore comfort one another with these words.
b) The darkness of Israel and the world in light of the Second coming.
Revelation 18:24 And in her was found the blood of prophets, and of saints, and of all that were slain upon the earth.
Revelation 19:11-13 And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war. (12) His eyes were as a flame of fire, and on his head were many crowns; and he had a name written, that no man knew, but he himself. (13) And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and his name is called The Word of God.
Revelation 1:7-8 Behold, he cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see him, and they also which pierced him: and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of him. Even so, Amen. (8) I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, saith the Lord, which is, and which was, and which is to come, the Almighty.
11. The great question: “Why did God give man a choice to sin and reject Him?” The answer is simple: “God did not want robots to worship Him. He wanted us to choose and love Him!”
a) Eternity is Light, the Light of God. There is no darkness there. Now, to repeat these verses.
Psalms 104:1-2 Bless the LORD, O my soul. O LORD my God, thou art very great; thou art clothed with honour and majesty. (2) Who coverest thyself with light as with a garment: who stretchest out the heavens like a curtain:
1 John 1:5 This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all.
b) Why did God allow us to know Darkness? Because we would never know and appreciate Light until we have known Darkness!
c) In God’s Creation of man, we find both darkness and light.
John 1:3-5 All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made. (4) In him was life; and the life was the light of men. (5) And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not.
d) Christ, the Light of the World, gave us witness of His Light, to be received or rejected: both that inward Light, the Light of God, which is innate and inherent.
John 1:6-8 There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. (7) The same came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all men through him might believe. (8) He was not that Light, but was sent to bear witness of that Light.
e) God gave every individual a Choice.
Matthew 6:21-23 For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also. (22) The light of the body is the eye: if therefore thine eye be single, thy whole body shall be full of light. (23) But if thine eye be evil, thy whole body shall be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in thee be darkness, how great is that darkness!
f) In the Book of Romans, chapter one, we find the three steps to a reprobate mind. Reprobate – depraved, perverted, perverse, degenerate.
1) False worship. Glorified Him not as God - “Gave them up”
Romans 1:21-24 Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened. (22) Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools, (23) And changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things. (24) Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves:
2) Rejection of truth. Changed the truth of God into a lie – “gave them up”
Romans 1:25-27 Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen. (26) For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature: (27) And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompence of their error which was meet.
3) False presumption. Did not like to retain God in their knowledge – “gave them over”
Romans 1:28-32 And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient; (29) Being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers, (30) Backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, (31) Without understanding, covenantbreakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful: (32) Who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them.
g) Darkness had to precede Light or we would have never known the Light and Love of God if we had not walked in darkness!
