INTRODUCTION: Seven References to Christ as the Word

• In the beginning was the Word (John 1:1In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
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• The Word was with God (John 1:1In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
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• The Word was God (John 1:1In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
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• The Word was made flesh (John 1:14And the Word was made 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.
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• The disciples saw Him who is the Word of life (1 John 1:1-2 [1] 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;)
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• He is three in one with the Father and the Holy Ghost (1 John 5:7For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one.
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• He returns to earth in power as the Word of God (Revelation 19:13And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and his name is called The Word of God.
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Why is Jesus called the Word? As the Word, Jesus is (1) an expression of the unseen God (John 1:18No man hath seen God at any time, the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him.
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1. The Eternity of the Word (John 1:1In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
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1. In the beginning
1. The beginning of creation (Genesis 1:1In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.
   See All...; Hebrews 1:10And, Thou, Lord, in the beginning hast laid the foundation of the earth; and the heavens are the works of thine hands:
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2. The beginning of God’s way (Proverbs 8:22-23 [22] The LORD possessed me in the beginning of his way, before his works of old. [23] I was set up from everlasting, from the beginning, or ever the earth was.
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3. The beginning of beginnings (John 17:5And now, O Father, glorify thou me with thine own self with the glory which I had with thee before the world was.
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2. The Word already was; that is, He already existed (Micah 5:2But thou, Bethlehem Ephratah, though thou be little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of thee shall he come forth unto me that is to be ruler in Israel; whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting.
   See All...; John 8:58Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Before Abraham was, I am.
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3. Therefore, He is co-eternal with the Father (Psalm 90:2Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever thou hadst formed the earth and the world, even from everlasting to everlasting, thou art God.
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2. The Personality of the Word (John 1:1In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
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1. This refers to His identity as separate from the Father. He is “with God.” That is, He is the companion of the Father, alongside the Father.
2. Doctrinally, the Word, though equal to and in union with the Father, is distinct from the Father in His person. This allows Him to fellowship with the Father (John 17:24Father, I will that they also, whom thou hast given me, be with me where I am; that they may behold my glory, which thou hast given me: for thou lovedst me before the foundation of the world.
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3. This establishes the plurality of the Godhead (Genesis 1:26And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth.
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   See All...; Isaiah 6:8Also I heard the voice of the Lord, saying, Whom shall I send, and who will go for us? Then said I, Here am I; send me.
   See All...; 1 John 5:7For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one.
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3. The Deity of the Word (John 1:1In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
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1. The “Word was God.” He is one with the Father and the Spirit (John 10:30I and my Father are one.
   See All...; 1 John 5:7For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one.
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2. This establishes the deity of Jesus Christ
3. This establishes the unity of the Godhead. Notice Isaiah 6:8Also I heard the voice of the Lord, saying, Whom shall I send, and who will go for us? Then said I, Here am I; send me.
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4. The Immutability of the Word (John 1:2The same was in the beginning with God.
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1. Immutability refers to the unchanging nature of God.
2. The “same was in the beginning with God.” The same Word who was God and was with God is now made flesh (John 1:14And the Word was made 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.
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3. This refutes the Mormon doctrine: “As we are, so he once was; as he is, so we may become.”
5. The Creativity of the Word (John 1:3All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.
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1. Jesus Christ, as the Word, is the person of the Godhead who directly created all things. See Ephesians 3:9And to make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God, who created all things by Jesus Christ:
   See All...; Colossians 1:15-16 [15] Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature: [16] For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him:
   See All...; Hebrews 1:2Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds;
   See All...; 2:9-10 [9] Woe to him that coveteth an evil covetousness to his house, that he may set his nest on high, that he may be delivered from the power of evil! [10] Thou hast consulted shame to thy house by cutting off many people, and hast sinned against thy soul.
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2. Jesus Christ created all things by His word (Genesis 1:3And God said, Let there be light: and there was light.
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3. This verse (John 1:3All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.
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6. The Vitality of the Word (John 1:4In him was life; and the life was the light of men.
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1. The Word is life (John 11:25Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live:
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2. The Word has life in Himself (John 5:26For as the Father hath life in himself; so hath he given to the Son to have life in himself;
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3. The Word gives life to man (John 3:16For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
   See All...; John 10:10The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.
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7. The Luminosity of the Word (John 1:4-5 [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.
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1. A light to men (John 1:4In him was life; and the life was the light of men.
   See All...b; John 8:12Then 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.
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2. A light to shine in darkness (John 1:5And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not.
   See All...a; John 12:35-36 [35] Then Jesus said unto them, Yet a little while is the light with you. Walk while ye have the light, lest darkness come upon you: for he that walketh in darkness knoweth not whither he goeth. [36] While ye have light, believe in the light, that ye may be the children of light. These things spake Jesus, and departed, and did hide himself from them.
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3. A light rejected by darkness (John 1:5And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not.
   See All...b; John 3:19-20 [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. [20] For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved.
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CONCLUSION: Do you glory in Jesus Christ as the Word? Do you allow Him to speak to you and to show you the true nature of the Father? Are you allowing the Word to live in you and transform you daily into His image?