There are two important facts intimately associated with the coming into the world of the Son of God, viz., how He found it when He came, and its state when He left it. John 1 declares, that He Who was in the beginning with God, and emphatically was God, was in the world that He made (nothing having been made without Him), yet the world knew Him not. In Him too was life, a life shedding its pure and holy light not only on His people Israel, but on man generally. Still the darkness did not comprehend it, any more than the world by wisdom knew the One Who made it. Moreover He came specially to His own things, and His own people received Him not. Therefore the state was one of moral darkness and death, with no desire for the Light of Life. The same Gospel, that so fully declares the love and grace of God made known by the Son, definitely proves that the world was no better but worse for His presence. Light, love, holiness, and truth, all so perfectly expressed by Him, only brought forth hatred and opposition, thereby showing that the world was incomparably worse at the end than at the beginning. The Light that shines in darkness in chapter i. is about to leave the world in chapter xii. He Who was God's only-begotten Son, His gift to the world, touchingly said, “Yet a little while the light is with you; walk while ye have the light, lest darkness come upon you.” Clearly, God's best and final gift failed to win man back to God; yea every sign given connected with the pure light of life shining around, crowned with displayed power at the grave of Lazarus, drew forth the fullest hatred in plotting to kill Him, which finally was carried out. Thus no alternative remained but for the Son of God to declare in view of it, “Now is the judgment of this world.”
Light and Love coming into the world in the Person of the Son, Who brought God to man, having been entirely despised and cast out, of necessity left the world in moral darkness and death. It is therefore proved, that the world was in darkness when He came; and much more so when He left, consequent upon its willful ignorance, hatred, and rejection of Him.
Man's sin and God's purpose significantly have their place in the Gospel of John, where sovereign grace so distinctly shines. He came to His own and was rejected: hence condemnation closed their final responsibility. Nevertheless grace in purpose would have a new set of people termed “His own” taken out of the world; not limited to the chosen earthly nation, but all who receive the Son, or in other words “believe on His name.” Here it is that reception blessedly comes in, making known an entirely new family that has a birth and relationship distinctly of God: a privilege reserved for the time of the Son's rejection, fully brought out after His death, resurrection, and exaltation; no less made good by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven by the Father and the Son, and given in connection with not only divine birth but heavenly relationship to a child of God. It is the Father known by the Son in the indwelling power of God the Holy Spirit. Wide, significant and emphatic, are the words faith welcomes in contrast to those that received not God's Son, Who came in grace; as it is written, “But as many as received Him, to them gave He power (title) to become children of God, even to them that believe on His name; which were born not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.” Therefore to receive or believe on the Son of God gives new life and relationship, completely outside man and the world, his sphere. Yea, it is eternal life in and by the Son, and by the Father known in Him.
If all is of God Who reconciles to Himself by the death of His Son, truly so is the life given to as many as receive the Son, in character with the grand gospel verse of chapter v. 24. To hear the Son's word, and believe the Father Who sent Him, is to have everlasting life and not to come into judgment, having already as before God passed out of the state to which it applies. The life and relationship being heavenly and not of the world, which is fully declared in the heart-breathings and desires of the Son to the Father in chapter xvii., the hope and prospect of the heaven-born family must be in character with it.
The opening of John 14 makes known both the return of the departing Son of God and the place by His presence in the Father's house He has gone to prepare. Those who received Him according to chapter 1 He designates as His own (in chap. 13) when about to give them a sample of His needed service on high, to wash their feet in the hour of His absence. They are also told for their hearts' comfort that He is coming from heaven to take them to His Father's house, assuring them it was love's intention to have them where He Himself was. This is the blessed hope and prospect handed down to the 19th century, as fresh as when uttered from His heart Who desires to live in the heart of every believer; not only to be in the consciousness of present heavenly birth and relationship, but in daily anticipation of going home to the Father.
This will be consummated in its blessedness by the reception the Son of God will give to all His loved ones when He meets them in the air fashioned into His own likeness, and takes them into the Father's house to spend an eternity of unmarred happiness to the good pleasure of the Father and the Son. “I am coming again and will receive you to myself, that where I am, ye may be also.”
May the heavenly hope and prospect have its sanctifying effect in fuller separation from the world, and devotedness of heart to the Son of God for Whom we wait, watching with girded loins and clear burning lamps, and serving during watching time for His sake. G. G.