The Word became flesh

John 1:14  “And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we saw His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth.”

Over the last two years, we have looked many times at the definition of the word of God; especially, the definition that Jesus and his immediate followers gave the phrase in the New Testament writings. Since we have proven with the preponderance of evidence that it is the gospel, I think that it makes the most sense to say that the gospel was made flesh, or became flesh, and dwelt among us. Jesus is the living gospel. Many in the Messianic Judaism movement would argue that Jesus was the living Torah. I think that's incorrect. Jesus was not the living Torah or Tanakh. He was not the living Scripture. He was the living breathing good news. This is further evidence that the entire Scripture is not the word of God per se. It contains the word of God because it is a story of redemption. The story of redemption is the good news or the gospel. The good news is that there is a kingdom of God. God reigns, and that we are one and all the children of God; we’re citizens of God's kingdom. God was in Christ reconciling the world to himself not counting trespasses.

This is why John states in verse 17 that while the law was given by Moses, grace and truth, came through Jesus Christ. These salient facts limit the way that we should properly use Scripture. Think about it for a minute, seeing the word of God as the Gospel, and looking at the Scripture in a solely redemptive focus in no way lessens inspiration of Scripture. What it does however, is it eliminates the constitutional, legal reading of Scripture. It helps remove the fear of death from the reading of Scripture. It brings about an assurance of eternal connectedness to God. The knowledge of eternal union with God brings about peace with God which in turn brings about an abiding love for God. Out of the supernatural love for God, close real, supernatural, transformative obedience.

Think about it for a minute please, the Bible, Torah, Scripture, etc. did not become flesh and dwell among anyone. Jesus of Nazareth, the living gospel, God's living good news tabernacled among us. It was his glory that was seen. It was the glory of the only begotten of the father full of grace and truth. That's what became flesh and dwelt among men. It should be obvious that Scripture has been elevated to the place of idolatry in evangelical Christianity. The book has been placed above Jesus, the Holy Spirit, and the father for that matter. Christianity has been turned from an eternal relationship with God to a legal constitutional relationship. Travel across the country any Sunday, and you will visit churches that are encumbered by this legal constitutional death. Will we not remember that the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life? Why are we so trenched in our biblical idolatry that we end up denying the Lord that the Scripture describes?