John 1:1-2, 14 (English Standard Version)

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God.

Recently I admitted that upon repenting a life lived making mistakes that I started a new course by trying to live by faith in Christ. I say tried because as a new born Christian, I didn’t know what I was doing.

This is where I started, the gospel of John. Reaching back into my memories of my earliest Christian days my thoughts went along these lines. 

“Begin with the one that knew Him best.”

One line of scripture written by John himself said that Jesus loved him best. That was not exactly true but it was how John felt and I was left with that impression. Was I misled or just led?

Our first foray into this hidden kingdom is to discover what it is that we do not know.

Where better to start than in the beginning. Not Genesis 1:1 but John 1:1.

In the beginning was the Word. That doesn’t make sense, read on.

14 And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.

The Word is the Son. That is confusing, another mystery, read on.

32 And John bore witness: “I saw the Spirit descend from heaven like a dove, and it remained on him. 33 I myself did not know him, but he who sent me to baptize with water said to me, ‘He on whom you see the Spirit descend and remain, this is he who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.’ 34 And I have seen and have borne witness that this is the Son of God.”

So Jesus is the Son of God and according to John 1:1 He is God.

Every question is answered as if I am being led to ask questions that will soon be answered.

Is this how a life of faith in Christ happens?

The only way to discover that answer is to keep going.

2 Peter 3:10-12 English Standard Version

10 But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, and then the heavens will pass away with a roar, and the heavenly bodies will be burned up and dissolved, and the earth and the works that are done on it will be exposed.

11 Since all these things are thus to be dissolved, what sort of people ought you to be in lives of holiness and godliness, 12 waiting for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be set on fire and dissolved, and the heavenly bodies will melt as they burn!

There are four ways to look at this and most people will have a hard time seeing it any way except their own. While I believe one way it is possible for me to see how others will see it their way.

Belief is the core element of who we are in respect to faith. There are three core faiths that stem from Abraham, Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. The fourth is faith in anything other than God.

All can honestly say bring it on from their point of view.

Israel is looking for the coming Messiah.

Christianity is looking for the second coming of Christ.

Islam is looking for a Caliphate.

All three are looking for the same event from three different applications of faith.

The fourth, everyone else, has no faith in God and says bring it one as they think our faith is in vain. 

Only Christianity has a word of hope which directs our actions to bring it on with intentional action.

Living our life in holiness and godliness hastens that day.

Everyone else is fated to just wait and wait and wait. What they do is not by my faith which is in Christ Jesus.

Living this life of faith in Christ has one aim, building up His bride to that tipping point when the Father says to His Son, “Go get your bride!”