John, the One Who Came to Bear Witness of the Light

 

John the Baptist was a man sent from God and born according to the prophecies in the Old Testament (Mal. 3:1, Isa. 40:3; see also Art Thou He That Cometh, or Look We for Another?). From the following word, we can know that John the Baptist was a relative of Jesus, who would be born afterward, and that he was conceived about six months before Jesus.

 

Luke 1:36 “And behold, Elisabeth thy kinswoman, she also hath conceived a son in her old age; and this is the sixth month with her that was called barren.”

 

In any case, what is important is the reason he was sent to this earth. It is written that he came to bear witness of the Light, so that all might believe through him. Therefore, John the Baptist said that the reason he baptized people with water was to make Jesus manifest.

 

John 1:29-31 “29On the morrow he seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold, the Lamb of God, that taketh away the sin of the world! 30This is he of whom I said, After me cometh a man who is become before me: for he was before me. 31And I knew him not; but that he should be made manifest to Israel, for this cause came I baptizing in water.”

According to this testimony of John the Baptist, truly Jesus—not John the Baptist—is the true Light (see also Let There Be Light! The First Day of Creation.).

 

John 1:9 “There was the true light, even the light which lighteth every man, coming into the world.”

 

John 8:12 “Again therefore Jesus spake unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in the darkness, but shall have the light of life.”

 

John 12:46 “I am come a light into the world, that whosoever believeth on me may not abide in the darkness.”

 

Thus, Jesus is the Light of the world. Yet Jesus also said the following to His disciples:

 

Matthew 5:14-16 “14Ye are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hid. 15Neither do men light a lamp, and put it under the bushel, but on the stand; and it shineth unto all that are in the house. 16Even so let your light shine before men; that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven.”

 

Nevertheless, we must not directly say that “man is the light,” nor should we become proud, because Jesus is the true Light, and we can become light only when we are in the Lord, who is the Light.

 

Ephesians 5:8 “For ye were once darkness, but are now light in the Lord: walk as children of light.”

 

That is why Jesus said, “That they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven” (Matt. 5:16). This is also the very reason John the Baptist was sent to this earth.

 

“That all might believe through him” (John 1:7).

 

Just as John the Baptist bore witness to Jesus, who is the Light, and sought to lead all people to believe in Jesus through his testimony, so today also, only Jesus must be borne witness to through us, and others must come to believe in Jesus because of our testimony.

 

Philippians 2:15-16 “15that ye may become blameless and harmless, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom ye are seen as lights in the world, 16holding forth the word of life; that I may have whereof to glory in the day of Christ, that I did not run in vain neither labor in vain.”

 

Yes. Truly, we must shine as lights in the midst of this crooked and perverse generation by holding forth the word of life. This is the very reason God chose us and called us.

 

Colossians 1:13-14 “13Who delivered us out of the power of darkness, and translated us into the kingdom of the Son of his love; 14in whom we have our redemption, the forgiveness of our sins.”

 

1 Peter 2:9 “But ye are an elect race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God’s own possession, that ye may show forth the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvellous light.”

 

Therefore, the purpose for which we, through our homepage nameofJesus.net, proclaim, “Whatever you do, in word or in deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus” (Col. 3:17), is also this: just as John the Baptist sought to make Jesus manifest through water baptism, we seek to make Jesus manifest through the name of Jesus.

 

Truly, John the Baptist was “not the light, but came that he might bear witness of the light.” This word is a truth that applies equally to us today. Therefore, we must always have the fruit of lips that bear witness to the name of Jesus.

 

Hebrews 13:14-15 “14For we have not here an abiding city, but we seek after the city which is to come. 15Through him then let us offer up a sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of lips which make confession to his name.”

 

Amen.