As I reflect on John’s introduction, I find it interesting to see that the light is not Christ Himself in this instance. Life is the light of men. The Word of God, who is God and is with God in the beginning, is the one in whom life is—from the beginning, not merely from the moment of the cross.
Darkness, then, is the absence of life. Most human religion and thought centers its message on death and prioritizes rewards that are materialistic in nature; having nothing to do with life. From the outset of John’s Gospel, the message is about life. Life is the focus. Life is the thing to have. Life is found only in God the Word—the Logos, Jesus Christ.
If our religion promises mansions, personal glory, lands, planets, or material possessions as a reward for obedience to a person or organization, I think we have been short changed. The priority in the Gospel is life. Life is found only in the person of Christ the Word. It’s time to stop settling for human religion, religiosity, and philosophies. I believe God wants to offer us life, and it seems this claim is the key thesis of John’s Gospel from the start.
Life came into the darkness, and darkness has not overcome it. Life wins. The gates of Hell will never prevail against God’s life agenda.
“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things came into being through Him, and apart from Him nothing came into being that has come into being. In Him was life, and the life was the Light of men. The Light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend (or overcome) it” (John 1:1-5).
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