John 1:1-18 (aka “the Prologue”) is on of the most powerful sections of Scripture. It speaks clearly of the deity of Jesus. “the Word” being in the beginning with God – he was not created – rather all things were created thru Him. In Him was life and light for men…a light that overcomes the darkness, the darkness has not, nor cannot overcome it.
This Word was in the world, yet not everyone recognized him as God, particularly those who were his own people, the nation of Israel. But for those who did recognize him, who did understand that he was God in the flesh – he gave them new life, as adopted children of God.
The Word, God-in the flesh, Jesus walked the Earth full of grace and truth. The law represented the moral standard of God, yet clearly no one is able to merit eternal life by keeping all the rules – the point is that we need grace. We need a Savior – someone human to represent us yet someone divine to be able to pay for the sin and in exchange give us life in the truth of God’s redemptive plan to save a rebellious human race.
A few weeks back I had two Jehovah’s Witnesses at my door, they were very nice, and gave me all the information I asked for. I have never engaged them and wasn’t 100% clear on what they stood for. After they left, as I read their material, it became clear. They are so close to the truth, but miss that Jesus was God – as John 1 clearly states. There are all sorts of things that we as believers can do to “prove” this – we can go to John 1, we can better still go to the original Greek and show them. Unfortunately, this is another sad reminder that entire religions are built on false interpretations of what the Bible actually says.
However, what rings in my mind is something much more personal that goes beyond academic and textual “proving”. If Jesus isn’t really God, then I’m in eternal trouble – because I need God himself to remove my sins and restore my relationship with him. There isn’t a man, Pope, or religious system in the world that can do that divine work, only God himself can do that. Our responsibility is not working for it, but recognizing it — Jesus as very God in the flesh, what some people mentioned in John 1 didn’t do and there are many today who still don’t. We recognize Jesus for who he is (God) and submit to him (as God) in all aspects of our lives and then live lives that glorify God – not earning our salvation, but working from our new identity as he has made us children of God. In this grace and truth we grow, til one day we are perfected when we are with him. But until then, much work to do.
Mike Ruel 
Hi Pastor Mike.
I’ve always had difficulty understanding exactly what it means that Jesus is the Word. I know Christians often refer to the scriptures as the Word as well with a capital W. I mostly understand what your post says and think it fully explains the deity of Christ but I don’t totally grasp this word, Word!!! Am I dense or is this a bit hard to get?
Mom
Hi Mom. 🙂
The concept of the Word is sort of two fold. The Greek word here is logos (word), which represented a whole prominent philosophical way of thinking. John is playing a bit on that theme to specifically say that Jesus is “revealer” of God – he makes God known as God in the flesh, God’s very words appearing. As the passage also explains he is the Creator of all things – he is the source. I think John is saying “You want to be philosophical and talk about the “logos” of all things? Jesus is the one and only “logos” – He is the very creator God in the flesh”.
Pastor Ryan and I preached on this passage back in December if you are interested: 🙂
I can see this totally that Jesus is the WORD, that he came in the flesh and embodies God and God is made known to us through him. But if you ask most Christians, what is the Word of God they would say the Bible or the scriptures… So sometimes I want to say No, Jesus is the Word. The Scriptures are the written words, Jesus is THE WORD. I almost feel as though many Christians worship the Bible more than they do Jesus. We would still have the Word even if the words of God never got written down as was the case with believers until when ever the sciptures were written and consolidated into the Holy Bible.( you would know when that all happened, I’ve never been good with dates.) I am not taking anything away from the Bible. How blessed we are that we have the very words of God to read daily and to help us know God better. Before we know GOD He must be reavealed to us through THE WORD, JESUS by THE HOLY SPIRIT. Otherwise the written words with be nothing to us.
So I think I am just playing with “words” (hehe), and I would not say these things to anyone except my Son-in-law whom I love.