The American Wisdom Series

Presents
Pamphlet #1500B KC 1-2

Behold, the Gospel of John:

John 1:1
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
Where have we heard "In the beginning" before? Right! In the beginning of the Word of God, in Genesis 1:1 to which this same time frame refers. Of course "kids" always want to know when "in the beginning" was. We tell them that God "always was" and "always will be" and they say, "I don't understand, is that the best you can do?" Well, perhaps. But know this, time is not a measurement of the spiritual dimension just as a "thought" has no length, or breadth or height, does it?

Man has his limitations in the flesh. If he could hear all sounds in the city, he would be deafened. If he could see all the molecules and particles in the air, he would be blinded. He can only reach about three feet and jump so high. And the same limitations apply to the flesh mind. I like to use the "carrot" test to illustrate the point.

Close your eyes and envision 3 carrots. Pretty easy, isn't it? Now close your eyes and see exactly 148 carrots. You can't do it? Our minds can't even SEE 148 objects and yet we want someone to explain infinity and then the Trinity. There are some things that lie beyond man's ability to comprehend. They belong to the other dimension, behind the veil which separates this one from that one.
However, there is one thing we do know as revealed in God's Word, and that is that "In the beginning" was BEFORE CREATION!  Yes, there was a time before this planet earth even existed, but He who always was and always will be was there, even the Father, the Word and wisdom of the Holy Spirit.
Proverbs 8:22-26
The LORD possessed me in the beginning of his way, before his works of old.
Wisdom was with God before any of His works, i.e. creations.
[23] I was set up from everlasting, from the beginning, or ever the earth was.
There was no earth "In the beginning".
[24] When there were no depths, I was brought forth; when there were no fountains abounding with water.

[25] Before the mountains were settled, before the hills was I brought forth:

[26] While as yet he had not made the earth, nor the fields, nor the highest part of the dust of the world.

Was "the beginning" only 6,000 years ago as the unlearned claim? Hardly! It was aions ago, or as the late Carl Sagan would say "Billions and billions and billions of years ago".

So what did exist "In the beginning"? We just read it in the first verse of John. Let's read it again:

John 1:1
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
John certainly knows who the Word of God is. He saw Jesus Christ many times, in the flesh, transfigured, and in while in heaven. Here's his description of Him in heaven.
Rev. 19:13
And He was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and His name is called The Word of God.
So the Word of God was in the beginning with God, because He was God.
John 1:2
The same was in the beginning with God.
Christ is the Living Word of God. He always was and He always will be. He changes not!
[3] All things were made by Him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.
So when we read Genesis 1:1 we now know Who it was that did all the creating. It was the Word of God who created the heaven and the earth.
Genesis 1:1
In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.
Hey, the apostle Paul knew it was the Word of God who created the heaven and the earth:
Hebrews 11:3
Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear.
We understand through faith because "that's the best we can do" because of the "Carrot Factor", i.e. the problem we have seeing into the other dimension. So we don't know how He did it, but we know He did it.

The apostle Peter knew it was the Word of God who created the heaven and the earth:

2 Peter 3:5
For this they willingly are ignorant of, that by the word of God the heavens were of old, and the earth standing out of the water and in the water:
Everyone knows it was the Word of God who created the heaven and the earth, don't they? Oh, I forgot about the public school systems and the scoffers who are willingly ignorant of God's Word. They have no idea and so they keep "big banging" their heads trying to figure it all out.

And everyone knows that life can only come from life, don't they? Life existed before the creation of the world, and it is that life from which all that has life comes.

John 1:4
In Him was life; and the life was the light of men.
Yes, but unfortunately we know there was one who didn't want to walk in that light, and his name was Lucifer. And he brought darkness into the "world that then was" but he did not prevail.
John 1:5
And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not.
"Comprehend" is the Greek word katalambano; Strong's #2638, and means to take eagerly, to seize, or to overcome. Satan wanted to seize or usurp the light, the throne of God, but the darkness could not overthrow the Light.

And as everyone knows (don't they), God destroyed the "world that then was", the first earth age (2 Pet. 3:5-6) and created the heaven and earth age that exist now.

2 Peter 3:5-7
For this they willingly are ignorant of, that by the word of God the heavens were of old, and the earth standing out of the water and in the water:

[6] Whereby the world that then was, being overflowed with water, perished:

All Gone! You can see the fossils and remains of the dinosaurs, etc., in the bedrock all over the earth.

And so in Genesis 1:2 the earth became utterly wasted, and was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters.

Genesis 1:3
And God said, Let there be light: and there was light.

Genesis 1:4
And God saw the light, that it was good: and God divided the light from the darkness.

That's right! God separated the darkness from the light! The Word of God separated Satan from the Light of men and He sentenced him to outer darkness and eternal death! And following this present earth age, when the plan of salvation of the sons of God is complete, there shall come a new heaven and a new earth, the final one which will last for all eternity.
2 Pet. 3:7
But the heavens and the earth, which are now, by the same word are kept in store, reserved unto fire against the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men.
There will be a new heaven and a new earth after the Millennium. John actually got to see the New Jerusalem come right down out of heaven (Rev. 21).
Rev. 21:1
And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea.
And so it is that John has given credentials to Jesus Christ as God Himself. He is the very Living Word of God and we have His Written Word in our hands.

What say we then? Shall we walk in darkness or in light? Here are Christ's words as recorded by John:

John 8:12
Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.
The choice is yours!

To study the Bible is the noblest of all pursuits; to understand it, the highest of all goals.
We pray that with the guidance of the Holy Spirit, you accomplish both.


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