In the Bible there are many names given to Jesus Christ, the Son of God. These names are given by God to enable us to understand who Jesus Christ is and why he came from heaven to this earth. The most profound of these names are to be found in the gospel and first letter of the apostle John.
In the opening verses of John’s gospel we read:-
“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God and the Word was God.” Then, a few lines further on, John writes “The Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.”
From this we learn that the Lord Jesus Christ who was a true man was also God, with his Father in eternity before ever the world was made. The Saviour, Jesus Christ, is truly man and truly God.
Why is his name “The Word”?
We use words to let people we talk to know what we are thinking. Jesus Christ is “The Word” because it is from him we know God’s plans and thoughts. It is through Christ that we learn of God’s love to lost sinners and his purpose to save them. Through him we know what God is like. While he was here on earth he said – “He that has seen me has seen the Father.”
However at the beginning of his first letter (1 John), John goes further and calls Christ the “Word of life”.
Why is this?
It is because of our sinful nature which makes us spiritually blind and what the Bible calls “dead in sin”. However much the Lord Jesus Christ tells us about God and his purposes, we will never be able to understand or respond until we are given understanding and are made spiritually alive. The Lord Jesus Christ does this also. He said “ the hour is coming, and now is, when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God; and those who hear will live.” He is the Word and he gives life – spiritual life.
We have called ourselves “Shepshed Word of Life Church” because this particular name of Jesus Christ embodies so much of the Gospel we preach and which we desire so much for you to hear.
“That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, concerning the Word of life – the life was manifested, and we have seen, and bear witness, and declare to you that eternal life which was with the Father and was manifested to us – that which we have seen and heard we declare to you, that you also may have fellowship with us; and truly our fellowship is with the Father and with His Son Jesus Christ. And these things we write to you that your joy may be full.
This is the message which we have heard from Him and declare to you, that God is light and in Him is no darkness at all. If we say that we have fellowship with Him, and walk in darkness, we lie and do not practise the truth. But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin.
If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”
1 John 1 verses 1-9.