The True Origin of the Species
John 1:1-5
Dwight D. Eisenhower said, “It takes no brains to be an atheist. Any stupid person can deny the existence of a supernatural power because they can’t sense or detect it.
But there can not be ignored the mystery of first life… or the marvelous order in which the universe moves about us. All of these, evidence the handiwork of a benevolent Deity. For my part, that Deity is the God of the Bible and Christ, His Son.”
I think that pretty well sums up the faith of Dwight Eisenhower. As we open John’s Gospel in this study, we are taken back to the beginning of all things, even to the time before the World began.
It is here where our faith finds its beginning.
I. THE ORIGIN OF THE SPECIES (John 1:1,2)
The problem with Charles Darwin’s theory and book, “Origin of the Species” is that he didn’t go back to the proper origin. The problem was not that he went back millions of years. The problem was that is his mind he saw Mr. Neanderthal, rather than seeing God.
So John takes us to the true origin of the species saying, “In the beginning…” The word for beginning can carry the idea of “origin” or “source.” It speaks of the initiation of a process; it is the first cause, implying there was nothing prior to what did the initiating.
So far John is in agreement with what we read in Gen. 1:1, “In the beginning God.” There was nothing prior to God, such as a big bang to start the ball rolling called evolution. Back in the beginning, it was God who was the big bang when He spoke, “…the word, and the Word was God…”
Out point is clear, that the Word pre-existed the Darwin’s Origin of the Species. The Greek word for Word is “Logos” which existed before time back into eternity past. No matter how far back you go, it is only the Word that was with God and nothing else. Not even a super nova to explode.
This Word that was with God: was not some impersonal force or the returning echo of God’s voice, nor the principles of wisdom and morality floating in the cosmos. John says, “…the Word was God.” And moreover, in v.2, the Word was “…with God.”
That suggests plurality, at the least Godhead. But to say “the Word was with God,” pictures more than a side by side existence. The picture from the wording, suggests two personal beings engaged in dialog or conversation, it is a picture of fellowship, the interaction between two parties.
This is only possible, if both are of equal worth. At the same time, the grammar demands two separate entities or persons, meaning both are God.
Now the truth we are given later in John 1:14, this Word is Jesus. This is a non-negotiable doctrine of the Christian faith. Jesus Christ is the eternal Word, which spoke to and had fellowship with the eternal heavenly Father. Together (though not exclusively) they make up the Godhead.
II. THE CREATION OF THE SPECIES (John 1:3)
Once again, Darwin and others after him got it wrong and continue to get it wrong. John presents “creation,” not evolution, or even a slow process covering millions of years to develop.
John’s argument is more than simply that this Eternal Word was and is our creator. The argument is a double negative. Repeatedly John says without Him nothing was made… and nothing was made without Him. Okay, it is saying the same thing. Yet as a double negative reinforces the point for emphasis.
Here again is proof of Jesus’ Deity. As the creator of all things He must, by definition be eternal or un-created. The very fact that the Bible over and over (Gen.1:1, Psalm 102:25, Isaiah and other passages) presents God as the creator, it demands that Jesus must be within the Godhead.
But John is also confronting an issue in his day that is less obvious to us today. He is countering the arguments made by a heresy called Gnosticism. Basically, it taught that all physical matter was evil and only the spirit was good. Thus it was believed that God could not have created anything, as God is spirit excluding Him from touching the unclean thing, being anything of physical matter.
John rejects this heresy by presenting Jesus Christ within his Gospel account, as the Word that was God and the God who created us. After each day of creation, God declared what He created as being good (Gen. 1:4, 10, 12, 18, 21, 25, 31). But then Adam failed to return to God the love God had for man, by his willful disobedience (Gen. 3:1-8). So when man fell, that is when evil came into this world, but originally it was not so.
Gnosticism falls flat on its face, as we recognize Jesus as God’s only begotten Son, was made in the form of sinful flesh, to die on the cross not only to redeem believers, but to restore the whole world (Romans 8:20,21).
III. THE GIFT GIVEN TO THE SPECIES (John 1:4,5)
Charles Darwin’s error was to think life (even in chaos, and the emptiness of space) could naturally exist. Life is a gift given from the creator, who Himself naturally possesses eternal life. Without this gift from our creator, man would still today be only a sand sculpture in the ground.
It was a choice on God's part saying in Gen. 1:28, “let us make man in our image…”
Then in Gen. 2:7, “and the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.” Yes, we are fearfully and wonderfully made; yet what makes us a living soul is what God gave to us from Himself.
John says, “In Him was life…” it wasn’t the dirt mixing with some water and other chemicals heated by the sun that brought life forth. It was our creator God, where that life is God’s gift to all mankind.
Still, it was more than physical life that we were given at creation. John also says, “…and the life was the light of men.” The word for life speaks of spiritual life. This is eternal life, as when the physical body dies, the soul and spirit of a person lives on. Indeed death does not bring an end to life, even for the person who rejects God, life is eternal as it comes from God.
The most basic and purest thing we can say about Jesus; is taken from Jesus’ own words in John 14:6, “I am… the life…” Another words; Jesus is the eternal existence that gives us life. If God could some how die, so would all mankind, even the whole world.
Yet Jesus when He was born into this world and grew to be a man, He came to impart light: a spiritual light. Light is needed to help you see you way, so you don’t stumble and fall.
This spiritual light is given to man because morally, spiritually we have all sinned and fallen short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23). Light speaks of truth and belief in God; where as darkness speaks of sin and unbelief in God.
So naturally, Jesus in John 8:12 says, “I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness…” But there is a problem, as Jesus points out to Nicodemus in John 3:30, “for everyone that doeth evil hateth the light…”
Why would someone hate the light? The light speaks of truth and faith in God. Light requires of the soul to live pleasing to the Lord, and some are not willing to do so? Again, Why? Because they love their sin and do not want their sin to be exposed to the light or truth of God’s word; where judgment will follow.
But John seems to take this a step further saying in v.5, “…and the darkness comprehended it not.” Some people just don’t get it, they don’t understand what they do is morally wrong.
If that really is true, then it’s because they have existed in a spiritual state of darkness for so long they have seared their conscience, becoming blinded to the truth. They are what Paul calls in Eph. 2:2, “…the children of disobedience.” By a free will choice that they have consciously made, they are souls who have become so morally corrupt and devoid of truth, they are unable to see with their eyes or hear with their ears.
As our God, as our creator and as the giver of life; Jesus came to show us a different way, but we must be willing to choose to follow Him by walking or living in the light of His Word.