Hello, this is Adam, the intern.

In recent light of being accepted into the OPC, I thought it would be good for our church (and whoever else who reads our church blog) to know what Presbyterianism really is about, at least on the basic level. It’s also good to see how Presbyterianism is set apart from other denominations.

Presbyterianism comes from the word, “presbyter,” which means elder. Presbyterianism has its roots in the Reformed tradition, following the footsteps of John Calvin from the Reformation era. We believe that the Bible is the authority of God, spoken by him, inspired (means through the Holy Spirit) to write by those who wrote the Bible. We also believe and uphold the Westminster Confession of Faith, signed in 1646.

In America, there are many different Presbyterian denominations that branch out  from the original. The most common denomination that you would see everywhere is the PCA (Presbyterian Church of America). We, the New Song Church, are in the process of joining the OPC (Orthodox Presbyterian Church). The OPC started to mainly defend the Biblical truths from modernism and liberalism, which are very prevalent in much of today’s churches.

Last Saturday, during the OPC presbytery meeting I got a taste of what’s in the Book of Church Order. All Presbyterian churches follow the book for guidance and laws concerning how a church operates. In a Presbyterian church, Ruling Elders are those who operate concerning all matters church-related, like missions, finances, discipline, etc. Teaching Elders (or Pastor, in our case) are those who teach the word (sermon) and practice sacraments (baptism and communion).

-This practice of sacraments, namely, baptism and the Lord’s Supper, is what sets us apart from other denominations. For example, we Presbyterians practice infant baptism (called paedo-baptism) while Baptist churches do not. We also do not encourage those who are not baptized (those who have not confessed that Jesus Christ one’s Lord and Savior publically through baptism)  to take part in the Lord’s Supper until they are baptized in a church.  That’s one example.

-Another is concerning the election of saints. We believe that the elect will go to heaven, while the rest will not. There are churches that do not believe in eternal damnation (i.e. hell) to those who do not believe and confess their faith in Christ.

-We follow the 5 Points of Calvinism (Total Depravity, Unconditional Election, Limited Atonement, Irresistible Grace, and Perseverance of the Saints), as opposed to the 5 Points of Arminianism (I don’t want to get too into this, but it has to do with we are able to receive grace on our own, as opposed to as a gift from God).

To sum it up, what sets Presbyterianism apart from other denominations is the elder-ship within the church, and the practice of the two sacraments. It gets a lot deeper than that, but that’s something a seminary student should be dealing with. This basic knowledge, I believe, is enough for the everyday Christians and non-Christians alike.

Summing up what has been said up until now:

(i) I was taught Christian life progresses in these stages: justification–> Sanctification –> Glorification

(ii) In current discussion, the narrow definition of “Legalism” is not “earning salvation through my own works” but “trying to earn ‘favor’ (not “salvation”) from God by doing good works.”

(iii) Contra Roman church, you cannot confuse Justification & Sanctification: Justification does not, cannot depend on the success of your sanctification.

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Now, let’s finalize our inquiry.

(i) J->S->G is a Lutheran teaching, not a Reformed teaching (The Lutheran church is obviously the heir of Martin Luther & his successor Philip Melanchton. The Reformed church is, while sharing the fundamental doctrines such as Sola Fide with Lutherans, the heir of many different protestant pastor-theologians among which John Calvin is viewed as the fountainhead.) While there are some truths to this 3-stage view, it is at odds with Biblical data.

(ii) Referring to “Legalism” tendency in Korean American churches, what people mean by “Legalism” is often Spiritual Discipline imposed on them by the church that they cannot keep up with. Then, they wave the flag and say “It’s Legalism.” Good example would be: Dawn Prayer. Most of Ko-Am churches have SBKD. If you ask any pastor, “are you trying to earn your salvation by waking up at 4am everyday, rest of your life?”, they will say, “are you out of your mind?” See, no Bible believing Christian will claim that they are doing SBKD in order to earn salvation. But that’s how “Legalism” is often (mis) applied to Ko-Am churches. That is not the point.

Then, what is the problem? What is so deadly about many Ko-Am churches (but not limited to them)? It’s their view (doctrine) of salvation which is summed up in (i).

Broadly speaking, I am not too far fetched to say: many Korean American churches’ view of salvation is the same as 3-stage view of Lutheranism (summarized by F. Pieper). I’ve never heard (I probably heard hundreds) distinctly Reformed or Calvinistic doctrine of salvation. Have you? NO. Because if you preach doctrine of salvation in a deep way on Sunday, not many will ‘receive grace’ as we used to say. What people need is encouragement (fire, in my case), not some doctrine. Who cares about the doctrine? You see. That’s how I grew up: “The doctrine is for scholars not average Sunday church goer.” But as time goes on, people fall away from church, not because of lack of encouragement-fire, but because of lack of doctrine. And I’m not talking about some high, scholarly doctrines, but the ones that are foundational to Christian theism. The very basic. But you never hear the very basic.

So, what’s “more” (because Lutheran view is still Biblical in some sense too) Biblical view of salvation in the Reformed/Calvinistic tradition? I’m sure it will change the view of many legalistic churches forever (the reason why churches are “legalistic” is because of lack of robust doctrine of salvation), including your personal Christian life.

It’s the doctrine of U-N-I-O-N with Christ.

In the traditional post Lutheran (starting roughly with Melanchton) theology, Justification by Faith alone (Sola Fide) is the starting point for all benefits of redemption. Therefore, Justification “effects/produces” sanctification, then sanctification produces glorification at the end. Sounds familiar?

In the Reformed tradition, however, one receives the whole Christ first (the Union). And justification/sanctification/adoption/glorification are received/communicated “simultaneously,” and “inseparably yet distinctively” IN UNION WITH THE RISEN CHRIST.

What’s the difference between the two? In strict 3 stage view, you leave Jesus Christ out of the picture. You receive Justification first apart from living, risen Christ. Then, the union occurs along with sanctification (Pieper does have Union. So it’s wrong for me to equate popular 3 stage view with Pieper’s. However, because the centrality of Doc of Justification overshadows whole redemption process for Lutheranism, unless explicitly stated, it may leave the impression that is equal to 3 stage view). So once justified, you leave Gospel behind. After all, “the gospel is needed for conversion! Not for sanctification!” (See, many people think “how can the gospel be the motivation for holy living? You need instructions, programs, to-do lists…here is the pitfall. Gospel recedes into back, and the Law is introduced, in order to spur you, in order to motivate you for holy living”) How about your experience? Don’t you equate “conversion” with the “salvation”? E.g. We say “when were you saved?” “When did you receive Jesus Christ?”

In 3 stage view, the process of sanctification is a lonely, frustrating, angering journey. Because you will never be good enough. Yes, WCF can meaningfully speak of sanctification, which is REAL. Yet, in many “discipleship” programs, we leave Gospel and Jesus Christ behind. Why? I’ve used him up. I know what he did on the cross. Now, let’s memorize verses, and join Bible studies. Let’s learn and pray. Where is Christ? IN YOUR PAST.

In the Reformed view, salvation is not limited to “conversion.” But the gospel/Jesus Christ encompasses the whole process. And guess what? In the sanctification process (in their 2nd stage), Jesus Christ does not stand in heaven and watch you how you do it. He is not even with you. In fact, He is united (spiritual, mystical, yet REAL union) to you.  I am at this moment united with risen Christ. Where is Christ? Not in my past experience. But here and now, with me.

Let’s sum up.

If you are caught up in the 2nd stage, trying hard sincerely, trying hard not to earn salvation but to please God by “proving” my progress, stop. Stop “doing” for a moment. Stop trying to prove your love for God, because God is the one who proved his love for us once and for all (get this, ‘for all’ part) on the calvary. There is no more proof needed from your side. You are not walking toward Jesus who’s far away at the end of the road waiting for you. He’s in you, you in him. Then, tears will flow from your eyes. Joyful praise will burst forth from your mouth. “Lord, you did not leave me alone. I’m so dirty, weak…yet I am united to risen Christ here and now? How can that be?”

Remember Rev. Shishko’s thundering voice singing this? Remember Rev. Wilson singing this at the dinner table?

Eph 2:1ff

And you were dead in the trespasses and sins 2 in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience— 3 among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind. 4 But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, 5 even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved— 6 and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, 7 so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.

1 Cor. 1:30

30 And because of him you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, righteousness and sanctification and redemption

If you persevered through this rather long article, I pray that your walk with the Lord is now in the Lord, motivated not by fear but by love and assurance. Don’t let anyone take that joy away from you. No one.

*if you are reading this from facebook, this is imported from our new song church blog: newsongNY.org/blog

Now looking back my Christian life (received Christ as Redeemer and Lord in my 1st year college in Austin, TX), there are few things that I wish I had in my college years.

(i) Reformed Confession of Faith (particularly the Westminster Confession of Faith)

(ii) the Study Bible (NIV Study Bible was the only one that was available, but now I recommend the Spirit of the Reformation Study Bible (NIV), because the notes are better than the Reformation Study Bible (ESV) & it has WCF and the Three Forms of Unity in the back: a winning combination, or ESV Study Bible)

*Note: The MacArthur Study Bible is coming out in ESV but since I don’t own one I can’t recommend it (not sure how dispensational his notes are)

(iii) and of course, Cornelius Van Til’s Defense of Faith

(iv) finally, wish I had joined a Reformed congregation when I was younger

If you are on your own at some college campus, surviving through KCF’s & some application driven preaching somewhere, I suggest you take hold of those three that I mentioned above (possibly with the fourth one): You can’t go back to “just read your bible and pray” Christian life.

The reason why I mentioned above items is because: I would have known and appreciated the Gospel of Jesus Christ in clearer way (this makes life and death difference). If you utilize the resources above (that is, you actually sit down and read through the books), you would not become a victim of the Legalism, which is no Gospel at all.

So what I am about to say regarding Legalism can be found in the Reformed tradition, particularly in the Westminster Confession of Faith.

This is my plea: Read the Confession.
You will say the same thing to others, once you taste the Westminster Standards.

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The very first thing that I want to mention is: You CANNOT confuse Justification & Sanctification.

Traditionally, the confusion between the two very important doctrines occurred in the Roman Church. Some accuse Roman church for placing Sanctification before the Justification (I’m sure you have heard people saying Roman Catholics teach works-righteousness (you earn your salvation through your works) whereas the protestants got Justification by faith alone right thanks to Martin Luther). As far as I know (after reading the Trent, Vatican II, Catholic Catechism, Hans Kung’s Justification; yea, he’s liberal, I know), that is completely false. The Rome never taught or teaches “salvation by works.” Never! They emphasize “Salvation not by works but by Grace.”

HOWEVER, the problem lies in their confusion of the Justification and Sanctification in a “Christian’s” (not a pagan’s) life (after you become a Christian). It (Catholic teaching) goes something like this:

You are saved by grace alone. Human beings do not contribute to their own salvation (we agree). But you do not and cannot know infallibly that you are saved (we disagree: Read WCF Ch.18 or Lager Catechism Q.80). (We can understand what Catholics are saying because (i) you never heard God’s voice confirming your salvation, (ii) remaining sin in our Christian life often makes you wonder whether you are saved or not). Since you CANNOT know for sure that you are saved, you now must perform good works. Then, at the judgment seat, God “may” give you the pass (WCF LC Q&A 90 talks about final acquittal at the consummation but this differs substantially from what we are saying about the Catholic teaching).

Did you get that? The justification of the sinners is contingent upon the success of the sanctification of the believer’s life. As my advisor taught me, the contention of the Reformation was not so much about the Justification by faith (Luther) vs. Works (Catholics), but rather the Assurance of Salvation. So the Reformers mocked them by saying, “Does Pope know? (that he is absolutely, infallibly saved)” Since Catholic teaching never allows you to have assurance of your salvation, Catholic teaching de facto becomes works-righteousness in the end. It’s no different from other religions of the world.

*Justification comes at the outset of Christian life, independent from your good works: it’s declaration of pardon by God; it’s judicial; it depends on Christ’s work & merit. And we receive it by faith “alone.” The traditional (yet still helpful) language that is used to describe Justification is IMPUTATION; imputation of Christ’s righteousness to sinners.

*Sanctification is the life of a sinner who is declared just by God (by virtue of Christ’s death and resurrection) in the power of the Holy Spirit for the purpose of mortifying sin remaining in our lives. However weak you may become/feel about your Christian life, your Justification stands. That is, you cannot lose your salvation because it (salvation) never really depended on your performance in the first place.

Today’s lesson: Do not confuse Justification and Sanctification. Stand with the Reformed tradition on these doctrinal teachings (read ch.11, 13, 16, 18 of Westminster Confession of Faith)

Yesterday was very refreshing. I met Pastor Jonathan Holst who came from CT to see & get to know me. Originally from Wales (the land of Lloyd-Jones), felt like the chatting was with Carl Trueman (from England) though Holst says English accent is different from Welsh. Last Saturday night, I asked my dear brothers and sisters whether they had any relationship(s) that is (Holy) Spiritual. Is anyone who is mature in Christ involved in your life? You see, when efficiency is everything, fellowship with other Christians are viewed as bothersome and waste of time. But you CANNOT live your Christian life alone. Because God didn’t engineer Christian life as “I against the evil world” way.

Do you want to grow? Has God placed the desire to grow in the knowledge and grace of God? Then, have someone who will tell you the truth in love involved in your Christian life. If not, you will not last.

I’ve talked about 3 stage view of Christian life as mis-informed. Yes, there certainly are some truths in dividing Christian life that way, but without further clarification, it proved to me like a death sentence.

In my experience (listening to various Christian pastors in college: mostly Presbyterian and Baptist ministers), Korean American churches have clear understanding of Justification by grace alone/faith alone/in Christ alone. Strong emphasis on the sovereign grace of God: The grace of faith is the work of the Spirit of Christ in their hearts.

However, in Christian life (that is after the conversion), suddenly the Law takes control in the name of discipleship, ending up negating the very nature of the grace of God. And it is deadly. So, before we go on, we need some clarification on the term: legalism. When I say “Legalism,” I’m not saying anyone (in their right mind) is trying to earn their “salvation.” Any Christian who sat under the sound/Biblical preaching of the Word will jump to their feet when accused of “legalism.” But I’ve heard all kinds of accusations from EMs condemning 1st Gen Korean ministers of Legalism. But historically when someone says “Legalism,” it means: earning salvation by human endeavor through works-righteousness (in Pharisaic sense). So it is no wonder when 1st Gen reacts sharply, rightly so, when their ministry is accused of “Legalism.”

Narrower definition of “Legalism” should be: trying to earn “favor” (not “salvation”) from God by doing good works.

When defined narrowly, we can finally talk. “Is it ok to seek God’s favor (or, blessings) by doing good?” “What’s the difference between Legalism and Spiritual Discipline?” “Justification and Sanctification”

These are some of the topics that younger Christians should be able to articulate with Biblical knowledge: earlier the better. I’ve seen too many Christians “give up” their Christian lives for failing to understand these crucial/basic differences.

Stay tuned.

When I became a Christian first year in college, I was taught: there are three stages in a Christian’s life. He referred to Rom.8:30
Romans 8:30 says: 30 And those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified.

Stage 1: Justification
Stage 2: Sanctification
Stage 3: Glorification

Since “I” accepted Christ, where am I? Stage 2. Stage 3 is not really my concern because to be glorified, I either have to die or Jesus must come for the second time.

While you are in Stage 2, what do we do in good Korean American churches? DISCIPLESHIP. Here, I think, many Korean American churches lose their own denominational (theological) distinctives. If preachers do know (I’m sure they do) about their theological traditions, they don’t preach them explicitly (oh, I’ve heard many Baptist preachers condemning Presbyterians for “pre-destinating people”: exact words, which I still remember from Ed Young was “Hellish Damnation of Presbyterians”). How many of you heard sermons about 5 point Calvinism? Whether you go to Baptist church or Presbyterian church, other than some physical differences [FYI, many Baptist pulpits are crystals (if they have one) not woods because they do not want to be seen as Authoritative. Crystal pulpits assume that preachers and lay people are on the same ground, not separated by "walls"; yes, there are theological reasons for everything that the church does], they really are not that different. You may say, rightly so from your experience, “All churches are (or should be) the same. Denominations are the result of human sin: fighting against other Christian brothers and sisters. Just read John 17!” In my experience, Preaching (pastors preaching to Stage 2 Christians; for Stage 1, they preach “evangelistic” sermons: come forward to receive Christ) was all about “APPLICATIONS” to my life to help me be a better Christian. To do that, all churches do the discipleship programs.

While I was in Stage 2, I was to be holy with the help of discipleship. But stage 2 already presupposes that you will NEVER BE HOLY in this life! So, it seemed to me: “I know I can’t be 100% holy while I am on earth, but I will try anyways. If it doesn’t work out, and Bible tells me it’s not going to, there is nothing I can do about it.” So from the get-go, stage 2 basket is leaking. And I tried hard. 3 hr early dawn prayer (6am-9am), reading through the Bible, Meeting 3 times a week (small groups), meet again for daily night prayers (9pm-10pm). When I look back, I’m thankful for that “discipline” that I’ve learned. But….

One day, my Bible study group leader came to the meeting and said, “I tried to live my life according to the Word of God, but I can’t. I feel like I’m a hypocrite standing in front of you and teaching the Bible. So I quit.” And he quit.

What is wrong with this picture? Wrong theology. As soon as we read the Bible, we become theologians whether you know it or not. This 3 Stage view of Christian life is not the gospel driven Christian life. If what I’ve described about my Christian life resonates with your own life, stay tuned; I will be clarifying some (yet deadly) misunderstandings of Discipleships and Sanctification.

Listen to the summary statement of Presuppositional (Reformed, or Covenantal) Apologetics from my teachers.

Last night, feeling dizzy from lack of sleep, I put this new DVD into my desktop without knowing what to expect. For next 1hr 30 min, I was captivated. Both by Hitchens’ (Anti-theist, not atheist: in Greek a is a prefix for negation) willingness to listen (in fact you will be surprised by his humility) and by able/articulate defense of Christian theism by Douglas Wilson. The DVD is a documentary sketch of these two men’s road trip in which they were signing books and holding public debates. I didn’t know but they included a debate held at Westminster Seminary and pub discussion afterwards in which K. Scott Oliphint (was my co-advisor) and his son were listening without a single word. “Hey, there is someone I know…”

-Hitchens’ arguments are nothing new. His arguments didn’t surprise me, but his willingness to listen to Pastor Wilson really surprised me. Hitchens is an Oxford grad, popular atheist writer (he wants to be known as anti-theist) along with Sam Harris and Richard Dawkins. But the reason why he wants to listen to Wilson was, he says, “he [referring to Pastor Doug Wilson] actually believes what he says.” Hitchens debated with all kinds of religious people (Jews, Christians, Muslims etc.) but he’s willing to give credit (only?) to Wilson. Though he does not articulate further what differentiates Wilson from other religious people, my impression was that Hitchens saw uniqueness of Christianity (in which God comes down to our level, however, it does not mean he’s converted or anything) and also didn’t like Liberal Christians whom he debated with previously (Hitchens thinks , “Why Jesus, if you don’t believe Jesus actually rose from the dead?). And many times in the DVD, he lets Wilson to teach him few things humbly acknowledging “I’ve never heard about that before.”

-Doug Wilson, I wikied him and saw some Federal Vision thing going on with him. What a disappointment. But as soon as DVD starts, he makes this comment, “Without God you cannot know anything. Without God there is no meaning” Anybody? Yes! Van Til. And he adds, “reason is your final authority,” “you have to borrow standard from Christianity to judge your own criteria,” and “each one has its own presuppositions,” etc. Pastor Wilson was brilliant in his logic and refutes Hitchens on his own terms, which you can give credit to Wilson’s Van Tillian method. Sproul said, “Van Tillian method cannot even cross the street.” But I’m not sure how Sproul can argue with Hitchens by just appealing to “facts” as if facts are facts in unregenerate minds. But during DVD I was thinking, “there is no way Sproul and Ligonier can go as far as Wilson did with Hitchens.”

This DVD is a great treat. Christian theism defended on Van Tillian terms exposing Hitchens’ own blind spots. But it’s done in a manner that respects the unbeliever and shows grace to him even in the midst of the heated debate. And you can actually see a Van Tillian defending Christianity outside of WTS campus. In fact, I’m planning on watching this with my growth groups.

Based upon Lk 24;27, 24:44-45 (please find and read them on your own), one must read the Bible (in Lk 24, Moses, Prophets, and Psalms refer to Old Testament since at that time there was no New Testament), Christocentrically and Christotelically.

1. OT (but includes NT too) anticipates Jesus Christ (coming, suffering, and exaltation) (Christo-telic: telic comes from Greek telos; end, or purpose)

2. The focus of the Bible is Jesus Christ (Christ-centered)

In this application/insight driven Bible reading-preaching age, we hardly hear Christotelic preaching from the pulpit. If you do not read the Bible in that way, what happens?

The Bible is reduced to self-help book or the moralistic religion indistinguishable from other religions.

For example, David-Goliath story. We preach how to slay personal giants. And we draw applications from David’s personal account such as 1 Sam 17 (34 But David said to Saul, “Your servant used to keep sheep for his father. And when there came a lion, or a bear, and took a lamb from the flock, 35 I went after him and struck him and delivered it out of his mouth. And if he arose against me, I caught him by his beard and struck him and killed him. 36 Your servant has struck down both lions and bears, and this uncircumcised Philistine shall be like one of them, for he has defied the armies of the living God.” )

We say, to kill the giant you must win the smaller battles. Amen to that. But what have we just done? We just gained an insight, mere insight, from the Bible. Why not then preach from The Three Nations? Why not preach from Jack Welch? Why do we have to listen to a story about a shepherd boy from few thousand years ago? And how many people from our congregation can truly face their giants like David?

*Story->direct application to my life=moralism (a deity/force/god/karma rewards my good behavior but punishes evil deeds)

*Story->seeing the fulfillment in Jesus Christ->then to my life=gospel driven life (distinct God who shows grace to the sinners by becoming one of us and loves us at the cost of his own son’s life)

Before you jump to applications, see the story through the lens of the cross, then, only then, we do justice to God’s revelation in the history.

Jesus is the true Noah in whose ark we are saved (1 Pet 3:20-22), the seed of Abraham in whom all the nations of the earth are blessed (Gal 3:13-22), the prophet-leader like Moses in whom the final Exodus took place (Deut 18:15), the true David who slayed ultimate giant, Satan, and freed us from his bondage.

The Real Jesus of John 8 is not afraid of telling the truth.

(i) I am going away, and you will seek me, and you will die in your sin (v.21)

(ii) You seek to kill me becuse my word finds no place in you (v.37)

(iii) You are of your father devil (v.44)

(iv) Before Abraham was, I AM (v.58)

If you carefully read John 8 in one sitting, the image of Jesus that is not familiar with us emerges. He was a “friend of the sinners,” yet he considered self-righteous people as his enemy and went all out. We “think” that Jesus “should” love everyone. Yet, to the self-righteous he showed no sympathy. Also, Jesus never extended his hand to other religious leaders in order to cure “common” problems. Today, many Christian mega-church pastors form alliances with both secular and other religions in order to battle universal problems that affect us all, such as AIDS pandemic, global warming, hunger etc. The question is, then why our loving Jesus didn’t do that? Why not make most out of 3 year public ministry? He had popularity and the crowds. The Jewish religious leaders had organizations and contacts.

I actually thought about this question for a while. Was Jesus really narrow minded? Shouldn’t they (the self-righteous) be accepted just as other sinners?

One clarification: Jesus was a friend to the sinners, who understood their own short-comings. It didn’t matter whether they were rich (tax collectors), or poor (prostitutes). Religious or irreligious. He also cured religious leaders daughter and went to a Pharisee’s house (Luke 7:36ff).

Back to my question: why not?  why not alliances? It is due to Jesus’ character as God-Man. Jesus saw Jewish religious system as corrupt and man-centered. It was indeed self-salvation project. As God-Man, he couldn’t work together with false religion(s) to promote general well-being of mankind. This I think should balance out many Christian activities. To those who work with any and everyone who are up for the “cause,” they shouldn’t forget why Jesus wouldn’t work with other religions. On the other hand, those who “demonize” other religions or even Chrsitian brothers who belong to different traditions, they should realize these are the people whom we are called to love, unconditionally. For the Gospel is not religion nor irreligion, but tertium quid. To all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God.

12 Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”

(i) I am: Ἐγώ εἰμι τὸ φῶς τοῦ κόσμου: that’s what it looks like in original language. All focus|attention on the Person of Jesus. 7 [I am] sayings of Jesus. Jesus didn’t come to give us religion or institution. Jesus came to give [himself] to us. Are you struggling with uniqueness or exclusivity of the Gospel? Ask this: what did your god or prophet or sage do for you? They will answer: uh…I will answer: my God died for me.

(ii) “Whoever follows me“: Question is simple. Are you following “him” with all of your heart, strength, and mind? Christ is not a means to an end. He is both. We get to him through him. Pursue him and he will shine his light upon you.

(iii) “light of life“: Jesus’ favorite word in John is “life”. Bread of “life”, Light of “life”, Resurrection and “life” etc. When you pursue Jesus, no matter how long it takes, no matter how difficult the path might be, in the end, you will receive life. Don’t be deceived by the lie. There is no life in any other.

[edit]: the language that H is learning: keep him and the family in your prayers: click for larger image