Christian Mission in the Modern World by John R. W. Stott

Author:John R. W. Stott [Stott, John R. W.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Christian
ISBN: 9780877844853
Publisher: IVP Books
Published: 1975-12-28T00:00:00+00:00

We turn now to John, and especially the prologue to the Fourth Gospel. Here he describes Jesus as the Logos of God, and the light of men (John 1:1-3). He also affirms that the light is continually shining in the darkness and that the darkness has not overcome it (v. 5). Next he applies these great axioms to the historical process of revelation. He says of the Logos whom he later identifies as Jesus Christ: "The true light that enlightens every man was coming into the world." Indeed, "he was in the world" all the time (vv. 9-10). Long before he actually "came" into the world (v. 11) he "was" already in it and was continuously "coming" into it. Moreover, his presence in the world was (and still is) an enlightening presence. He is the real light, of which all other lights are but types and shadows, and as the light he "enlightens every man." Thus "every man," Scripture gives us warrant to affirm, possesses some degree of light by his reason and conscience. And we should not hesitate to claim that everything good, beautiful and true, in all history and in all the earth, has come from Jesus Christ, even though men are ignorant of its origin. At the same time we must add that this universal light is not saving light. For one thing it is but a twilight in comparison with the fullness of light granted to those who follow Jesus as "the light of the world" and to whom is given "the light of life" (John 8:12). For another thing, men have always "loved darkness rather than light because their deeds were evil." Because of their willful rejection of the light men are under condemnation (John 3:18-21).

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