A short Verse, but powerful!
“And of His fulness have all we received, and grace for grace.” John 1:16, as I indicated in the Lesson title.
The possessive Pronoun “His” refers to the Lord Jesus Christ!
The preceding Verses prove that point. “And the Word (Jesus) was made 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. John bare witness of him, and cried, saying, This was he of whom I spake, He that cometh after me is preferred before me: for he was before me.” John 1:14-15, King James Version of course.
(I was recently reading a little Book by Dr. Arno C. Gaebelein on the Glories of our Lord. And one of his Chapters used John 1:16 as its main Scripture Text.)
The verb “received” (in Greek “lambano”) is an aorist active which points to some time in the past when such a Gift was given us Christians. Here it also can allow a moment by moment infusing of that grace as well!
We who are saved have been given the “fulness” (in Greek “pleroma”) of our Lord. (Of course we do not become gods! We’re still sinners saved by Grace! But we do become partakers of His nature!) 2 Peter 1:4 says so! “Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.”
This “fulness” is explicated (explained) in the key words of our Verse … “grace for grace (in Greek … “charis anti charis”).”
Grace and more grace!
Grace facing grace!
A Cascade of Grace!
Here’s how I understand this great Truth. Let it “grip” you …
Since I have been saved (and every day since) I can (if I stay in communion with the Lord Jesus) receive the very Essence of His Person, His Character, His Spirit minute by minute, second by second!
Truly … Jesus in me!
Colossians 1:27 … “Christ in you, the hope of glory …”
His Grace flooding my being!
Saving Grace, teaching Grace, purifying Grace, empowering Grace!
Peter once says … “Manifold Grace!” (1 Peter 4:10, literally “multi-colored” Grace!)
Jesus told us that if we “abide” in Him … He will “abide” in us! (John 15:4)
What kind of Grace can that be?
Unlimited, immeasurable!
Link into that today!
Consciously live in communion with the Lord Jesus!
What a difference He makes!
— Dr. Mike Bagwell
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