“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” | 1 John 1: 1

The other Gospel writers begin with Bethlehem.

John begins with “the bosom of the Father.”

Luke dates his narrative by Roman emperors and Jewish high-priests.

John dates his “in the beginning.”

With those words, he carries us into the depths of eternity, before time or creatures were.

Both the Book of Genesis and the Gospel of John start from “the beginning.”

Genesis starts with “the beginning” and works downward, telling us what followed.

John starts with “the beginning” and works upward, telling us what preceded “the beginning.”

Before the beginning, Christ the Word, our God and Savior, already was.

The Beginning

John’s Gospel opens with these three simple words that are full of instruction: “In the beginning.”

In First John, this same Apostle used similar language to describe our Savior and speaks of him as, “That which was from the beginning”.

But what is he talking about?

Certainly, he is not talking about the beginning of eternity, for eternity has no beginning.

Rather than trying to determine the meaning of these words for ourselves, let’s look at them as they are used in other places by the Spirit of God.

“The LORD possessed me in the beginning of his way, before his works of old. I was set up from everlasting, from the beginning, or ever the earth was.” (Proverbs 8: 22-23)

Our Savior asserts, “The LORD possessed me in the beginning of his way, before his works of old. I was set up from everlasting, from the beginning, or ever the earth was”.

“Remember the former things of old: for I am God, and there is none else; I am God, and there is none like me, Declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times the things that are not yet done, saying, My counsel shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure:” (Isaiah 46: 9-10)

He who alone is God identifies himself as God with these words: “I am God, and there is none like me, Declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times the things that are not yet done, saying, My counsel shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure”.

“And God, which knoweth the hearts, bare them witness, giving them the Holy Ghost, even as he did unto us;” (Acts 15: 18)

Our Lord Jesus Christ is “the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence”. “And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence.” (Colossians 1: 18)

“But we are bound to give thanks alway to God for you, brethren beloved of the Lord, because God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth:” (2 Thessalonians 2: 13)

The Spirit of God declares to you who believe on the Lord Jesus, “God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth”.

We read: “And, Thou, Lord, in the beginning hast laid the foundation of the earth; and the heavens are the works of thine hands:” (Hebrews 1: 10)

Our blessed Savior is “the beginning” and “him that is from the beginning”. “I have written unto you, fathers, because ye have known him that is from the beginning. I have written unto you, young men, because ye are strong, and the word of God abideth in you, and ye have overcome the wicked one.” (1 John 2: 14)

Beginning before the Beginning

As these words are used in Holy Scripture, and specifically as John used them, “the beginning” speaks of the beginning of the manifestation or Jehovah’s purpose of grace, the beginning of his great work of saving his elect by the Lord Jesus Christ, our blessed Savior, whose “goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting”.

“But thou, Bethlehem Ephratah, though thou be little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of thee shall he come forth unto me that is to be ruler in Israel; whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting.” (Micah 5: 2)

It seems to me that he is telling us that there was a beginning before the beginning of time. Our blessed Savior went forth from the beginning as our covenant Surety to save us from our sins.

In John 1: 1 the Holy Spirit teaches us to look upon the Son of God, both as the Essential Word and as the Revealed Word, standing forth in the everlasting councils of the triune God as our Surety, and set up as the Wisdom of God from everlasting. He says of himself: “The LORD possessed me in the beginning of his way, before his works of old. I was set up from everlasting, from the beginning, or ever the earth was. When there were no depths, I was brought forth; when there were no fountains abounding with water. Before the mountains were settled, before the hills was I brought forth: While as yet he had not made the earth, nor the fields, nor the highest part of the dust of the world. When he prepared the heavens, I was there: when he set a compass upon the face of the depth: When he established the clouds above: when he strengthened the fountains of the deep: When he gave to the sea his decree, that the waters should not pass his commandment: when he appointed the foundations of the earth: Then I was by him, as one brought up with him: and I was daily his delight, rejoicing always before him; Rejoicing in the habitable part of his earth; and my delights were with the sons of men.” (Proverbs 8: 22-31)

Done in the Beginning

The whole work of our salvation was accomplished “in the beginning.” “In the beginning,” before ever the earth was made, Christ stood forth as the Word in and by whom the Lord God would make himself known in the salvation of chosen sinners. He was not only the Word from the beginning, but “in the beginning.”

“That we should be to the praise of his glory, who first trusted in Christ.” (Ephesians 1: 12)

He stood forth “in the beginning” as our covenant Surety, and assumed all responsibility for our souls before the triune God. The triune God trusted him as the Surety of his elect “in the beginning”.

“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ: According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love: Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will, To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved. In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace;” (Ephesians 1: 3-7)

Our Lord Jesus Christ was accepted as “the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.” His blood and sacrifice reached all God’s elect, as John Gill put it, “from the beginning of the world, for the justification of their persons, the atonement of their sins, and cleansing from them, for the remission of sins.”

“Then thou spakest in vision to thy holy one, and saidst, I have laid help upon one that is mighty; I have exalted one chosen out of the people.” (Psalm 89: 19)

Every sinner saved in time in the experience of grace was saved “in the beginning” by the purpose and will of God, chosen, accepted, blessed and redeemed in Christ from “the beginning”.

“For we which have believed do enter into rest, as he said, As I have sworn in my wrath, if they shall enter into my rest: although the works were finished from the foundation of the world.” (Hebrews 4: 3)

When the Son of God stood forth as our Surety “in the beginning,” the triune Jehovah laid help for our souls upon our Mediator as “One that is mighty”, and finding satisfaction for our souls in him, “the works were finished from the foundation of the world”.

~ Pastor Don Fortner

Click here to listen to the message “You Cannot Make Him King” (24:16 minutes)

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Kingsport Sovereign Grace Church Bulletin Article date: 7 April, 2024 | Previous post date: n/a