Whose Voice Is It Anyway?

The Daily (NASB) Reading: 1 John 1:5-10

By way of review, from whom did the Apostles receive “this” message? (v.5)

It was clear that it was both man and God by whom they received “this” message from the last meditation of verses 1-4. They did not receive this message from an Angel or some mysterious voice from heaven. (This) message was fully disclosed by one Man that the Apostles felt with their hands, saw with their eyes, and heard with their own natural ears (1Jn.1:1). It was a man that was preached to them from heaven, a man attested by God through his abundant life, death, and resurrection, indicating that he was indeed God in the flesh. That was our introduction to the remainder of this letter and “this” message to “the little ones who believe in God” (Matt.18:1-5). It is written to those who have the anointing of the Holy Spirit to understand and keep these things (1Jn2:18-20).

But why is that important by way of review for “this” message? (v.5)

Out temptation in “this” message will be to separate the nature of God in terms of His spiritual likeness in glory from being joined to that body of the likeness of the flesh. And we would be right to do so if that man who was preached from heaven was a sinner, but the message which we are going to hear from this reading is that Christ was not a sinner. He was truly a man and truly God in two distinct natures. This meditation will be to focus on the spiritual nature of God, which was “housed” in the likeness of a true man in order to convey to us (the voice) and will of God (Rom.8:1-4; 12:1-2).

Hebrews 1:1–4 (NKJV)

1 God, who at various times and in various ways spoke in time past to the fathers by the prophets, 2 has in these last days spoken to us by His Son, whom He has appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the worlds; 3 who being the brightness of His glory and the express image of His person, and upholding all things by the word of His power, when He had by Himself purged our sins, sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high, 4 having become so much better than the angels, as He has by inheritance obtained a more excellent name than they.

Therefore what is “this” message? (v.5)

The message is clear that “God is Light, and in Him is no darkness at all!” There is no darkness in him because there is no sin in him.

John 3:13 (NKJV)

13 No one has ascended to heaven but He who came down from heaven, that is, the Son of Man who is in heaven.

John 8:21–24 (NKJV)

21 Then Jesus said to them again, “I am going away, and you will seek Me and will die in your sin. Where I go, you cannot come.” 22 So the Jews said, “Will He kill Himself, because He says, ‘Where I go you cannot come’?” 23 And He said to them, “You are from beneath; I am from above. You are of this world; I am not of this world. 24 Therefore I said to you that you will die in your sins; for if you do not believe that I am He, you will die in your sins.”

John 8:42–47 (NKJV)

42 Jesus said to them, “If God were your Father, you would love Me, for I proceeded forth and came from God; nor have I come of Myself, but He sent Me. 43 Why do you not understand My speech? Because you are not able to listen to My word. 44 You are of your father the devil, and the desires of your father you want to do. He was a murderer from the beginning and does not stand in the truth because there is no truth in him. When he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own resources, for he is a liar and the father of it. 45 But because I tell the truth, you do not believe Me. 46 Which of you convicts Me of sin? And if I tell the truth, why do you not believe Me? 47 He who is of God hears God’s words; therefore you do not hear, because you are not of God.”

John 14:28–31 (NKJV)

28 You have heard Me say to you, ‘I am going away and coming back to you.’ If you loved Me, you would rejoice because I said, ‘I am going to the Father,’ for My Father is greater than I. 29 “And now I have told you before it comes, that when it does come to pass, you may believe. 30 I will no longer talk much with you, for the ruler of this world is coming, and he has nothing in Me. 31 But that the world may know that I love the Father, and as the Father gave Me commandment, so I do. Arise, let us go from here.

A quick overview of those verses clearly states that Christ has no sin and that the Accuser, the Devil, found “nothing in him.” Therefore the testimony is true that only he was able to go to the Father to stand (in himself) and regain the equality he had with the Father before the foundation of the world.

John 17:1–5 (NKJV)

1 Jesus spoke these words, lifted up His eyes to heaven, and said: “Father, the hour has come. Glorify Your Son, that Your Son also may glorify You, 2 as You have given Him authority over all flesh, that He should give eternal life to as many as You have given Him. 3 And this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent. 4 I have glorified You on the earth. I have finished the work which You have given Me to do. 5 And now, O Father, glorify Me together with Yourself, with the glory which I had with You before the world was.

Hebrews 7:26–27 (NKJV)

26 For such a High Priest was fitting for us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and has become higher than the heavens; 27 who does not need daily, as those high priests, to offer up sacrifices, first for His own sins and then for the people’s, for this He did once for all when He offered up Himself.

But the contrary is true concerning us who have clearly sinned in abundance in contrast to the abundance of his earthly life! Therefore we cannot go where he has gone without the gift of eternal life through his name (Rom.6:23).

Matthew 6:22–24 (NKJV)

22 “The lamp of the body is the eye. If, therefore, your eye is good, your whole body will be full of light. 23 But if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If, therefore, the light that is in you is darkness, how great is that darkness! 24 “No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon.

Luke 11:33–36 (NKJV)

33 “No one, when he has lit a lamp, puts it in a secret place or under a basket, but on a lampstand, that those who come in may see the light. 34 The lamp of the body is the eye. Therefore, when your eye is good, your whole body also is full of light. But when your eye is bad, your body also is full of darkness. 35 Therefore take heed that the light which is in you is not darkness. 36 If then your whole body is full of light, having no part dark, the whole body will be full of light, as when the bright shining of a lamp gives you light.”

Therefore Christ has come to be the light in our darkness. This is the message that has come and gone again into heaven. But the message doesn’t end there. The message leaves behind for us a purpose and an end! This message has come to be the light in us that carries us to the glory that he has promised to share with those who vow to walk in his light.

Therefore what is it to say we fellowship with “this” Light and still continue to walk in darkness? (v.6)

Consider an illustration in Acts concerning Herod, whose heresy cost him his very life:

Acts 12:20–24 (NKJV)

20 Now Herod had been very angry with the people of Tyre and Sidon, but they came to him with one accord and having made Blastus the king’s personal aide their friend, they asked for peace because their country was supplied with food by the king’s country. 21 So on a set day, Herod, arrayed in royal apparel, sat on his throne and gave an oration to them. 22 And the people kept shouting, “The voice of a [G]od and not of a man!” 23 Then immediately, an angel of the Lord struck him because he did not give glory to [the] God. And he was eaten by worms and died. 24 But the word of God grew and multiplied.

One of the things we have to consider here as to why God killed Herod is because he denied the means by which God performs and accomplishes His will. God uses men to fulfill His new covenant purpose because He has now “spoken” in His Son (Heb.1:1-2). But “the crowd” in Acts was willing to tell Herod exactly what he wanted to hear so that he would continue to feed them. But “the crowd” didn’t care at what cost it would continue to be on their region in the political scheme of these things. So the food that Herod fed them was in competition with the food that was being affirmed by the Word of God.

God’s will for “the people” was to come to Him through “the voice of a man” (and of God). That voice is the voice of the God-man Jesus Christ, who lived and died as a man but was risen from the dead to glorify his right to be on the Father’s throne to judge the world in righteousness.

John 10:15–18 (NKJV)

15 As the Father knows Me, even so I know the Father; and I lay down My life for the sheep. 16 And other sheep I have which are not of this fold; them also I must bring, and they will hear My voice; and there will be one flock and one shepherd. 17 “Therefore My Father loves Me because I lay down My life that I may take it again. 18 No one takes it from Me, but I lay it down of Myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This command I have received from My Father.”

John 10:24–30 (NKJV)

24 Then the Jews surrounded Him and said to Him, “How long do You keep us in doubt? If You are the Christ, tell us plainly.” 25 Jesus answered them, “I told you, and you do not believe. The works that I do in My Father’s name, they bear witness of Me. 26 But you do not believe, because you are not of My sheep, as I said to you. 27 My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me. 28 And I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; neither shall anyone snatch them out of My hand. 29 My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of My Father’s hand. 30 My Father and I are one.”

So when Herod doesn’t correct the error/heresy of “the crowd,” he chooses to feed himself with the pride that he is not the voice of a man but strictly speaks as the voice of (a) God. Herod really believed his own press, which he bought and paid for with the abuse of his power to make “the crowd” cling to him. And that’s why the crowd’s statement, “the voice of a God and not of a man,” should be translated with the indirect article and with the capital G. It is not a carved idol referenced here made by the hands of men but a reference to being equal to the voice of the uncreated and unknown God in their minds (Acts 17:22-23). And therefore, that’s why he had to die in order to draw “the crowd” to the Word of God operating through the men that God had chosen to be the human voice of Christ, who by his own mediation was and still is both God and the Man appointed by God.

But what is it to walk in the Light as Christ is in the Light? (v.7)

We must walk as Christ himself walked, which was as a man.

1 John 2:5–6 (NKJV)

5 But whoever keeps His word, truly the love of God is perfected in him. By this, we know that we are in Him. 6 He who says he abides in Him ought himself also to walk just as He walked.

But again, not just as any man, we must not walk in the darkness that hides from the Light, but must come into the Light confessing our sinfulness for which Christ came into the world to atone with his life and death. We must walk prepared to rejoice in the Light with the love that he has given to men to perform God’s will in declaring “this” message to the world through the church, which is made up of real people.

John 3:17–21 (NKJV)

17 For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved. 18 “He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. 19 And this is the condemnation, that the light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light because their deeds were evil. 20 For everyone practicing evil hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his deeds should be exposed. 21 But he who does the truth comes to the light, that his deeds may be clearly seen, that they have been done in God.”

Therefore to walk in the Light as Christ was in the Light is to be without “this” condemnation (Jn.3:19). It is to be justified in God without sin being imputed to us as it was imputed to Christ for the forgiveness of sins. But still, we walk as men, not as Angels intruding into things that are not founded nor rooted in the commandments of God’s love for mankind (Col.2:18). Therefore, we do not exalt ourselves over our brothers for whom Christ died to bring them into the Light. We recognize that every good and perfect gift is not from the blood of men who die because they are sinners but because of the love which descended in Christ to make the men of God’s choosing perfect for every good work (Ps.82).

Hebrews 12:22–24 (NKJV)

22 But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, to an innumerable company of angels, 23 to the general assembly and church of the firstborn who are registered in heaven, to God the Judge of all, to the spirits of just men made perfect, 24 to Jesus the Mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling that speaks better things than that of Abel.

James 1:16–18 (NKJV)

16 Do not be deceived, my beloved brethren. 17 Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning. 18 Of His own will He brought us forth by the word of truth, that we might be a kind of firstfruits of His creatures.

2 Corinthians 9:8 (NKJV)

8 And God is able to make all grace abound toward you, that you, always having all sufficiency in all things, may have an abundance for every good work.

2 Timothy 2:20–21 (NKJV)

20 But in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and silver, but also of wood and clay, some for honor and some for dishonor. 21 Therefore if anyone cleanses himself from the latter, he will be a vessel for honor, sanctified and useful for the Master, prepared for every good work.

2 Timothy 3:16–17 (NKJV)

16 All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, 17 that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.

Therefore “this” love is the fellowship we have with one another as we walk as men forgiven in the Light, which has descended from above to be born in us who were conceived in the darkness.

Isaiah 9:2 (NKJV)

2 The people who walked in darkness Have seen a great light; Those who dwelt in the land of the shadow of death, Upon them a light has shined.

Matthew 4:12–17 (NKJV)

12 Now when Jesus heard that John had been put in prison, He departed to Galilee. 13 And leaving Nazareth, He came and dwelt in Capernaum, which is by the sea, in the regions of Zebulun and Naphtali, 14 that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Isaiah the prophet, saying: 15 “The land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, By the way of the sea, beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles: 16 The people who sat in darkness have seen a great light, And upon those who sat in the region and shadow of death Light has dawned.” 17 From that time Jesus began to preach and to say, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”

Therefore since this message implies that we have sinned and walk in darkness, what is the message if we deny the internal witness of our sin? (v.8)

The message that must be proclaimed to those who suppress the knowledge of sin is a message of repentance. We must confess our sin lest we deceive ourselves. There can be no truth of the theme of “this” love in us if we have not first received the message of repentance, which is the turning from our sin to seeking the fellowship of “this” love in the person and work of Jesus Christ.

Why can’t we deliver ourselves by the standard of the Law? (v.9)

We are not faithful and righteous to deliver ourselves by the standard of the Law. Salvation comes exclusively by the appointed Seed of truth and grace, which was in Jesus Christ.

John 1:14–18 (NKJV)

14 And the Word became 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. 15 John bore witness of Him and cried out, saying, “This was He of whom I said, ‘He who comes after me is preferred before me, for He was before me.’” 16 And of His fullness we have all received, and grace for grace. 17 For the law was given through Moses, but grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. 18 No one has seen God at any time. The only begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, He has declared Him.

1 Corinthians 1:9 (NKJV)

9 God is faithful, by whom you were called into the fellowship of His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.

Hebrews 2:16–17 (NKJV)

16 For indeed He does not give aid to angels, but He does give aid to the seed of Abraham. 17 Therefore, in all things He had to be made like His brethren, that He might be a merciful and faithful High Priest in things pertaining to God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people.

The Law is not the image of God because it was weak through the flesh. Its purpose, though spiritual, was not to justify or make holy but to condemn. It could not work in us what was good for salvation but only had the preparatory work to humble us for the time of Christ. Its work was to leave us empty and to increase the curse in us to glorify the grace of Jesus Christ, who became a curse for us so that we may be delivered from the bondage of the image of death and the strength of sin. The image of Christ, then, is according to the inner man that is being renewed day by day as the flesh fades away with the judgment of the first man.

Romans 8:3 (NKJV)

3 For what the law could not do in that it was weak through the flesh, God did by sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, on account of sin: He condemned sin in the flesh,

Galatians 3:10–14 (NKJV)

10 For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse; for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who does not continue in all things which are written in the book of the law, to do them.” 11 But that no one is justified by the law in the sight of God is evident, for “the just shall live by faith.” 12 Yet the law is not of faith, but “the man who does them shall live by them.” 13 Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us (for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree”), 14 that the blessing of Abraham might come upon the Gentiles in Christ Jesus, that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.

Galatians 3:19–24 (NKJV)

19 What purpose then does the law serve? It was added because of transgressions, till the Seed should come to whom the promise was made; and it was appointed through angels by the hand of a mediator. 20 Now a mediator does not mediate for one only, but God is one. 21 Is the law then against the promises of God? Certainly not! For if there had been a law given which could have given life, truly righteousness would have been by the law. 22 But the Scripture has confined all under sin, that the promise by faith in Jesus Christ might be given to those who believe. 23 But before faith came, we were kept under guard by the law, kept for the faith which would afterward be revealed. 24 Therefore the law was our tutor to bring us to Christ, that we might be justified by faith.

Romans 5:20–21 (NKJV)

20 Moreover the law entered that the offense might abound. But where sin abounded, grace abounded much more, 21 so that as sin reigned in death, even so grace might reign through righteousness to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

1 Corinthians 15:56–57 (NKJV)

56 The sting of death is sin, and the strength of sin is the law. 57 But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

2 Corinthians 4:7–12 (NKJV)

7 But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellence of the power may be of God and not of us. 8 We are hard-pressed on every side, yet not crushed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; 9 persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed—10 always carrying about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our body. 11 For we who live are always delivered to death for Jesus’ sake, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh. 12 So then death is working in us, but life in you.

Therefore to reject the mediation of Christ as the exclusive means by which we are made in the image of God, we blaspheme the Lord and Creator of the natural law, which holds us under God’s wrath as sinners. (v.10)

Natural law is what makes us sinners because it is insufficient to give us the Light required for this fellowship in the love of God by “this” Jesus Christ. This divine fellowship cannot be understood apart from the image of Jesus Christ because men have become “a law to themselves” through the natural law of sin abiding in them. This natural law even abides in the believer, but no longer according to the inner man (2Cor.5:16-17). But because the natural man is a law unto himself, he is without a deliverer (1Cor.2:14).

Romans 9:20 (NKJV)

20 But indeed, O man, who are you to reply against God? Will the thing formed say to him who formed it, “Why have you made me like this?”

Romans 5:19 (NKJV)

19 For as by one man’s disobedience many were made sinners, so also by one Man’s obedience many will be made righteous.

Romans 9:21–24 (NKJV)

21 Does not the potter have power over the clay, from the same lump to make one vessel for honor and another for dishonor? 22 What if God, wanting to show His wrath and to make His power known, endured with much longsuffering the vessels of wrath prepared for destruction, 23 and that He might make known the riches of His glory on the vessels of mercy, which He had prepared beforehand for glory, 24 even us whom He called, not of the Jews only, but also of the Gentiles?

Hebrews 1:1–4 (NKJV)

1 God, who at various times and in various ways spoke in time past to the fathers by the prophets, 2 has in these last days spoken to us by His Son, whom He has appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the worlds; 3 who being the brightness of His glory and the express image of His person, and upholding all things by the word of His power, when He had by Himself purged our sins, sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high, 4 having become so much better than the angels, as He has by inheritance obtained a more excellent name than they.

Romans 7:21–25 (NKJV)

21 I find then a law, that evil is present with me, the one who wills to do good. 22 For I delight in the law of God according to the inward man. 23 But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members. 24 O wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death? 25 I thank God—through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, with the mind I myself serve the law of God, but with the flesh the law of sin.

Romans 2:14–15 (NKJV)

14 for when Gentiles, who do not have the law, by nature do the things in the law, these, although not having the law, are a law to themselves, 15 who show the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and between themselves their thoughts accusing or else excusing them)

Romans 1:18–19 (NKJV)

18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, 19 because what may be known of God is manifest in them, for God has shown it to them.

2 Corinthians 10:12 (NKJV)

12 For we dare not class ourselves or compare ourselves with those who commend themselves. But they, measuring themselves by themselves, and comparing themselves among themselves, are not wise.

Romans 1:22–23 (NKJV)

22 Professing to be wise, they became fools, 23 and changed the glory of the incorruptible God into an image made like corruptible man—

Therefore to say that we have not sinned in this way is to blaspheme Christ’s image and are making God a liar and reveal that “the Word of Life” is not in us by denying and suppressing the truth as it is in Christ, who is the propitiation of these things. Therefore if we are darkness, we must have Christ’s Light (Matt.6:23)! If we appear before the Father in the nakedness and void of our own image, how shall we abide in that Light in whom there is no darkness at all?

Isaiah 33:10–14 (NKJV)

10 “Now I will rise,” says the Lord; “Now I will be exalted, Now I will lift Myself up. 11 You shall conceive chaff, You shall bring forth stubble; Your breath, as fire, shall devour you. 12 And the people shall be like the burnings of lime; Like thorns cut up they shall be burned in the fire. 13 Hear, you who are afar off, what I have done; And you who are near, acknowledge My might.” 14 The sinners in Zion are afraid; Fearfulness has seized the hypocrites: “Who among us shall dwell with the devouring fire? Who among us shall dwell with everlasting burnings?”

Psalm 73:16–20 (NKJV)

16 When I thought how to understand this, It was too painful for me— 17 Until I went into the sanctuary of God; Then I understood their end. 18 Surely You set them in slippery places; You cast them down to destruction. 19 Oh, how they are brought to desolation, as in a moment! They are utterly consumed with terrors. 20 As a dream when one awakes, So, Lord, when You awake, You shall despise their image.

Psalm 17:13–15 (NKJV)

13 Arise, O Lord, Confront him, cast him down; Deliver my life from the wicked with Your sword, 14 With Your hand from men, O Lord, From men of the world who have their portion in this life, And whose belly You fill with Your hidden treasure. They are satisfied with children, And leave the rest of their possession for their babes. 15 As for me, I will see Your face in righteousness; I shall be satisfied when I awake in Your likeness.

Hebrews 12:1–2 (NKJV)

1 Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, 2 looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.