John Stevens

Printable PDF Version

 

Christ the Essential Word

The Lord Jesus Christ is called the Word of God, to denote that, he is the express image and representation of the divine mind, to angels and men. He is God’s original, and substantial Word; the primitive transcript of the divine will. He is emphatically and essentially the Truth, and the inspired writings obtain their name from him, and are called the word of Truth. He is the original living Word, they are a faithful copy, derived from him by the Holy Ghost, as the spirit of Christ. I Pet.1:11. The gospel is the truth as it is in Jesus, and John declares that grace and truth came by Jesus Christ. Preaching Christ is preaching the truth, and holding forth the Word of life is manifesting the Word that was with God, even that eternal life which was with the Father, and is now revealed unto us. And this is the Word which by the gospel is preached unto men; and was in the beginning, the Word with God; before he came down to be openly God with us, in an incarnate state. Mat.1:23. This is the Word that abideth forever, when the written word shall be entirely done away. He that receives Christ, receives the Origin and Head of all truth; and they who stumble at the Lord Jesus are said to “stumble at the Word, being disobedient; whereunto also they were appointed.” John saw the Lord seated upon a white horse; and he says, his name is called Faithful and True; he is the faithful and true witness. I, said the Redeemer, am the Truth and the Life. Every doctrine is in him, and proceeds from him through the Holy Spirit unto the church. All the doctrines of grace are manifestations of the sovereign plan of salvation, according to the riches of grace, through the glorious Person and Covenant Offices of Christ Jesus. Thus, when the Holy Spirit descended, to inspire men to write of the Triune God in Covenant, and Christ as the image of the invisible God, and the elect Head of all grace and glory; together with the sovereign scheme of redemption unto life eternal, as it ever stood in Him as the Representative of an elect world of mankind, the discovery of these things, with all the relative branches of truth, constituted what to this day is properly styled the Gospel of Christ, or good news from and concerning Him. Thus is the written word a true copy of the original Word. John Stevens {Display of the Triune God, 1813}

 

Home Page

Index of Authors

Wherefore, holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling, consider the Apostle
and High Priest of our profession, Christ Jesus. Hebrews 3:1