The message of Christ is “the Word of life.” (1 John 1:1) Without that message no one can find the way to eternal life. Therefore, when God made that message known, he used four separate ways to communicate. That made the message sure. When God communicated the Word of life, he communicated it to men called Apostles whose responsibility it was to share it with the entire human race. To make the communication of the message absolutely certain, God allowed each of the Apostles to have the same experience which the Apostle John had. John (1) “heard” the Word of life. (2) He “saw the Word of life.” (3) He “beheld” the Word of life and (4) he “handled.” the Word of life. (1 John 1:1)
Because the message of Christ is so important, the Apostles passed the message of Christ on to others in four ways: (1) They communicated it by bearing witness (1 John 1:2). (2) They communicated it by declaring it (1 John 1:2-3). (3) They communicated it by writing it (1 John 1:4). (4) And, they also communicated that message by by announcing it (1 John 1:5). This four-fold emphasis through repetition was made because the Apostles of Christ knew it was utterly important that every person understand the message.
Three reasons make it extremely important that the message of the Messiah be made available to everyone. First, as we have already said, since the message of Christ is “the Word of life.” (1 John 1:1) Without that message no once can find the way to eternal life. Secondly, this message must be understood and accepted by anyone who wishes to enjoy the highest and most important fellowship in the universe. By inspiration from God, John wrote about that fellowship in his first epistle chapter one and in the third verse. He said: “That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you also, that ye also may have fellowship with us: yea, and our fellowship is with the Father, and with his son Jesus Christ.” (1 John 1:3)
God refers to himself as ‘the Father’ because he is the one who gave life to everything and everyone who lives. As God uses human fathers to pass human life from one generation to the next he uses the name ‘Father’ for himself because he is the one who gives life to all.
God has revealed himself to man through nature and through the verbal message of the prophets. Neither of those methods of communicating with man were totally adequate. To give man an adequate revelation he sent his Word in human form. The Apostle John has told us in his gospel that, “the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us (and we beheld his glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father), full of grace and truth.” (John 1:14) Thus, God revealed himself nature, through the message of the prophets and in person as the Word. That person was Jesus who was born of the virgin Mary. He is also the Messiah.
The Messiah was given the name, ‘Son of God.’ It is a name given to Jesus which expresses his high rank, high position or eminence.
First of all the name ‘Son of God’ shows that Jesus the Messiah is above angels. Scripture tells us, “he became as much superior to the angels as the name he has inherited is superior to theirs. For to which of the angels did God ever say, You are my Son; today I have become your Father'? Or again,I will be his Father, and he will be my Son’?” (Hebrews 1:4-5 NIV)
In the second Psalm the name ‘Son of God’ was prophesied to be one of the titles of the Messiah. (Both the Hebrew word Messiah and its Greek translation, Christ mean the Anointed One.)
The Messiah who is the Word of God is not only superior to angels, but also he is superior to kings. About the Anointed One God says, “I have installed my King on Zion, my holy hill.” (Psalms 2:6 NIV) About that King, the Messiah, God says, “You are my Son” (Psalms 2:7 NIV). In his position as Son he rules (as the vice-regent of God) over the kings of earth, not only over the kings but over the nations which are subject to those kings. His rule over the nations is also clear in the 2nd Psalm: “and I will make the nations your inheritance . . . Therefore, you kings, be wise; be warned, you rulers of the earth.” (Psalms 2:8-10 NIV) Thus Jesus has a rank or position above men in general and kings in particular. His exalted position is declared by his God-given name, ‘Son of God’ which The Almighty has bestowed on him.
As we have said, there are three reasons why it extremely important that the message of the Messiah be made available to everyone. First, is to find the way of eternal life. Secondly, this message must be understood and accepted by anyone who wishes to enjoy the highest and most important fellowship in the universe. The third reason is to have the greatest joy that is possible for mankind.
John wrote, “these things we write, that our joy may be made full.” (1 John 1:4) God wants everyone to not only have joy but to have the fullness of joy! That joy comes from hearing, understanding and receiving the message of ‘the Word of life.’
The fullness of joy for those who have the message comes from sharing it with those who do not have it while for those without the message it comes from receiving it and then passing it on to others who have not yet received it. The joy which one gets through knowing and accepting God’s message is “joy unspeakable and full of glory.” (1 Peter 1:8)