The true Light came to give life (John 1:7-12)

He came as a witness, to testify about the Light, so that all might believe through him. He was not the Light, but he came to testify about the Light. (NASB) John 1:7-8

John the Baptist came only to announce the coming of the Light. He came to prepare and lead others to the Light. He was God’s man because God had sent him. This man was not the Light.

The True Light. John enlightened some people during his ministry but only the true Light can give understanding to every man and woman.

There was the true Light which, coming into the world, enlightens every man. (NASB) John 1:9

But the most incredible fact is that the Light came into the world. This Light did not just visit planet earth; he lived on the earth! He was the One who made it.

The LOGOS - the reason, the eternal bond of the universe - had come to earth. John was not the true Light, because only the Light can help everyone understand spiritual truth. Your pastor, Bible teacher, or spiritual friend cannot give you spiritual understanding. Only the true Light gives complete understanding to every man. The prophet Isaiah predicted this when he said,

The people who walk in darkness
Will see a great light;
Those who live in a dark land,
The light will shine on them. (NASB) Is. 9:2

Matthew 4:15-16 agrees that Jesus is the great Light. Martin Luther says, “There is only one light that lighteth all men, and no man comes into the world who can possibly be illuminated by any other light.” Jesus was the great illuminator, and yet the Jewish leaders rejected Him because they were in darkness.

He was in the world, and the world was made through Him, and the world did not know Him. He came to His own, and those who were His own did not receive Him. (NASB) John 1:10-11

Children of God. When the Light shines on men and women, they either accept Him or reject Him. Many rejected Jesus during His first visit to planet earth. Yet, there are some who responded to the Light and accepted Him. Today men and women still have a choice to either accept or reject the Light because the apostle wrote this,

But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in His name . . . (NASB) John 1:12

The Greek word for receive has the idea of choosing. The Greek word for "right" is a hard word to translate into the English language since it has the idea of power, ability, or authority and the idea of right, correct, or legal.

The Greek word for believe means more than just believing some facts about the Light. It has the sense of “persuasion, conviction, commitment, confidence, which is expressed in human relationships as fidelity, assurance, oath, proof, and guarantee.” We must start with facts, but this “believing” means that a man or woman is convinced and confident about the facts. Believing is knowing that things are true. The Greek word for believe is a present participle which means that we must be “believing.” This believing never stops. It is not a one time belief and then everything changes.

If we put these words together, we discover that the Holy Spirit is saying that those who choose the Light - Jesus - will have the privilege and the authority to become children of God if their patterns of life are ones of believing in the Light. No one can take it away if you are believing in His name.