John 1:1-18
The Word Becomes Flesh
1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.2 He was with God in the beginning. 3 Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. 4 In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. 5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.
6 There was a man sent from God whose name was John. 7 He came as a witness to testify concerning that light, so that through him all might believe. 8 He himself was not the light; he came only as a witness to the light.
9 The true light that gives light to everyone was coming into the world. 10 He was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognize him.11 He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him. 12 Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God— 13 children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God.
14 The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.
15 (John testified concerning him. He cried out, saying, “This is the one I spoke about when I said, ‘He who comes after me has surpassed me because he was before me.’”)16 Out of his fullness we have all received grace in place of grace already given. 17 For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. 18 No one has ever seen God, but the one and only Son, who is himself God and is in closest relationship with the Father, has made him known.
John 14:5-14
Jesus the Way to the Father
5 Thomas said to him, “Lord, we don’t know where you are going, so how can we know the way?”
6 Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. 7 If you really know me, you will know my Father as well. From now on, you do know him and have seen him.”
8 Philip said, “Lord, show us the Father and that will be enough for us.”
9 Jesus answered: “Don’t you know me, Philip, even after I have been among you such a long time? Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’? 10 Don’t you believe that I am in the Father, and that the Father is in me? The words I say to you I do not speak on my own authority. Rather, it is the Father, living in me, who is doing his work. 11 Believe me when I say that I am in the Father and the Father is in me; or at least believe on the evidence of the works themselves. 12 Very truly I tell you, whoever believes in me will do the works I have been doing, and they will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father. 13 And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. 14 You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it.
1 John 4:8
God is LOVE
8 Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love.
Believing in God causes one to make up his or her mind, as to whether there in Him...One either believes in Him or they do not...God showed Himself in the Old Testament...Moses knew Him very well...And if God showed Himself just one time, then He exists...But He was with Moses and the Hebrew people for forty years, wandering the deserts around the Promised Land...So it is not like we only heard about Him one single time...Much is written about the Passover from Egypt to the Promised Land...And we know God not only through the Old Testament, but also when God sent His Son to us in a miraculous birth through the power of the Holy Spirit...And that is when the Word, the Purpose of Life, became flesh and dwelt with us...The Reason for Life and the universe came to teach us about His Father and other things...
St. John teaches us the Jesus is the Word and the Word was with God, and the Word was God...Jesus was with God from the very beginning...Through Jesus all things were made; without Him nothing was made that has been made...In Jesus is life, and that life is the Light of all mankind...The Light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it...The true Light that gives light to everyone was coming into the world...He was in the world, and though the world was made through Him, the world did not recognize Him...Jesus came to that which was His own, but His own did not receive Him...Yet to all who did receive Him, to those who believed in His name, He gave the right to become children of God— children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God...The Word became flesh and made His dwelling among us...We have seen His glory, the glory of the One and Only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth...Jesus taught John and His other Disciples in a subtle, humble, and authoritative way...The Disciples believe in Him, but some of the world, even when He was there did not receive Him or recognize Him...
God allows many religions and many belief systems to exist...The One, who is full of Grace and Truth, is sacred and holy...In allowing many different religions, we have a choice of many different things that each of can see as our own personal Grace and Truth...But there is only One Truth...Truth is exclusive...Truth has to be exclusive...I cannot say this color is white and it be red...It cannot be both...If Truth is not exclusive, then the Truth is not Truth...And we read about this exclusivity when Jesus says there is only One Way to get to God...And the gospels give us great evidence of God...And can we really believe in God, without reading the four gospels?...And won't we know God better by reading the four gospels and the information on His Son...So one has to know about the four gospels to know about Jesus, and learn more about God...And the non-believer does not believe in God or Jesus, because they see the Bible and gospels more as a myth or legend, than as the Truth...God has allowed myth and legend to be an obstacle for some...But He could have given us less free will and given us a world with only one single religion, with no legends or myths...A world where most, if not everyone, would believe...But that is not in His style, or in His attributes...
Jesus, in all of His teachings, taught us that there is a God, there is LOVE, and that we do sin...And He teaches us that He is the Truth...He came with such authority, that people wanted to listen to Him...Everyone did not necessarily believe in Him, but it seemed even the ones who did not believe in Him, still wanted to know Him through their own personal questions...People listened to Him speak His Truths, when He dwelt among the Jewish people, and as He traveled from village to village...And we listen to Him today, as we read through or hear about the gospels...He stood before His Disciples and others, with this unheard of type authority and said “I AM the Way and the Truth and the Life...No one comes to the Father except through Me...If you really know Me, you will know My Father as well...From now on, you do know God and have seen Him.”...Philip, one of His Disciples ask Him, “Lord, show us the Father and that will be enough for us.”...Jesus answered: “Don’t you know Me, Philip, even after I have been among you such a long time?...Anyone who has seen Me has seen the Father...How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’?...Don’t you believe that I AM in the Father, and that the Father is in Me?...The words I say to you I do not speak on My own authority...Rather, it is the Father, living in Me, who is doing His work...Believe Me when I say that I AM in the Father and the Father is in Me; or at least believe on the evidence of the works themselves...Very truly I tell you, whoever believes in Me will do the works I have been doing, and they will do even greater things than these, because I AM going to the Father...And I will do whatever you ask in My name, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son...You may ask Me for anything in My name, and I will do it...
And after all that Jesus taught, He was put to death on a cross, after quickly being tried and crucified as a criminal...So those following Jesus were hamstrung at the very start...But He resurrected...So Jesus' followers were not put in the best of circumstances to start a new religion...Many early followers of Jesus were persecuted and killed...And some do not believe in the resurrection either...Some see Jesus' life like, much like they see Moses in the Old Testament as a myth and legend...
So when someone says that there is not sufficient evidence for God, have they read the four gospels?...And if they have and do not believe, then they do not believe that Jesus is the Son of God, nor do they believe that He was sent by God...Then they must believe He and all the authors of the New Testament are lying for saying and writing about the things He only supposedly said...They must think Jesus lied when He was comparing Himself to God and telling Thomas, Philip, His Disciples and others that in knowing Him -you have seen God...So there may not be enough reason and logic to believe in Him for some...But faith goes beyond reason and logic...We can find it in our hearts to believe...Because God is LOVE...He is so Almighty and with such knowledge that He can make Himself known either directly or indirectly...Through reason, logic, and love...We can believe Him with our hearts or our minds, or both...We can feel Him in our souls...After all, He is God...He gives us sufficient evidence and different ways to see Him in our hearts, our minds, and our souls, if we wish...It is this choice He wants each of us to come to on our own...That is the Way Complete Understanding is and the Way Unconditional LOVE is...LOVE cannot be forced or threatened on the ones you love or the ones you want to love...