Raymond Soriano

John 1:26-27 “I baptize with water,” John replied, “but among you stands one you do not know. He is the one who comes after me, the straps of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie.” Why did John baptize? Baptizing was the way to prepare the coming of the Messiah. What is the meaning of the baptism he was performing? It is the act of purification and forgiveness. What do you think baptism represents to those John baptized? It was a symbolic act that their sins were forgiven.

Q1. (John 1:19-23) Why do you think John the Baptist was being hassled by the religious leaders from Jerusalem? What were they afraid of? The religious leaders were commissioned by the Roman government to interrogate John the Baptist about the coming of the Messiah, who will establish his Kingdom on earth. The Roman government was threatened at the coming of the Messiah because it was prophesied that the Messiah would free the Israelite from the oppression of the enemy. How did John understand his own mission? John understood his mission, which is to prepare the way for the coming of the Lord, by preaching about repentance from sin and baptizing the people. How much conflict do you think could be expected from John’s mission? There could be confusion that John the Baptist might consider the Messiah because he was preaching about the repentance from sin and he was baptizing the people, which Jesus was commissioned to do the same, but John the Baptist confessed that he is not the Messiah and his mission was only to prepare the way for the coming of the Messiah.

Q5. (John 1:18) What does it mean that Jesus is the “Only God” or the “Only Begotten God”? It means that Jesus is the only and one who exists from the beginning until the end and can claim as the Son of God. Does the Apostle John seem to make a distinction between God the Father and God the Son? Yes. What does all this mean for our understanding of the Trinity? There is a One God in three nature, God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit.

4. (John 1:14) Why is the idea of God "becoming flesh" so important to the basis of the Christian faith? The salvation of people and forgiveness of their sin requires a living sacrifice. Therefore, Jesus had to be in human nature, not in "spirit" form to be a living sacrifice for the salvation of people. Also, it necessary for Jesus to die in his human nature to show that he had conquered death by His resurrection. What would Christ's life, crucifixion, and resurrection mean if he were only pretending to "become flesh"? It will invalidate the truth that Jesus had conquered death. In what ways have you personally experienced his grace? I have experienced grace by receiving His forgiveness of my sins that even though I don't deserve forgiveness because I am a sinner, but still, Jesus chose to forgive and cleanse me from all my sins. In what ways has his truth changed your life from what it was? God's forgiveness has set me free from guilt, shame, and condemnation.

Q3 (John 1:12-13) What does it mean to "receive" Jesus? To receive Jesus means we need to acknowledge his control and Lordship over our lives. What does it imply to "believe in" Jesus? It implies that we need to believe who truly Jesus Christ is - he is the Messiah, who was sent by God as Savior of the world. What is the spiritual relationship to God of those who receive and believe in Jesus? God becomes their Father. Of those who do not? They don't have the authority to become children of God.

Q2. (John 1:7-8) What did it mean that John was sent to "testify" to the light? In what sense are you put here with the purpose of "testifying" to the light? How are you doing in this regard? What happened to John the Baptist? What might happen to you if you testify clearly? What might happen to the people to whom you testify? The meaning of the word "testify" is to proclaim and defend the truth that Jesus is the Son of God. He is Lamb of God, who will take the sins of the world. John the Baptist was boldly proclaiming the truth about the true identity of Jesus and to the point that he was beheaded. He was considered as one of the early martyrs, where we get the root word to testify. We need to follow the example of John the Baptist by proclaiming to the world that Jesus is the Messiah, the Savior of the world. The world may persecute or ridiculed us by testifying about Jesus, but we must not lose heart because Jesus has already overcome the world. It is the light and truth of Jesus will prevail in the end.

Q1. (John 1:1-3) According to the Apostle John, is Jesus fully God? What does it mean that Jesus is the "Word"? What does this say about him and his ministry? Yes, Jesus is fully God. The "Word" means Jesus co-existed with the Father at the beginning of the creation. Therefore Jesus is fully divine God. If the word "Word" proves that Jesus is God, we are assured that His words and his ministry are divine and true. We can put our faith and hope to Jesus as true and living God.