“He that was ‘with God,’ and ‘was God,’ is also ‘Immanuel, God with us.'” by J.C. Ryle

“Would we know the exceeding sinfulness of sin? Let us often read these first five verses of St. John’s Gospel.

Let us mark what kind of Being the Redeemer of mankind must be in order to provide eternal redemption for sinners.

If no one less than the Eternal God, the Creator and Preserver of all things, could take away the sin of the world, sin must be a far more abominable thing in the sight of God than most men suppose.

The right measure of sin’s sinfulness is the dignity of Him who came into the world to save sinners. If Christ is so great, then sin must indeed be sinful!

Would we know, for another thing, the strength of a true Christian’s foundation for hope? Let us often read these first five verses of St. John’s Gospel.

Let us mark that the Saviour in whom the believer is bid to trust is nothing less than the Eternal God, One able to save to the uttermost all that come to the Father by Him.

He that was ‘with God,’ and ‘was God,’ is also ‘Immanuel, God with us.’

Let us thank God that our help is laid on One that is mighty. (Psalm 89:19) In ourselves we are great sinners. But in Jesus Christ we have a great Saviour.

He is a strong foundation-stone, able to bear the weight of a world’s sin. He that believeth on Him shall not be confounded. (1 Peter 2:6)”

–J.C. Ryle, Expository Thoughts on John, Vol. 1 (Carlisle, PA: Banner of Truth, 1869/2012), 1: 3.