Christ Is the Word of God
John 1:1–3, 14
1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
2 The same was in the beginning with God.
3 All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made. . . .
14 And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.
Elder Bruce R. McConkie wrote:
“John the Beloved began his gospel account by speaking of the then risen Lord . . . [:] ‘In the beginning was the Word,’ he said, ‘and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made. . . . And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth’ (John 1:1–3, 14). A more perfect rendition of John’s writing was revealed to Joseph Smith in these words: ‘I saw his glory, that he was in the beginning, before the world was; therefore, in the beginning the Word was, for he was the Word, even the messenger of salvation—the light and the Redeemer of the world; the Spirit of truth, who came into the world, because the world was made by him, and in him was the life of men and the light of men. The worlds were made by him; men were made by him; all things were made by him, and through him, and of him. And I, John, bear record that I beheld his glory, as the glory of the Only Begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth, even the Spirit of truth, which came and dwelt in the flesh, and dwelt among us’ [D&C 93:7–11]. In this connection we should also note that His coming was announced by calling Him ‘the messenger of the covenant’ [Malachi 3:1].
“John it was also who saw the resurrected Christ in glory and was taught: ‘His name is called The Word of God’ [Revelation 19:13], and who wrote of Him as ‘the Word of life’ [1 John 1:1].”
(The Promised Messiah: The First Coming of Christ [1978], 199–200.)
