In his book "Dao De Jing", Lao Zi shows us why God needs to send His Son into this world. He describes the behavior of the Dao, the Way, or the Word. The greatest and the most powerful is love, which is exhibited by God in giving His only Son to man. Let us receive and be like Him. Let's discover the details...The Undescribable Dao/Way/Word - Why God must come down to Man
Chapter 1 verse 1 of Lao Zi's Dao De Jing is:
道可道 非常道
The Dao/Word/Way that can be described is not the eternal Dao/Word/Way.
- John 1:1-3, In the beginning, was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. (2) He was in the beginning with God. (3) All things were made through him, and without him was not anything made that was made.
How is that so? Someone said that if we can describe and fully understand god then either we are the god or that is not god. Our mind is limited. Our language is limited. The unlimited God could not be fully described and understood by the limited man or else God is limited. In that case, how could our limited man understand the way and the behavior of the unlimited God? That is only possible if God Himself comes down in the form of man and then tells and shows us Who he is.
- John 1:14 And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.
- More on Chapter 1 of Dao De Jing can be found here Uncovering the Mystery of Dao De Jing - The Discovery of Truth
His Son Came
Chapter 4 The Way is the Son said Lao Zi (DaoDeJing 4).
It begins with The Way (Dao) is ...
- vast and wide and provides for every usage without any limit.
- the root of all creations.
- describes its sharpness, intricacies, light, and traces/paths of its work, ... yet so quietly and almost invisible. (Jesus came in such a lowly state, born in a manger ...)
Lao Zi humbly says, "I don't know whose Son is? Like before our ancestors".
What does Lao Zi want us to do with His Son? Receive Him & Be Like Him
挫其锐、解其纷、和其光、同其尘，湛兮似或存。
Blunt its sharpness, resolve the tangles, and follow its light. Join its traces/footprints.
It is so transparent/clear/pure as if not there.
We are not to refuse the penetrating power of His light that reveals our sins and confusion. We are just to follow His light so that we may see and be freed from our bondage. We are to follow His footprints. Let's be so transparent and pure of our own that we make be like Him.
His Love conquers All - Live in His Grace
Chapter 67 夫慈以战则胜，以守则固，天将救之，以慈卫之
Love conquers all. It is strong in defense. Heaven will save it and grace will protect it.
Chapter 63 大小多少 报怨以德
[No matter] big or small, many or few, [always] repay hates/evils with love/virtues.
- Romans 5:8 NIV But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
Summary:
The meaning of Christmas is about God coming down to us as man, to communicate and show us what He is like. He is love that He has given us His Son Jesus Christ to die for us thereby bringing peace with God and with men. We are to receive His grace of love and simply live out the love He has given us.
Lim Liat (c) 16 Dec 2019
