John 1:4 says, “In him [the Word/Christ] was life, and the life life was the light of men.” When it says that in Christ was life, this is further testimony that he had the same (eternal) life as God the Father. So Christ was the one who passed on life in all its dimensions to mankind. It is hard to give a simple definition for “life.” Dictionary.com has 36 definitions! Generally it means that which gives an organism metabolism, animation, growth and reproduction. It is easier to describe it in terms of its opposite — death. This life is the light of men, meaning that the life God give us on earth provides us understanding of our origin and purpose on earth: to serve him. With so much rampant unbelief and idolatry in the world, it’s all the more important for us to be visible examples of ones living for God to outsiders among us.