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1 John 5
We are born of God, born of the spirit
when we believe that Jesus is the Christ.
What is believing Jesus is the Christ?
Christ is the Messiah or savior that was to come to save us from
sin. Sin separates us from God and condemns us to an eternity in
hell. We have to be saved from sin to enter heaven. Jesus is the one
God sent to save us. When we believe this, we believe in Jesus and
believe Jesus is the Christ which is savior.
Moses spoke of the one God was going to
send.
- Deuteronomy 18:18 I will
raise them up a Prophet from among their brethren, like unto
thee, and will put my words in his mouth; and he shall speak
unto them all that I shall command him.
- 19 And it shall
come to pass, that whosoever will not hearken unto my words
which he shall speak in my name, I will require it of him.
The promise of Isaiah 53:5
Words of the angel to Joseph.
- Matthew 1:20 But while
he thought on these things, behold, the angel of the Lord
appeared unto him in a dream, saying, Joseph, thou son of David,
fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife; for that which is
conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost.
- 21 And she shall
bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he
shall save his people from their sins.
Believing Jesus is the Christ is
believing Jesus is the one sent from God to save us from sin. I
believe sincerely, that God gave us the bible and preserved the
bible for us in these latter days. He gave us the Holy Spirit to
confirm the truth contained in the bible. In this day when knowledge
has increased, we need the bible even more to keep us from error and
help us to walk in truth. The church today needs to make sure they
teach truth more than ever. If we hold on to non-biblical
traditions, customs and things that are not in the word but added by
the Roman church later, it is going to cause problems.
Knowledge has increased. People are
finding out that many things in church traditions are not based on
truth and some things are actually from pagan customs years before
Christ was born. The cults are using this to deceive and get people
to join them in their error. They use part of the truth but go
further into getting people to doubt the part that is essential to
salvation. The church must cleanse itself from any error so that the
false teachers cannot use this error to lead people away from the
truth of Jesus Christ. Many things we do are pagan traditions. The
cults know this, the devil knows this. They will use this to get
people to see that we do not walk in truth. Then they will get them
to think that nothing that we teach is true. We should have no part
in lies and pagan traditions because truth and error do not mix. We
must walk in truth and have no part of lying and falsehood.
In saying that though I want to clarify
things so that we don't condemn ourselves unnecessarily. Some
traditions are not harmful, may be family things and innocent fun
but what I'm warning against are traditions taught as scripture or
"Thus saith the Lord" making them into commandments. God can guide
us into all truth by His Holy Spirit in all things if we allow Him
to do so.
Here is what I see happening also which is
not traditions but fleshly access. There are people that claim to
be filled with the spirit and do strange things we don't understand.
Because of this abuse, many turn away from the beautiful teaching of
being baptized in the Holy Spirit and speaking in tongues as the
spirit gives us utterance. This beautiful gift of the spirit that
helps us in our worship of God, is spoken evil of because of a few
that claim to have this and teach unscriptural doctrines along with
it. Mixing lies with truth causes many to reject the true part.
The teaching of the way of salvation
through faith in Jesus is now in jeopardy also because the Christian
church has allowed unscriptural traditions and pagan practices to
mix or cover up the truth with lies. People who do not want to
believe will point this out. If the church had never allowed one lie
to enter into its doctrine, this would not happen. The New Testament
should be our only guide. Paul's writings should be studied and
prayed over diligently. In all things we must remember to love one
another and remain filled with the spirit at all times. With all the
mess Christianity has made of things, we will need the renewing of
the Holy Spirit within us to keep us in sound doctrine and in the
teaching of the truth. Lets make sure our traditions and works are
based on the truth in God's word.
This is the sign that we are children
of God when we keep God's commandments. His greatest commandment is
that we love God and love our fellow believers. Jesus said also to
love our enemies.
- 1John 5:3 For this is the
love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments
are not grievous.
- 4 For whatsoever is
born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that
overcometh the world, even our faith.
- 5 Who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the
Son of God?
We overcome when we believe that Jesus
is the Son of God and not just an ordinary man. The spirit of God is
given to those that believe and obey Him. The spirit within us helps
us overcome the desire to return to sin and we have the power to
become obedient to the spirit instead of giving into the desires of
the flesh. Those that walk in the flesh are not filled with the
spirit. They may have once been filled with the spirit but if sin
has returned to them, they are not presently walking in the spirit.
The two do not agree. We can always pray diligently and be renewed
in our first love and walk in the spirit. The spirit of God brings
liberty, not bondage. Bondage can be bondage to sin or bondage to a
legalistic religion of works. The spirit gives us liberty but we are
not to use that liberty as an excuse to sin and still claim to be a
born again Christian.
-
1John 5:6 This is he that came by
water and blood, even Jesus Christ; not by water only, but by
water and blood. And it is the Spirit that beareth witness,
because the Spirit is truth.
There are different interpretations for
verse 6. Jesus came by water and by blood.
1. By water means the baptism that Jesus was
baptized with when the spirit of God descended upon Him after His
baptism in water. The spirit represents the living water that we
also receive when we are born again by the spirit after we repent of
sins and believe in Jesus as the savior from sin. The blood
represents the blood He shed when He died on the cross. His blood
cleanses us from sin.
2. The water and blood
mentioned in verse 6 refers to the natural birth of Jesus when He
came into the world. The very Son of God came into the flesh and was
born by water and by blood just like any newborn baby is born.
Jesus came into the flesh means that the
Son of God who was with the Father from the beginning was born into
the world supernaturally but became human flesh like we are in order
to reverse the curse of Adam and become the only human man to be
flesh yet not sin. This made Him and Him alone a perfect sacrifice
for our sins when He did no sin Himself. If Jesus would have sinned
once, He could not have been a perfect sacrifice to make an offering
for sin. The just had to die for the unjust (all mankind).
-
1John 5:7 For there are three that
bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost:
and these three are one.
Some versions say, "And it is the
Spirit that beareth witness, because the Spirit is truth. "
-
1John 5:8 And there are three that
bear witness in earth, the spirit, and the water, and the blood:
and these three agree in one.
The blood of Jesus cleanses from sin,
the word cleanses by the washing of the water of the word, the
spirit witnesses and makes possible the living water within us when
we are born again by the same spirit.
The blood of Jesus cleanses us from our
past sins. That is why repenting or turning from sin, accompanies
true conversion to Jesus Christ.
The spirit of God draws us and quickens
our hearts when the word is received. It doesn't matter whether we
receive the word by reading or by hearing it preached. When we
believe the word, the spirit of God brings us into salvation by
baptizing us into the body of Christ. It is a spiritual baptism that
saves, not water baptism.
It is not a conversion to the religion of
Christianity, it is being born of the spirit that saves. It is not
just another religion among thousands now existing. Being born again
by the spirit changes the life and makes a former sinner and
unbeliever into a saint of God. All true believers are saints, not
just a few made saints by the church. What Christ did for us makes
us saints, not our own good works.
The Holy Spirit witnesses to our spirit
what truth is. That is one reason people should never criticize
those that speak in other tongues (languages), that is one of the
ways the spirit bears witness to His presence dwelling within a
believer.
Some say there may be fake tongues. I don't
know that for sure that anyone has anything fake when it comes to
speaking in tongues, but there are also fake conversions, fake
preachers, fake healers and so forth. Why do we pick on the tongues?
Thousands speak in tongues as the spirit gives them utterance. They
all couldn't be fakes. I can't understand anyone teaching that the
sign gifts disappeared centuries ago when so many speak in tongues
today, including myself. I wasn't even in church and no one was
coaching me at the time I received this baptism of the Holy Spirit
with the evidence of speaking in tongues. I wasn't carried away by
music, I wasn't even praying at the time. I just felt something come
to me and at first I had trouble speaking and the words were a
little stifled but then I began speaking in a language that was very
clearly a language. I will
never forget that night. Nothing like that had ever happened to me
before. The ability to speak in tongues has never left me since
then. If ever there was a supernatural witness that God exists, it
is tongues. Yet so many want to deny this and speak negatively of
this witness from God.
It is a sign that God is with us.
Politicians can speak in their own language or a learned language
and give great speeches that convince people to vote for them. Some
people are naturally gifted to speak but no one can speak in tongues
having never learned that particular tongue or language unless it is
supernatural. God gives us this great sign and so many take it
lightly or ignore it altogether.
We also must believe in the power of
the resurrection. Jesus raised from the dead literally. If He
had not of been raised from the dead our faith is vain and does
nothing. Since we were not around when Jesus was raised from the
dead like the apostles were, we need the witness of the Holy Spirit
to confirm in us that Jesus truly did raise from the dead. The gifts
of the spirit that follow believers confirm the truth of the written
word. To deny them leaves a gap that denies part of the word.
There are other gifts of the spirit that
bear witness to the presence of the Holy Spirit also. Healing,
teaching, prophecy, faith etc. The fruit of the spirit is love, joy,
peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness and
temperance. Holiness is also a trait of the spirit filled person.
Love is emphasized in John's writings. He says that if we don't love
one another, we are not even of God.
Somehow the church in the middle ages
forgot to love. I don't think anyone who had anything to do with
burning someone at the stake for disagreeing on doctrine even knew
God much less be filled with the spirit.
If we hate, devour and speak evil of our
brethren in the Lord, we are not filled with the spirit.
That is how we know that we are saved
and are believers. The spirit within us bears witness.
The Holy Spirit teaches us the word,
convicts us of sin and brings the word of God to our remembrance
when it is needed. We can resist the Holy Spirit and not listen but
He is there to teach us if we listen. If we continue in disobedience
and refuse to listen, we would need to repent and do the first works
before being restored to a right relationship with God.
- 1John 5:11 And this is the
record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is
in his Son.
- 12 He that hath the
Son hath life: and he that hath not the Son of God hath not
life.
There is no other way of salvation but
through Jesus Christ.
God gives us a way that even a child
can understand. If we get so legalistic and complicated in our
religion so that no one understands how to be saved, then something
is wrong. Salvation has to be a way that does not depend upon a
human person except the human person may teach or preach the words
of God that someone else can either receive or reject. The human
messenger has no power in himself to make someone saved or lost.
Sacraments, water baptisms and any ordinance have no power to save.
Salvation comes when a person believes the word, believes in Jesus
as savior and then the Holy spirit baptizes them into the body of
Christ. Repentance from sin and forgiveness of sin occurs at the
time a person believes in Jesus as the Son of God. Believing of
course means believing that He is the one sent from God to save us
from sin.
An inner change in the human spirit takes
place. He or she is not the same. Old things pass away. One passes
from death to life. It is not just a conversion from one religion to
another. We can't just convert someone into Christianity. They have
to be born again by the spirit of God. See how stupid forced
conversions are? We can't force this on anyone.
-
1John 5:14 And this is the
confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing
according to his will, he heareth us:
Once we are saved and abiding in
Christ, we can ask anything in His name and receive what we ask. The
condition of course is that it is something in His will. I know some
cancel out the part about it being God's will, but do we really want
anything that isn't God's will for us? If He forbids it, it must not
be something good.
- 1John 5:15 And if we know
that he hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the
petitions that we desired of him.
- 16 If any man see
his brother sin a sin which is not unto death, he shall ask, and
he shall give him life for them that sin not unto death. There
is a sin unto death: I do not say that he shall pray for it.
I take this to mean that if a person
dies in sin, it doesn't do any good to pray for them after they die.
Its too late then. We can't force anyone to be saved but our
prayers do have merit. We must never give up on or fail to pray for
someone who has sinned and has not received Jesus as savior.
This could mean that someone sins and can
be forgiven but if they blaspheme the Holy Spirit then if doesn't do
any good to pray for them for that is one sin that can't be
forgiven.
- 1John 5:17 All
unrighteousness is sin: and there is a sin not unto death.
- 18 We know that
whosoever is born of God sinneth not; but he that is begotten of
God keepeth himself, and that wicked one toucheth him not.
Another reason of the Holy Spirit that
is given to us, is to keep us from returning to our old nature of
sin.
- 1John 5:19 And we know that
we are of God, and the whole world lieth in wickedness.
- 20 And we know that
the Son of God is come, and hath given us an understanding, that
we may know him that is true, and we are in him that is true,
even in his Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God, and eternal
life.
- 21 Little children,
keep yourselves from idols. Amen.
Idols are statues, icons and relics which a
person uses to represent God. There is nothing worthy in heaven and
earth to represent God. To bow down to an object that represents God
is a sin. It is idolatry forbidden by the ten commandments. We are
not to make images to represent God and bow down before them. There
is no substitute for the real God. Man is never to receive our
worship. We are not to bow to humans, statues or symbols. A prophet,
priest or preacher who exalts himself higher than the laity is
forbidden in scripture. We are not to worship anyone except God. We
are to respect those that preach and teach but not worship them or
esteem them too high that may resemble idolatry.
Many teach that an idol is anything
that comes between us and God. Trusting in sorcery, witchcraft,
material things can be an idol for instance but we must be careful
not to get away from warning against real idolatry using images to
represent God.
Again I repeat that we are to be careful
to walk in truth and not cover up and mix the gospel with legends,
fables, customs of the pagans or anything that compromises the
gospel of Jesus Christ. Satan will be sure to bring that out and use
it against us. We must walk in truth and have no part of lying or
compromise with the world, even the Christian world if that world is
not in the spirit and in truth. Why would John end this chapter
with, "Little children, keep yourselves from idols?" There must have
been a danger of idolatry or he would not have mentioned it.
- John 8:31 Then said
Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my
word, then are ye my disciples indeed;
- 32 And ye shall
know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.
The word is truth and we must walk in
truth. If we continue in the word, we will know the truth. To add to
the words of God or take away from them will mix truth and error.
This is what began to happen after the death of the apostles. By the
time Constantine came along the church was ready to mix up pagan
idolatry with a little of God's word. Martin Luther got us started
back in the right direction but he didn't go far enough. We are
seeing the hurt it has caused and its time to get out the error and
be pure in doctrine and in the word. If the church doesn't do it,
the devil will be able to use any false doctrines we have to lead
people away from any truth that will save their souls. If its not in
the word, we must get rid of it and not teach it as a doctrine or
commandment.
2 JOHN
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