Being Born of God
Notes
Transcript
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Scripture Reading
Opening Prayer
Introduction/Review
7 For there are three that testify:
7 For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one.
Exposition 1 (4-5)
4 For everyone who has been born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith. 5 Who is it that overcomes the world except the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?
Vs. 4 - Who is the subject here?
A: Everyone who has been born of God.
To whom is this refering
As we have seen in 1 John, we are referring to the true believers
1 Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ has been born of God, and everyone who loves the Father loves whoever has been born of him.
So remember what we talked about last week and earlier in 1 John.
“True believers are those who believe in Christ, both His person and His work. This belief results in keeping the commandments, especially the commands to love God and love one another.”
Back to this week’s verses
4 For everyone who has been born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith. 5 Who is it that overcomes the world except the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?
So what do these true believers do?
They overcome the world
What? How?
What?
explain...
How?
4b And this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith.
Vs. 5 emphasizes with a rhetorical question
I. By being born of God, Christians are victorious over the world and free from its controlling influence (4-5)
I. By being born of God, Christians are victorious over the world and free from its controlling influence (4-5)
Exposition 2 (6-13)
Vs. 6a
6 This is he who came by water and blood—Jesus Christ; not by the water only but by the water and the blood. And the Spirit is the one who testifies, because the Spirit is the truth.
Water and Blood? (Jesus is He that came in this way)
Theories:
Baptism and Lord’s Supper
Water = Spirit, Blood = Work of Christ
“hendiadys” representing the Person and Work of Christ
Original audience would have had a better understanding.
“not by water only” indicates that this was a struggle of the original audience
Vs. 6b
Involves the spirit testifying (see end of verse)
The Spirit is the Witness to the truth, yet is not the truth itself
Temptation today to let “the spirit” override the word
This is not how it works but they are always in perfect harmony
7 For there are three that testify: 8 the Spirit and the water and the blood; and these three agree.
Vs. 9-13 Receiving God’s Testimony
9 If we receive the testimony of men, the testimony of God is greater, for this is the testimony of God that he has borne concerning his Son.
God’s testimony is greater than human
10 Whoever believes in the Son of God has the testimony in himself. Whoever does not believe God has made him a liar, because he has not believed in the testimony that God has borne concerning his Son.
True Believers believe God’s testimony
The next few verses are an explanation of what God’s testimony is and how it is received
11 And this is the testimony, that God gave us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. 12 Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life.
The son is essential for eternal life
13 I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life.
Salvation brings confidence.
II. Genuine belief results in a confident life where truth is known
II. Genuine belief results in a confident life where truth is known
Conclusion
Prayer of Thanksgiving