Children of God

William Jonathan Weems

1 John • Sermon • Submitted 4 years ago

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IF you are a child of God you believe in his Son, you overcome the world, and you believe God's testimony

Notes

Transcript

What does it mean to be a child of God?

1 John 5:1–12 NIV

Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God, and everyone who loves the father loves his child as well. This is how we know that we love the children of God: by loving God and carrying out his commands. In fact, this is love for God: to keep his commands. And his commands are not burdensome, for everyone born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith. Who is it that overcomes the world? Only the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God. This is the one who came by water and blood—Jesus Christ. He did not come by water only, but by water and blood. And it is the Spirit who testifies, because the Spirit is the truth. For there are three that testify: the Spirit, the water and the blood; and the three are in agreement. We accept human testimony, but God’s testimony is greater because it is the testimony of God, which he has given about his Son. Whoever believes in the Son of God accepts this testimony. Whoever does not believe God has made him out to be a liar, because they have not believed the testimony God has given about his Son. And this is the testimony: God has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life.

Recap of 1 John.

Author John the disciple

Audience: the church in Ephesus and surrounding area

A church that had been split by those who believed Jesus came only in spirit and believed they had a special knowledge that saved them, but did not believe they needed to love God, love people, or needed to change.

Written so that we could know if we belong to God and what was the true testimony or witness about who Jesus was and is, the son of God who came to take away the sins of the world and give us eternal life, and this is where we pick up today. The beginning of the end.

Last week we were reminded that you are a liar if you say you love God, but hate your brothers and sisters. In this passage God reminds us what it means to be His children.

1 John 5:1–3 NIV

: 1-

A Child of God believes in his son

He believes that Jesus is the Messiah. The Christ. The Anointed one. A child of God. The Messiah was known to be a human man. A descendant of King David from the old testament. The man who would save God’s people and rule forever.

These are added to the other things that John has said we need to believe about Jesus.

Acknowledge that Jesus came in the flesh

1 John 4:2 NIV

This is how you can recognize the Spirit of God: Every spirit that acknowledges that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God,

He is the son of God and the savior of the world

1 John 4:14–15 NIV

And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent his Son to be the Savior of the world. If anyone acknowledges that Jesus is the Son of God, God lives in them and they in God.

So to be a child of God first and foremost you must believe that Jesus is the Messiah. This is where it all starts. It’s the foundation of it all. It is how we are born of God. How we belong to him. Our rebirth. Our new life. Our new identity. We are children of God. And if we love God then we love his child the one begotten of him as well.

A child of God loves his Father and his children.

1 John 5:1–2 NIV

A child of God keeps his commands.

1 John 5:2–3 NIV

This is how we know that we love the children of God: by loving God and carrying out his commands. In fact, this is love for God: to keep his commands. And his commands are not burdensome,

1 John 5:

A child of God overcomes the world.

1 John 5:4–5 NIV

for everyone born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith. Who is it that overcomes the world? Only the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God.

: 4-5

If we are born of God then we have overcome the world. PERIOD. Not we can overcome the world, not that we WILL overcome the world, but that we HAVE overcome the world. We have victory over the world and everything in and of it. That includes the antichrists, the spirits and the people that are against Jesus. The enemy, addiction, depression, hate, war, loneliness, EVERYTHING.

Then John repeats himself for emphasis. Who overcomes the world? Only the one who believes in the son of God. It is our faith in Jesus the Messiah, the son of God, that gives us victory.

Faith is action and belief.

Chair illustration. I can believe all day that a chair will hold me, but it isn’t until I sit in the chair that I have faith. An absolute trust.

It is when we believe that Jesus is the son of God and therefore our Lord and then actually live like it. We become overcomers. When we sit in the chair of God’s promises.

But faith continues daily. Our faith must grow. Sometimes we have to struggle to have our faith mature and grow. While salvation is an immediate thing and we immediately become overcomers, Our faith still must grow. This is where all the living in love passages come in that we have been looking at over the last few weeks. The more we live in the love of God, the more we trust him.

Verse 6 is just an expansion on who Jesus is.

1 John 5:6 NIV

This is the one who came by water and blood—Jesus Christ. He did not come by water only, but by water and blood. And it is the Spirit who testifies, because the Spirit is the truth.

This is kind of a strange passage. A lot of people have debated what water and blood means, but I think the best explanation is that Water was Jesus’ natural birth and blood was his supernatural victory over sin and death. Jesus came

1) born of water: a man to show us the way and

2) and of Blood: the atoning sacrifice for our sins on the cross.

If he did not come of both, then he would not and could not be savior, messiah, THE CHRIST.

God does not ask us to have blind faith. I think that is one of the great lies of the world. Faith is not blind. In fact, according to this passage, our faith in Jesus as the Son of God, the Messiah, the savior and that Jesus came in the flesh has been witnessed to by more than three witnesses. The Spirit, the water, and the blood.

Deuteronomy 19:15 NIV

One witness is not enough to convict anyone accused of any crime or offense they may have committed. A matter must be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses.

Deuteronomy

Now this is

Matthew 18:16 NIV

But if they will not listen, take one or two others along, so that ‘every matter may be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses.’

So who are the three witnesses?

1 John 5:6–8 NIV

This is the one who came by water and blood—Jesus Christ. He did not come by water only, but by water and blood. And it is the Spirit who testifies, because the Spirit is the truth. For there are three that testify: the Spirit, the water and the blood; and the three are in agreement.

1 John 5:6-

The spirit of truth, the birth of Jesus and his sacrifice on the cross. They all testify to who Jesus is. They all are in agreement.

The Spirit testifies to the truth. The spirit has been given to all who believe.

John 14:17 NIV

the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you.

1 John

The Gospels are written so that we know what the man Jesus did on earth, and what God did through him on the cross. The water and the blood. Both are real, both are poured out and both testify to the truth.

BUT just in case that was not enough. There is one more witness.

1 John 5:9 NIV

We accept human testimony, but God’s testimony is greater because it is the testimony of God, which he has given about his Son.

God testifies that Jesus is his son. Here it is simply put. we believe all sorts of things that humans say. If you don’t believe me, think about all the diets that many of you have been on. Atkins, Paleo, South beach, vegan, plant based, cottage cheese. Really, we believe all sorts of things people say, but Here John is telling us the ultimate DUH thing. God’s testimony is greater than any man’s.

This is the testimony of the creator of the universe. The Alpha and the Omega. The beginning and the end. The All knowing one, the all present one, the all powerful one. Hmm. Maybe we might ought to listen.

So what is the testimony of God?

Matthew 3:16–17 NIV

As soon as Jesus was baptized, he went up out of the water. At that moment heaven was opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting on him. And a voice from heaven said, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased.”

Matthew

A child of God believes God.

It seems so simple, but it is so true. A child of God believes God.

1 John 5:10 NIV

Whoever believes in the Son of God accepts this testimony. Whoever does not believe God has made him out to be a liar, because they have not believed the testimony God has given about his Son.

1 John 5:10-

If you believe in the Son of God you believe the testimony of God. You believe what he says. If you do not believe that Jesus is the son of God then you make God out to be a liar which I am pretty sure that is not a good thing.

John goes onto to show us exactly what God means when he says Jesus is his son.

1 John 5:11–12 NIV

And this is the testimony: God has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life.

1 John 5

The gospel. The good news. The conclusion to the story of God’s redemption of humanity. God has given us eternal life, and this life is in his son. If you have the Son you have life. If you do not have the son of God you do not have life.

The testimony of God. You are his child if you believe in his Son. You are born into something new. you are Born into a child of God. You overcome the darkness in the world. You belong to him forever.

That sure seems like God made it simple choice, but man sure has made it hard. Our pride, our sin, our comfort all fight to drown out God’s voice. We believe the lies of the world. Lies that lead to death, but God’s word leads to life and that life is in his Son.