November 5th 2017
John Wrote About Protection By God For Those Who Become Disciples Of Jesus Christ!
John 1:12-13 (NIV)
Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God—children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God.
How does someone become born again, and how do you know that you have been Born Again? This is a huge question, and it is absolutely important for each of us to ponder this question, and to try and discern, if you have been truly born again. In the selected verses John describes being second born as gaining the knowledge of who Jesus is and thus they become children of God. John wrote about the inability of mankind to recognize who Jesus is, and this same problem continues today! He was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognize him. (1John 12:10). You will be born again when you recognize who Jesus is, as John wrote, “to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God.”
John wrote about how Nicodemus came to Jesus and said he believed Jesus was sent by God, but he still had doubts about Jesus, and who He really is. In reply Jesus declared, "I tell you the truth, no-one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again." "How can a man be born when he is old?" Nicodemus asked. "Surely he cannot enter a second time into his mother’s womb to be born!" Jesus answered, "I tell you the truth, no-one can enter the kingdom of God unless he is born of water and the Spirit. Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit. You should not be surprised at my saying, ‘You must be born again.’ The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit." (John 3:3-8). Jesus is the only plan of salvation, and most of the people on this earth today, do not accept this as a fact!
John wrote more about this being born again, and John used the terms of “Born of Him” or “Born of God” to describe this state of mind required to become a disciple or follower of Jesus Christ. I have struggled with such statements, have you struggled to discern if you are in fact born again? If you know that he is righteous, you know that everyone who does what is right has been born of him. (1John 2:29). This is a tough to live up to statement, but it seems more realistic to view this in a changed lifestyle, where we are becoming more reliable in avoiding sinful situations, as we become more Christ-like. No-one who is born of God will continue to sin, because God’s seed remains in him; he cannot go on sinning, because he has been born of God. (1John 3:9). Notice what John wrote here, “No-one who is born of God will continue to sin!” Maybe another copout, but it seems to me we are a work in process, and we are fighting against our sinful nature.
Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. (1John 4:7). Christianity is the only religion that teaches about loving everyone, some religions actually teach that we are only to love those who agree with us. Some extreme religions teach they are rewarded by their god, if they exterminate those who choose not to believe exactly the way they do. We see this being played out almost on a daily basis today through terrorist attacks against anyone who does not agree exactly with what they profess. Jesus taught that we are to love even those who wish to harm us. If all of mankind believed this way there would be no terrorists, and there would be no threats of war.
John wrote about this love, as he points us to love first the father, and then the child. Remember here, Jesus is the Son of God, and Jesus came to this earth as a man, thus He is too a child of God! Remember too, that all those who accept the Son, also accept the Father, and thus become children of God! Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God, and everyone who loves the father loves his child as well. (1John 5:1). God first loved us, and Jesus died for our sins while we were still sinners! This is love for God: to obey 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. (1John 5:3-4). Are you working on becoming an overcomer? This cannot be done through “self-esteem,” as Political Correctness wants to teach us!
John wrote about protection by God for those who become disciples of Jesus Christ, His Son! We know that anyone born of God does not continue to sin; the one who was born of God keeps him safe, and the evil one cannot harm him. (1John 5:18). We are protected from the snares of Satan in this world. Now that is a comforting thought. Remember that death is not “the end” but it is actually “the beginning” of life in a better place. This related only to those who have been Born Again. A religious leader of Jesus time asked a good question related to the Law. "Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?" Jesus replied: "‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments." (Matthew 22:36-40). Jesus was referring to the entire Old Testament here when He said,” All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”
Peter wrote about love for our fellow man comes from the fact that Jesus Christ was sent to this earth as a man, so He could fulfill the necessary perfect sacrifice to atone for all the sins of mankind. We are saved only by believing in God’s Son, there is no other way by which we can be saved. He was chosen before the creation of the world, but was revealed in these last times for your sake. Through him you believe in God, who raised him from the dead and glorified him, and so your faith and hope are in God. Now that you have purified yourselves by obeying the truth so that you have sincere love for your brothers, love one another deeply, from the heart. For you have been born again, not of perishable seed, but of imperishable, through the living and enduring word of God. (1Peter 1:20-23).
Peter wrote, “Now that you have purified yourselves by obeying the truth so that you have sincere love for your brothers, love one another deeply, from the heart. For you have been born again.”
If everyone on this earth was a “Born Again” Christian, there would not be anyone who would desire to be a terrorist. Jesus told us to “Love your neighbor as yourself.” We often read this comment backwards. It requires us to love ourselves first, before we can truly love our neighbor. It seems we do not teach our young people to have respect for other people, and thus, to not feel it is okay to take the possessions of others. Stealing is being taught as a way of life to many children in our society of today. Cheating is okay, if you do not get caught! Does anyone remember the old song? R E S P E C T!
Your brother in life through Adam, your brother in eternity through Jesus,
Bob Moak
John 1:12-13 (NIV)
Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God—children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God.
How does someone become born again, and how do you know that you have been Born Again? This is a huge question, and it is absolutely important for each of us to ponder this question, and to try and discern, if you have been truly born again. In the selected verses John describes being second born as gaining the knowledge of who Jesus is and thus they become children of God. John wrote about the inability of mankind to recognize who Jesus is, and this same problem continues today! He was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognize him. (1John 12:10). You will be born again when you recognize who Jesus is, as John wrote, “to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God.”
John wrote about how Nicodemus came to Jesus and said he believed Jesus was sent by God, but he still had doubts about Jesus, and who He really is. In reply Jesus declared, "I tell you the truth, no-one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again." "How can a man be born when he is old?" Nicodemus asked. "Surely he cannot enter a second time into his mother’s womb to be born!" Jesus answered, "I tell you the truth, no-one can enter the kingdom of God unless he is born of water and the Spirit. Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit. You should not be surprised at my saying, ‘You must be born again.’ The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit." (John 3:3-8). Jesus is the only plan of salvation, and most of the people on this earth today, do not accept this as a fact!
John wrote more about this being born again, and John used the terms of “Born of Him” or “Born of God” to describe this state of mind required to become a disciple or follower of Jesus Christ. I have struggled with such statements, have you struggled to discern if you are in fact born again? If you know that he is righteous, you know that everyone who does what is right has been born of him. (1John 2:29). This is a tough to live up to statement, but it seems more realistic to view this in a changed lifestyle, where we are becoming more reliable in avoiding sinful situations, as we become more Christ-like. No-one who is born of God will continue to sin, because God’s seed remains in him; he cannot go on sinning, because he has been born of God. (1John 3:9). Notice what John wrote here, “No-one who is born of God will continue to sin!” Maybe another copout, but it seems to me we are a work in process, and we are fighting against our sinful nature.
Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. (1John 4:7). Christianity is the only religion that teaches about loving everyone, some religions actually teach that we are only to love those who agree with us. Some extreme religions teach they are rewarded by their god, if they exterminate those who choose not to believe exactly the way they do. We see this being played out almost on a daily basis today through terrorist attacks against anyone who does not agree exactly with what they profess. Jesus taught that we are to love even those who wish to harm us. If all of mankind believed this way there would be no terrorists, and there would be no threats of war.
John wrote about this love, as he points us to love first the father, and then the child. Remember here, Jesus is the Son of God, and Jesus came to this earth as a man, thus He is too a child of God! Remember too, that all those who accept the Son, also accept the Father, and thus become children of God! Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God, and everyone who loves the father loves his child as well. (1John 5:1). God first loved us, and Jesus died for our sins while we were still sinners! This is love for God: to obey 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. (1John 5:3-4). Are you working on becoming an overcomer? This cannot be done through “self-esteem,” as Political Correctness wants to teach us!
John wrote about protection by God for those who become disciples of Jesus Christ, His Son! We know that anyone born of God does not continue to sin; the one who was born of God keeps him safe, and the evil one cannot harm him. (1John 5:18). We are protected from the snares of Satan in this world. Now that is a comforting thought. Remember that death is not “the end” but it is actually “the beginning” of life in a better place. This related only to those who have been Born Again. A religious leader of Jesus time asked a good question related to the Law. "Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?" Jesus replied: "‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments." (Matthew 22:36-40). Jesus was referring to the entire Old Testament here when He said,” All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”
Peter wrote about love for our fellow man comes from the fact that Jesus Christ was sent to this earth as a man, so He could fulfill the necessary perfect sacrifice to atone for all the sins of mankind. We are saved only by believing in God’s Son, there is no other way by which we can be saved. He was chosen before the creation of the world, but was revealed in these last times for your sake. Through him you believe in God, who raised him from the dead and glorified him, and so your faith and hope are in God. Now that you have purified yourselves by obeying the truth so that you have sincere love for your brothers, love one another deeply, from the heart. For you have been born again, not of perishable seed, but of imperishable, through the living and enduring word of God. (1Peter 1:20-23).
Peter wrote, “Now that you have purified yourselves by obeying the truth so that you have sincere love for your brothers, love one another deeply, from the heart. For you have been born again.”
If everyone on this earth was a “Born Again” Christian, there would not be anyone who would desire to be a terrorist. Jesus told us to “Love your neighbor as yourself.” We often read this comment backwards. It requires us to love ourselves first, before we can truly love our neighbor. It seems we do not teach our young people to have respect for other people, and thus, to not feel it is okay to take the possessions of others. Stealing is being taught as a way of life to many children in our society of today. Cheating is okay, if you do not get caught! Does anyone remember the old song? R E S P E C T!
Your brother in life through Adam, your brother in eternity through Jesus,
Bob Moak
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