Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ is born of God: and every one that loveth him that begat loveth him also that is begotten of him. is born: Gr. has been born - 1 John 5:1
All who are born of God believe that Jesus is the Christ. The title of Christ signifies anointed and includes all the offices of the Son of God. To believe him to be the Christ is to believe him to be the that prophet Moses said should come, the one who would declare the whole mind of the Father. It is to believe him to be that priest who should come after the order of Melchisedec and make atonement for our sins and intercede for the transgressors. It is to believe him to be that king whom God hath set over all things.
This believing is more than a mere assent to the fact or acknowledgment of it; devils have done as much (Lk. 4:41). Rather, it is to believe with the heart (Rom. 10:9-10) and to look to him, receive him, and trust him as our righteousness; to lay hold of him as our fountain of life; and to continue through all of life to find in him all we need.
Such faith is far beyond the reach of the human mind; it is the gift of God. Those who believe are born of God. This faith is the result of regeneration, not the product of natural wisdom.
Those who are born of God will also love all who are born of God! The phrase “him also that is begotten of him” is not just a reference to Christ alone but also of all who are born of the Spirit. And if we love Christ, we also love all who are born of God. It is quite impossible to love Christ and not love his body (1 Jn. 4:19-21).
About Henry Mahan
Henry T. Mahan was born in Birmingham, Alabama in August 1926. He joined the United States Navy in 1944 and served as a signalman on an L.S.T. in the Pacific during World War II. In 1946, he married his wife Doris, and the Lord blessed them with four children.
At the age of 21, he entered the pastoral ministry and gained broad experience as a pastor, teacher, conference speaker, and evangelist. In 1950, through the preaching of evangelist Rolfe Barnard, God was pleased to establish Henry in sovereign free grace teaching. At that time, he was serving as an assistant pastor at Pollard Baptist Church (off of Blackburn ave.) in Ashland, Kentucky.
In 1955, Thirteenth Street Baptist Church was formed in Ashland, Kentucky, and Henry was called to be its pastor. He faithfully served that congregation for more than 50 years, continuing in the same message throughout his ministry. His preaching was centered on the Lord Jesus Christ and Him crucified, in full accord with the Scriptures. He consistently proclaimed God’s sovereign purpose in salvation and the glory of Christ in redeeming sinners through His blood and righteousness.
Henry T. Mahan also traveled widely, preaching in conferences and churches across the United States and beyond. His ministry was marked by a clear and unwavering emphasis on Christ, not the preacher, but the One preached. Those who heard him recognized that his sermons honored the Savior and exalted the name of the Lord Jesus Christ above all.
Henry T. Mahan served as pastor and teacher of Thirteenth Street Baptist Church in Ashland, Kentucky for over half a century. His life and ministry were devoted to proclaiming the sovereign grace of God and directing sinners to the finished work of Christ. He entered into the presence of the Lord in 2019, leaving behind a lasting testimony to the gospel he faithfully preached.
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