Good morning. I'd like to welcome
everybody here, everybody online. And I'm going to go ahead and
try to get started. So if you would be turning with
me to 1 John chapter 5. I'm going to begin in 1 John
chapter 5. The first five verses. 1 John 5. Whosoever believeth that Jesus
is the Christ is born of God. And everyone that loveth him
that begat, loveth him also that is begotten of him. By this we
know that we love the children of God, when we love God and
keep his commandments. For this is the love of God,
that we keep his commandments, and his commandments are not
grievous. For whatsoever is born of God
overcometh the world, and this is the victory that overcometh
the world, even our faith. Who is he that overcometh the
world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God? First of all, it says, whosoever
believeth that Jesus is the Christ, in verse one. There's a lot in
this statement itself that we can talk about, but let me mention
this. Believing that Jesus is the Christ
is more than believing in Jesus. Believing that Jesus is the Christ
means knowing who the Christ is to some extent and knowing
what he has done to some extent. You may not know everything about
him, but there is some knowledge you will have of him. You find
who Christ is from Genesis to Revelations. It talks about Jesus
being the Christ. There is so much in this book
from cover to cover. Who can even think of knowing
everything about Jesus Christ and what he has done? The Old
Testament tells us who the Christ is or would be, you might say,
and what he would do. The New Testament tells us who
Christ is or was, you might say, and what he has done. We also
have in the New Testament that he will again return one day
to gather his elect together. There are many specifics on who
Christ is and what he has done throughout all scripture. It
does not say you have to know all about him, just to be clear,
but you must believe that Jesus is the Christ, this one that
is spoken of in this book. the one God who has given us
a record of in his word. Romans tells us that in order
to believe him, you must hear about him through someone sent
of God telling you about him. So what about those who believe
that Jesus is the Christ? It says here, is born of God. When it says is born of God here,
Is it talking about regenerated by the spirit that is conceived
or converted by the gospel that is brought forth or born, you
can say? Yes, both. It's talking about
both. You certainly will not believe
if you have not been given the ability. But it also says here
that whosoever believeth. So it is talking here about those
who have been both regenerated and converted. It is not necessarily
talking about either one of these things specifically. It is only
giving the result of that one who believes this. As I've already
said, you will not believe unless you've heard. I want to talk
about each of these things just a little more because there are
some people out there that might think that one of these is not
needed, or maybe some make them to be the same thing. There are
passages all over the place that give us insight in both of these
things. And that is being given life
from God without using any means at all in giving of that life
other than himself. And then giving us the gospel
so that we will come forth, or that is being born of the gospel. That is through the means of
the gospel we are brought forth believing. In either case, man
is not involved in the birthing of an individual directly. The
first, he is totally passive in it, and the second, man sows
or throws out the seed, and there are some who, having been imparted
life, receive that word in an honest and good heart. That is
the heart given in regeneration by God. This being accompanied
by the Spirit of God. The result of all this, once
they have heard, is believing. That is how we know someone loves
God, after all. So let's look at some of these,
that is, some other passages where it specifically speaks
of being born. And I wanna go to John 3, John
3, very familiar. We read in verse three, Jesus
answered and said unto him, verily, verily, I say unto thee, except
a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. Unless
a man is born from above or born again, he cannot see the kingdom
of God. That is to see, know, perceive,
or understand. The word used here in its context
denotes being born of the father. That is the way it is used when
the father gives life to someone. As I've already said, you can
look at this as conception, that which the father does, or that
is the male does this, to be more clear. How can I say that? For one, look at the word and
the meaning, and it says, to procreate, properly of the father,
but by extension of the mother. figuratively to regenerate. But this in and of itself does
not explain it completely to us, as we will see. But this
word born is not the only word used here. We also have the word
again. That word here means from above. So in this context, this word
means being fathered specifically. If you are not thus fathered,
then you will not be able to know his kingdom, or that is,
his gospel. Because the gospel which we preach
is the gospel of the kingdom, because it is about the king.
We also have the same type of statement in verse five. Jesus answered, verily, verily,
I say unto thee, except a man be born of water and of the spirit,
he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. This one, I believe,
is speaking of being born or brought forth of the gospel.
Some may not agree with me on this, but this says by water
and spirit. Water being the word and the
spirit being the spirit of God. Not having this happens means
you will not enter, or that is, come forth into the kingdom of
God. Ephesians 5 and 25 through 27
reads this. Husbands, love your wives, even
as Christ also loved the church and gave himself for it, that
he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water
by the word, that he might present it to himself a glorious church,
not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that it should
be holy and without blemish. He then goes on to say to Nicodemus
not to marvel that he said you must be born again. The spirit
of God goes out to whom he is pleased to give life so that
they might see. We do not know who or when he
came from them, and we do not know who or when he is going
to next. We hear the sound of it. We hear those who have been
sent the gospel, they confess Christ and believe. This is the
way it is done for everyone that is born of the spirit, Christ
says. If you disagree with me that one of these is talking
about being born without any means, and the other is when
the gospel is proclaimed, that is fine. I've heard arguments
on both sides in this, and I think both make valid points. I just
see Christ saying, seeing first, and then entering, and these
being things that happen at different times. However, if you disagree
and say that this word born in both places, or both verses,
means only one thing, and that is being born or brought forth
of the gospel, the scripture does not bear this out. Let's
look at this word used here for born here. This same word is
used especially throughout Matthew, but there are two examples as
it is used the first way, and that is being fathered. Matthew
1 and verse 2 says this, Abraham begat Isaac, and Isaac begat
Jacob, and Jacob begat Judas and his brethren. That word begat
is the same word used born in John 3 in both places in John. Did Abraham somehow by miracle
birth Isaac from his loins and out come a little baby boy? No,
it's talking about conception. Isaac came from the seed of Abraham. But then we have Matthew 1 in
verse 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. The
word used here for that which is conceived is the same word
used in John 3 in those two verses. I think this one's quite clear,
isn't it? That Jesus Christ had not been born or that is brought
forth yet from Mary's womb. That did happen later for sure.
But this is life before birth. Here it's very clear. But let's
look further in another way that it's used. Luke 1 and 57. Now Elizabeth's full time came
that she should be delivered and she brought forth a son. This word used here for she brought
forth is the same word used in John three, and here it means
she gave birth to a baby. This baby happened to be John
the Baptist. This is that baby who was alive
already, which was brought forth into the world from her mother,
from the mother. And one more to make my point.
In 1 Corinthians 4.15 it says, for though ye have 10,000 instructors
in Christ, yet have ye not many fathers. For in Christ Jesus
I have begotten you through the gospel. The word used here for
have begotten is the same word used in John 3. Paul is saying
here that through the gospel which he proclaimed to them,
that some were saved under his preaching. They came forth in
believing the gospel under his preaching. I know some want to
say that when the gospel is preached, this is when men are imparted
life by the Spirit of God initially in regeneration. I cannot say
that life never comes at this time. But it is nowhere, it tells
us specifically in God's word, nowhere tells us that specifically.
Nor can I tell you if someone has imparted life from God before
the gospel comes to them for sure. It doesn't say this specifically
either. I do believe there are passages
where both may be indicated at times. I want to be clear here
though. The preaching of the gospel itself
does not impart life to a dead alien sinner. It does give life,
that is, life to life. Just as bread is for our natural
bodies, so is His Word to us spiritually. But it never imparts
life where there is none. But the fact is, Christ tells
us that the Spirit blows where it listeth, and the Spirit comes
and goes as He is pleased. Christ also gives us the explanation
of the parable of the seed and the sower in which he says the
seed sown falls on a good and honest heart. So the fact is
you have to have life first from God himself without any means
before you will ever hear and believe the gospel. When that
happens is not up to me, it's all up to God. What we do know
is when the gospel is proclaimed, at some point there will be some
who come forth in belief of the truth. And that is when you and
I know, that is when they confess that Jesus is the Christ, I know
they have been born of God. Our passage tells us this. Jesus
Christ also tells us in John three and verse six, that which
is born of the flesh is flesh. And that which is born of the
Spirit is spirit. Until you are born of the Spirit
of God, you will not have the ability to see, or that is understand,
and you will not be able to enter into the kingdom of God. As Walter pointed out last week,
in Adam we are all dead men walking. Alive naturally, but dead spiritually. And this is literal in both cases,
as we are born in Adam. Dead men do not eat and drink
spiritual meat and drink. 1 Corinthians 2 and 14 says this,
but the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit
of God, for they are foolishness unto him. Neither can he know
them, because they are spiritually discerned. I want to ask you,
is the gospel of Jesus Christ and him crucified, the things
of the Spirit of God? Until a man has spiritual life,
he cannot receive the things of the Spirit of God. So he has
to be made spiritual first by God without any means whatsoever
other than God himself. Once he has made thus, the gospel
comes forth and the man or a woman who has been given life is birthed
forth in believing. Just to be clear on these words
that I've went over so far, these words, when you look at them
in the Greek, depending on where they're used, they do have different
tenses and stuff, and it can affect how you do it, how you
see it. I don't know Greek. It's difficult
for me to know these things by looking them up. But we do have
context, which if we read God's word in context, it will tell
us of all this without having to know the Greek specifically.
I wished I did know more about Greek. I have to rely on those
men who have given us books and tools to use for these types
of things, but this is still not easy. But God in his word
tells us everything we need to know already. I think it was
Earl that once said something like this, a text without context
is just pretext. God helped me not to use something
out of context in order to teach my own doctrine. So what else
does it say here in our passage in 1 John 5? Everyone that loveth him that
begat, loveth him also that is begotten of him. So everyone
that is born of God, that is, who believes that Jesus is the
Christ, also loves others whom have been born of God, who also
believe that Jesus is the Christ. Does that mean we all agree on
everything? No, but we all do believe that
Jesus is the Christ, that Christ spoken of in this word, and we
believe what he has done. We believe the record God gave
of his son, whether we know it all or not. The Christ is one
spoken of specifically throughout the whole scripture, and this
Christ that is the anointed one, the Messiah, was spoken of coming
to do specific things. But just as Walter has said before,
all believers believe the same thing. If we disagree on something,
either one of us is wrong or both of us are wrong. If anyone,
that is me or anyone else, does not believe what God says, it
is unbelief and not belief at all. God help me and give me an understanding. Help me to be long-suffering
with others. Help others to be long-suffering with me. We all
must be taught of God, and it is He that gives the increase.
What do we have that we have not received? 1 Corinthians 8.2
says this, and if any man think he knoweth anything, he knoweth
nothing yet as he ought to know. This tells me we should be long-suffering
with one another and not be puffed up with knowledge. How do we
know, though, that we love those who are born of God? What does
that look like? Is it being nice to one another?
Is it doing things for one another? Is it helping one another out?
That is believers. It certainly will include these
things, but what does this say? It says, we love God and keep
his commandments. So what does that mean? It means
what it says, but to be clear, what this is saying, let's look
at the word keep here. This word for keep here means
to watch or to keep or hold. This means that we will keep
his word, that his gospel close to us. We will watch and keep
it close to keep our minds constantly on his word. This means here
though that we are keeping an eye on making sure not to lose
his word from our thoughts. That we are always ready to defend
his gospel. We will continually look to Jesus
as the Christ. It basically means we believe
Jesus Christ. But because we believe Jesus
Christ, we will also do those things he tells us in his word
to do. That is because we believe Jesus
is the Christ. We will want to walk in his commandments. I want to honor my Lord, but
I know I love God's people because I believe Jesus is the Christ.
In believing Him, I will in turn, and by His power and ordination,
perform those works which He has prepared for me to walk in.
I believe that Jesus Christ, that is God manifest in the flesh,
has come down, and that it is He that was made sin for me on
that cross, and it is He that finished the work to secure my
salvation. I also believe it is he that
brings that salvation to me in time by giving me life and regeneration
and brings me the gospel from someone sent of him when hearing
this gospel. I believe it and it is he that
gives the increase by his spirit to which I then believe Jesus
Christ and all he says to me in his word. This being done
by faith given me of the spirit of God. But what are some of
these things that God teaches us in his word, his commandments?
These are just some, there are plenty more in his word, but
we have, when you talk about commandments, we have the law
of God for sure. These are the commandments of
God. But this law kills me when I look at this law. Because it
is absolute, and there is no give or mercy in it based on
man's ability. Since we have no ability, God's
law just condemns me to death. It in no way teaches me how to
live in Christ. So what does grace teach? The
law of God, that is, the Ten Commandments teaches thou shalt
not steal. Ephesians 4 and 28 teaches this. Let him that stole, steal no
more. But rather let him labor, working
with his hands the thing which is good, that he may have to
give to him that needeth. God tells us in his word about
the fruit which comes from him, the fruit of the spirit. It says
in Galatians 5, 22 and 23. But the fruit of the spirit is
love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,
meekness, temperance. Against such, there is no law. Just to mention a few more commandments
of Christ, and like I said, there's a whole lot more in here than
these, but just to mention a few. Seek ye first the kingdom of
God, and all these things will be added. Love one another. Forsake not the assembling of
yourselves together. Do not your alms before men.
Be subject one to another. Husbands, love your wives. We
read that. Believing that Jesus is the Christ will lead you to
look looking to follow his commandments. It is cause and effect If you
believe God you are obeying God if you are obeying God you are
believing God Those go together They cannot be separated This
is just reiterated again by John in our passage in verse 5. I
Who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth
that Jesus is the Son of God? Believing that Jesus is the Christ,
that is, that Jesus Christ is God manifest in the flesh, and
it is he that came down to this world conceived of the Holy Ghost,
born of a woman, born under the law, that he might redeem them
that are under the law. Him doing this by sacrificing
not just the death of the cross, but he left glory to come down
to this earth. He is the God-man, fully flesh
and blood, but fully God at the same time. He had no home to
go to. He had no possessions. After
all, he was not going to stay here. But he did not just die
for us, he sacrificed, or that is gave up all. Men, when it
comes to loving your wife, you do this. This is what we are
exhorted to do, to love our wives as Christ loved the church. I
know I keep saying this in a lot of my messages, but this is my
hope. He, that is Jesus the Christ,
was ultimately hung on that tree where he cried, my God, my God,
why hast thou forsaken me? having the weight of my sin on
him and in him, but he, that is Jesus, who is the Christ,
which we believe, cried with power and authority, it is finished. Anyone else that would have done
this would have been vain talk. They would have died and all
on this earth would have perished along with them. but because
he was pleased to show mercy on some, and God providing himself
the sacrifice for men's sins, did what was needed to satisfy
the holy justice of God, completely and fully. That is because we
know that God is totally holy, just, and righteous. So the one
that died had to be a man, but also had to be God. Jesus being
the Christ was this, He was the God-man. Not only that, but this
also being shown in that with power and authority, He arose
from the grave, not suffering corruption, ascending back to
the Father, and was well-pleasing to the Father, where He now sits
on the right hand of God, and we with Him. It is this very
power with which He also gives us spiritual life. It is with
this same power that he also converts us by the gospel, causing
us to believe his gospel. It is this same power that keeps
us until the day when he returns. Is it important to know that
God imparts to us life without any means? Yes, it is. It's in his word. If God had
not intended for us to know this, he would not have revealed these
things to us. But he did, and I do not apologize
for this. Some may think we have an agenda
when preaching these things. They would be absolutely correct.
Those who preach this have an agenda to preach the truth of
God without apology. However, without Jesus being
the Christ, there is nothing that would mean anything to anyone.
It would all be in vain. But Jesus is the Christ. There
is no doubt of that in my mind. If anyone else believes Jesus
is the Christ, then I love them. I show this or this is proved
out because I believe Jesus is the Christ. If I don't, I'm just
a liar. Do you believe that Jesus is
the Christ? Amen. Dear Lord, wonderful, sovereign,
holy, merciful God, we thank you for all things. All things
come from you. It must be you that opens our
hearts, minds, and eyes, ears. It must be you that opens, and
no man will shut. Dear Lord, our prayer is that
you will open all of our minds, ears, and if there's any others,
that by your power, you may open the door that no man will shut.
All these things we ask in Christ's name, amen.