Lesson 2234

(Lesson 2234)(01-20-18) 1 John 5:1-6
    “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. 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 This is he that came by water and blood, even Jesus Christ; not by water only, but by water and blood. And it is the Spirit that beareth witness, because the Spirit is truth.”

    This lesson reassures that we, the eternally saved, are secured, not by the earthly things we do, but rather by the faith we have in Jesus Christ.
    The lesson also tells us that those of us who love God and are saved by his grace, will indeed keep His commandments. Those commandments being that we love God with all that we are and that we love our neighbors as we love ourselves.
    There are some who contend that the use of the phrase “came by water”, as it is applied in the last part of today’s quote, is in some way a reference to water baptism. I believe that to be a false contention and that the term actually is in reference to the “water” birth, or natural birth as pointed out in John 3:5 in part, “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.” Jesus was born of water, (natural birth by a human mother, a virgin), and born of the Spirit, (His Father was the Holy Spirit). Therefore Jesus was born of the water and of the Spirit. We are saved by first being naturally born of a human mother, and then being REBORN by the Holy Spirit. ~