"There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. The same came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all men through him might believe. He was not that Light, but was sent to bear witness of that Light. That was the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world. He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not. He came unto his own, and his own received him not. But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God."
In today's quote, John relates the coming of John The Baptist as a preparer and precursor to the coming of Jesus Christ, the Messiah.
John herein makes it very clear that John the Baptist did NOT come to provide a means of salvation for the world, but rather he came to prepare his people for the coming of Jesus, who would provide that means of eternal salvation for the world.
Speaking of John the Baptist, John said: "He was not that Light, but was sent to bear witness of that Light."
There is another element of today's lesson that I feel should be brought to light.
There are those who wrongfully believe that being "born of water" as it is stated in John 3:5 wherein Jesus said; "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.", is a reference to the necessity of water "baptism" and therefore establishes water baptism as a requirement to becoming a "born again" son (child) of God. Nothing could be further from the truth as is clearly demonstrated in today's quote wherein John makes obvious that being "born of water" has no bearing on who becomes "the sons of God"; "But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God."
Water baptism is something that is clearly done at the "will of the flesh" and the "will of man" and therefore cannot, in any manner, be connected to the spiritual rebirth that makes one a "son" (child) of God.
John said, "as many as receive Him, to them He gave the power to become the sons of God. God gave humanity the "power" to become His children simply by having FAITH in "His name". Therefore spiritual rebirth comes by "faith", not by water baptism.
The reference to water birth in John 3:5 is clearly a reference to natural, or "water" birth. The rebirth that saves our eternal souls is a spiritual rebirth provided for by having faith in God the Father through Jesus Christ, His Son.
This subject will be considered further when we reach the third chapter of John.~
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