Pastors Jim and Marie Watt
1 John, Beget, geNAofrom Gino-mai*, 96x (970), Strong # 1080
One. John 3:7 (3:1-15) NECESSITY OF NEW BIRTH FROM ABOVE. “Marvel not that I said to you, You must be born from above.” The Physician of souls gave this mandate, laying great stress upon this one thing needful. Christ sets forth His atonement as the basis for the new birth, and man’s reason alone cannot comprehend this.
Two. 1 John 2:29 (2:18-29) MARK OF NEW BIRTH: DOER OF RIGHTEOUSNESS. “If you know that he is righteous, know that every one that does :righteousness is begotten of him.” The doer of righteousness is synonymous with the abider in Christ, and to practice religion in trying times, is good evidence of this birth. He is then renewed by the Spirit of Christ, after the image of Christ. We resemble God through the new birth by working righteousness.
Three. 3:9 (3:1-12) MARK OF NEW BIRTH: SIN NOT PRACTISED. “Every one born of :God does no sin, because his seed abides in him: and he cannot sin, because he is begotten of God. The Spirit of God restores holy rightness of nature, and makes renewing grace an abiding principle. A true believer cannot continue in the course and practice of sin, for a new bias of heart disposes him to loathe and hate sin. This new disposition breaks the force and fullness of sinful acts, and the regenerate person is happily disabled for sin! God’s seed, the doctrine of the Gospel, abides and operates in the believer constantly, so that he does not sin habitually, for the moral qualities of the Father through new birth preclude habitual sin.
Four. 4:7 (4:7-21) MARK OF NEW BIRTH: LOVE OF BROTHERS. “Beloved, let us love one another: for :love is of God; and every one that loves is begotten of :God, and knows :God.” The Spirit of God is the Spirit of love, and fulfills faith and obedience. This love comes down from heaven, and the knowledge of God dwells not in the soul devoid of love. Love of brothers derives its origin from God; and this love, not knowledge, is the indispensable mark of the new birth.
Five. 5:1 (5:1-12) MARK OF NEW BIRTH: BELIEF IN JESUS AS CHRIST. “Every one that believes that Jesus is the Christ is begotten of :God: and every one that loves the Begetterloves the onebegottenof him.” If Jesus is our Christ, we abide in His fellowship and doctrine, for it is God that made Jesus both Lord and Christ. This faith is not speculative, but completely yields to Christ’s will. And sonship is through God’s begetting, and is superior to physical descent through Abraham. Christ with His anointing is the proof that He is Son of God!
Six. 5:4 (5:1-12) MARK OF NEW BIRTH: OVERCOMING THE WORLD. “And his :commandments are not grievous, because whatever is begotten of :God overcomes the world: and this is the victory that has overcome the world, our :faith.” It is the New Birth that makes possible the keeping of Christ’s commands. We are born for God, and for another world: therefore we have the power to overcome this one! In and by faith we cleave to Christ in opposition to the world, for Faith in Christ is the basis of our strength to overcome the world.
Seven. 5:18 (5:18-21) MARK OF NEW BIRTH: KEEPING ONESELF FROM SATAN! “We know that every one:begottenof :God sins not; but who was begotten of :God keeps himself, and the evil one touches him not.” So we keep ourselves by the power of the new birth, which fortifies us against Satan’s destructive attempts. It puts us on God’s side in opposition to the world. The sins of the new born are of infirmity, ignorance, or surprise: not of premeditation or self-will. The devil has the greatest malice towards mankind, and is indefatigable in his endeavors to ruin as many of us as possible.
NOTE: Many years ago C.T. Studd, missionary to Africa and Founder of WEC (Worldwide Evangelization Crusade) and CLC (Christian Literature Crusade), hit upon the first 5 “begotten” passages in 1 John. He called them, “The 5 Smooth Stones of David.” He believed that as one of David’s 5 stones slew Goliath, so one of the 5 spiritual begottenstones could drive off and defeat Satan.
Actually there are 6 “Begotten” verses in 1 John, and the last one is especially linked with David as a Shepherd-boy!
The magnificent truths contained in this letter of John the apostle and beloved disciple of Jesus, are intimately linked with Jesus Himself. I like to link these truths with Jesus as the “Lion of the Tribe of Judah.” Judah was not only the tribe of “Praise,” prefiguring Jesus, but he was also the tribe of “the Lion.” Matthew is the Gospel showing forth Jesus as the Lion-King! How the Jewish leaders hated it when Pilate had inscribed on Jesus’ Cross, “Jesus – King of the Jews.” But to this end was He born as Son of Man, and Son of God. And not only is He King of the Jews, but Lord of the Church and of all Creation. For by Him all things were made!
We must not be trapped like the Galatians and slip back into the legalism of the Old Testament. All of this contains types and shadows, pre-figuring Jesus. One young man preached his first sermon, and went fishing for compliments. An older minister was reluctant to respond, for he couldn’t find much good to say about it. But the young man was so sure of the marvelously good sermon that he had just preached, that he pressed in. Reluctantly the older preacher responded, “Well, son, you didn’t mention Jesus in your sermon.” Replied the confident youth, “But, sir, Jesus wasn’t in my text.” “Young man,” retorted his senior, “until you realize that every Bible verse points to and has a relationship to Jesus – you will fail as a preacher!”
And until we realize that the entire Old Testament points to Jesus and majors on Him! – we will miss the heart of the Gospel! Jesus isthe New Covenant. It is embodied in Him! The Old The Day of Atonement under the Feast of Tabernacles only covers Testament merely coveredSIN. Jesus is the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. Jesus, who tabernacled among us 2000 years ago, took them like the Scape-goat of the Day of Atonement, and removed them as far as the East is from the West, and buried them in the deepest sea.
The New Birth in the Holy Spirit is the fruit of Jesus’ Atoning death. He came to die that we might live! Beware of losing intimacy with Jesus! Don’t get bogged down in the trap of Galatianism. Hear the words of Paul the apostle – “O foolish Galatians, who bewitched you, before whose eyes Jesus Christ was openly set forth crucified? 2This only would I learn from you, Received you the Spirit from works of law, or from hearing of faith? 3Are you so foolish? Having begun in Spirit, are you now perfected in flesh?” Galatians 3:1-3 (3:1-6).
Strong words! Yet many in Messianic Jewish Congregations have fallen into this trap. And many in the church have also fallen into a form of legalism. And the majority in Israel have yet to recognize that God’s Messiah came to them 2000 years ago.
May then these 5 smooth stones of C.T. Studd come alive to us today, and propel us along the way of victory and overcoming life that God has designed for us!