The Birth Traits of the Child of God
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Main Idea: True Christians will display evidence of being God’s children, including right beliefs about God and holy living before God.
INTRODUCTION:
It is very often the case that children follow in their parents’ footsteps. We often hear the statements “like father, like son” or “she is just like her mother.”
It is also the case that children usually bear a striking resemblance to their mom, dad, or both. Someone may say, “He is the spitting image of his dad. He has his dad’s eyes/nose/chin.”
In the letter of 1 John, the last living apostle has repeatedly drawn attention to three overarching birth traits of the children of God. They are:
Right belief (the doctrinal mark),
Right love (the moral mark), and
Right behavior (the ethical or social mark).
Now in 1 John 5:1–5 he is going to draw out necessary implications of these three birth traits and highlight six specific identifying evidences that a person is a child of God.
It has been said that the evidences of the new birth could probably be boiled down to two:
Faith
Love
In today’s text we are going to see how the apostle John develops these ideas to assure us we are in the family, the family of God.
I. We Believe That Jesus Is the Messiah (5:1).
I. We Believe That Jesus Is the Messiah (5:1).
1 Whoever believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God, and everyone who loves Him who begot also loves him who is begotten of Him.
We are reminded that true Christianity always comes back to Jesus—who He is and what you believe about Him.
In 1 John 5:1 we must believe Jesus is the Messiah (Christ), and in verse 5 we must confess Him as the Son of God.
John begins with an all inclusive word: “Everyone.” No one is excluded. All must embrace and articulate the statement that follows.
The word “believes” speaks of continuous action. Everyone who “is believing” is the idea.
Adrian Rogers said it well:
“The assurance of my salvation comes not from the fact that I did trust Christ but that I am trusting Christ for my salvation” (Adrianisms, 186).
And what must we believe? We must believe “that Jesus is the Messiah.” We must believe—trust in the truth—that Jesus of Nazareth is the Messiah, the Christ, the hoped-for and promised deliverer.
Such a confession is a birth trait that we have been born of God and that we are children of God.
Now the second birth trait...
II. We Have Been Born of God (5:1, 4)
II. We Have Been Born of God (5:1, 4)
1 Whoever believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God, and everyone who loves Him who begot also loves him who is begotten of Him.
4 For whatever is born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith.
Being “born of God” is a biblical birthmark or description of a Christian. It also is designated in Scripture as being “born again” or “born from above” (John 3:3, 7; 1 Pet 1:23) and “regeneration” (Titus 3:5).
It is not an optional or secondary experience for a child of God. It is essential
Jesus said in John 3:7, “You must be born again.” To be a Christian is to be born again or “born of God.” If you have not been born again, you are not a Christian.
However, if you will simply trust Jesus as your Messiah—believing Him to be the very Son of God who lived the life you should have lived but didn’t, died the death you should have died but now do not have to, and was raised from the dead to give you a salvation you do not deserve—you will indeed experience the supernatural work of God that is the new birth.
Jesus did not come to die on a bloody cross to make us kinder and nicer persons. He came to dramatically, personally, radically, and eternally transform us and make us new people. It is by the new birth that He accomplishes this glorious work. Therefore, you must be born again. Have you experienced the new birth?
Now the 3rd birth trait...
III. We Love the Father and His Family (5:1–2)
III. We Love the Father and His Family (5:1–2)
1 Whoever believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God, and everyone who loves Him who begot also loves him who is begotten of Him.
2 By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and keep His commandments.
In these two verses we see that our love for God is multidimensional. It flows to the Father but then its streams branch out in several directions. The word “love” appears more than 30 times in 1 John 4:7–5:3. It occurs five times here in verses 1–3.
The new birth of regeneration brings us into a relationship with God as Father.
This Father first loved us and now we love Him (4:19) for who He is and what He has done for us in Christ (4:10).
However, we not only love the Father, we also love the family the Father is building. We will love our brothers and sisters, “the one[s] born of Him” (5:1).
But John then makes an interesting statement in verse 2 that at first seems out of order. He says we can “know that we love God’s children when we love God and obey His commands.”
But is it out of order? Shouldn’t he be saying that we know we love God because we love His children? I don’t think so. I think John’s point actually is grounded in Jesus’ teaching on the two great commands (Matt 22:36–40).
My love for others is the natural complement and companion to my “first love” for God.
When I love God, I will keep His commands. And keeping His commands involves loving others, His daughters and sons in particular.
Furthermore, verse 3 informs us that obeying the command to love one another will not be burdensome. It will be a joy and a delight because the new birth makes it the natural thing to do.
Which now leads us to birth trait number four
IV. We Obey His Commands (5:2–3)
IV. We Obey His Commands (5:2–3)
2 By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and keep His commandments.
3 For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments. And His commandments are not burdensome.
John is saying that in the new birth I receive a new nature. With this new nature comes new affections, passions, treasures, and values. Because I now love God instead of hating Him, I treasure and value Him above everyone and everything else. And because I treasure and value Him above everyone and everything else, I delight in obeying Him. Now I find His commands not to be a burden, but a blessing.
Now the fifth birth trait...
V. We Have Overcome the World (5:4)
V. We Have Overcome the World (5:4)
1 John 5:4 (NKJV)
4 For whatever is born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith.
The theme of verse 4 is made clear by the repetition of the word “overcome” or in some translations the word“conquer” (also in v. 5).
Both “conquer” and “victory” come from the same Greek word, nike, which means victor or victory.
John says it is our faith in YHWH and His saving work through Jesus Christ.
Faith is the victory that overcomes the world. And without faith it is impossible to please God. (Heb. 11:6)
6 But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.
Faith was at the beginning, it is with us today, and it will be with us to the end.
2 looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.
Faith is a distinguishing birth trait that says I am a child of God.
the last trait John brings to our attention is...
VI. We Believe Jesus Is the Son of God (5:5)
VI. We Believe Jesus Is the Son of God (5:5)
5 Who is he who overcomes the world, but he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?
Adrian Rogers said, “Faith in faith is just positive thinking, but faith in Jesus is salvation” (Adrianisms, 173).
John brings us full circle and back to Jesus. In verse 1, those who confess Him as the Messiah give evidence that they have “been born of God.” Now in verse 5 those who believe that Jesus is the Son of God understand that this faith commitment is the means whereby they gain victory and overcome the world.
“Son of God” is an important title for Jesus in the Bible. It informs us that He is more than a man. He is also God. He is the God-man. His name “Jesus” identifies Him as a man. “Son of God” identifies Him as God. He has both the nature of humanity as Jesus and the nature of God as the Son of God. He came from God, and He is God. He is the eternal Son who always has existed and always will exist as the Second Person of the triune God.
The birth trait of a child of God is that he believes that Jesus is the Son of God and that only Jesus is the Son of God.
Jesus and only Jesus is the object of this faith confession. And this confession is continuous and ongoing. “Believe” is a present tense verb noting continuous action. This is not a one-time belief. It is a lifetime belief! And it is a personal and individual belief. No one else can believe for me. No one else can believe for you. You must believe the good news of the gospel for yourself. You must trust Jesus Christ the Son of God for yourself.
John 3:36 says,
36 He who believes in the Son has everlasting life; and he who does not believe the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him.”
I would urge you, plead with you, even beg you: choose Jesus. Choose life.
CONCLUSION:
He wants you to believe that He is the Messiah, the Son of God, and He wants you to experience spiritual new birth.
He wants to change your heart so that you might delight in loving the Father and the family of God.
He wants to inflame you with passion for His glory so that you desire to keep His commands.
He wants to fill you with faith so that you overcome the obstacles and temptations the world throws at you.
This is what the Son of God wants for you.
He wants you to bear in your life and in your soul the birth traits that you are a child of God.