~~Faith Overcomes ~~

1John 5:1 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.

1jo 5:2 By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God, and keep his commandments.

1jo 5:3 For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous.

1jo 5:4 For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith.

1jo 5:5 Who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God?

There are many who declare to us that it matters not what we believe. They claim that all one must do to have salvation is to just believe. But the question is, Believe WHAT? Does it matter what we believe? Let this chapter tell us.

Notice verse one. What did it say to believe? That Jesus is God? That Jesus is the second person in a Godhead? No. It did not say either of these. So then why do people set themselves up to tell us that it matters not what we believe or call doctrine?

This verse said that those who believe that Jesus is the Christ is born of God. Verse four tells us that it is our faith which overcomes the world. So must the faith be true faith, or can you just believe it any old way? Verse fire tells us. He that believes that Jesus is the SON OF GOD are the ones who overcomes the world. Read it. It said just that. Who overcomes the world? Those who believe that Jesus is the SON OF GOD.

So it does seem to matter here, if you wish to overcome the world.

Again, did this say, he that believes that Jesus is God? No, it did not. Did it say believe that Jesus is the second person? No, did not say that either. It said to believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God. Nothing more has been said. So, read on.

1John 5:6 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. 1jo 5:7 For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one.

1jo 5:8 And there are three that bear witness in earth, the Spirit, and the water, and the blood: and these three agree in one.

1jo 5:9 If we receive the witness of men, the witness of God is greater: for this is the witness of God which he hath testified of his Son.

Verses six - nine, are the witness which God is witnessing of his Son. So watch it. Verse six�?this is he that came by water and blood, even Jesus Christ. It has to be important, for it said not by water only, but by water and blood. Why? It shows both natural, human birth and spirit birth. Both come by water and blood. He said the Spirit bears witness and the Spirit is truth. So the Spirit bears witness that Jesus Christ came by both water and blood. It shows that he was born the very same way we are, from water and blood. We all come this same way, meaning our natural birth and also the spirit birth.

The natural birth involves water and blood. We have both water and blood in our human bodies. The Spiritual birth involves both water (Baptism, and blood, which is the blood of Jesus cleansing us from our sins.) The Spirit MUST bear witness of this birth. This is the Baptism of the Holy Ghost, as He comes into our lives and bears witness with speaking in other tongues, as the Spirit gives utterance. Without this, how has the Spirit born witness?

Verse seven: There are three that bear witness in heaven. Bears witness of what? The Son of God. That is what this chapter is about, God’s witness which he witnesses of his Son. It already told us that. What are the three which bear witness in heaven? The Father, the WORD, and the Holy Ghost. Notice it did not say Jesus or the Son. This is not a witness of the Son about himself. He said If I bear witness of myself, my witness is not true. He knew that the Father bears witness of him. The father, the Word and the Holy Ghost are three which bear witness and they are one. It is not saying 3 are 1. Drop this juvenile way of reasoning. It is saying that the three witnesses are all agreed in the same thing. They are in perfect harmony in this witness that Jesus is the Son of God.

Verse eight: There are three which bear witness in the earth. It is the same as we started with, the water, blood and spirit all bearing witness in the earth, that Jesus, God’s son, was a human being, born of the spirit of God, same as we are. The three agree in this one witness of Jesus.

Verse nine: We listen to men witness of Jesus, but we have greater witness than that of John. We have this witness spoken of here in 1John. It is the witness of God, which he witnesses of His Son. All of the above is the witness of God which he testified of his Son. It did not say God is bearing witness here of himself. It did not say this is a witness that a second person in the Godhead is equal to the first person, and the third person.

If it does not matter what one believes, why is all of this pointed out in Scripture? Why bother to write it? God does not waste time of men’s labour. He gave this to us for a very important reason. If we believe that Jesus is the Son of God, then we have life. It did not say believe that Jesus is God, nor a third of God. I think this is of utmost importance. So I am writing to set the record straight, with the Written Scriptures. Dare you call the testimony of God in error? If so, you are calling God a lie. And this is not important?

1John 5:10 He that believeth on the Son of God hath the witness in himself: he that believeth not God hath made him a liar; because he believeth not the record that God gave of his Son.

He that believeth on the Son of God hath the witness in himself. So in order to have the testimony of God in yourself, which is the Father, the Word and the Holy Ghost, the water, the blood and the spirit, then you must believe that Jesus is the Son of God. See, it must rest on this one belief, that Jesus is the Son of God. So this really narrows it down to very few who really have this witness in himself. Why? Because almost everyone believes that Jesus is God.

They either believe that Jesus is God and all there is to God, or they believe that Jesus is a second person, but that this second person is also God. So they are NOT believing that Jesus is the Son of God. Sure, they will claim that they believe this. But then listen to them, and you will hear them confess that they believe that Jesus is God. But notice, God did not say those that believe that Jesus is God, either all there is to God, or a third of God, Second person of God, but still God, these have the witness in himself. See, God did not say that.

So in all honesty, the entire church world believes that Jesus is God. So this makes them in unbelief, for they believe not the testimony God gave of his Son. So they do not have the witness in themselves, for they are not qualified. They did not believe what God said about his Son. It gets even more serious. Watch:

He that believeth not God hath made him a liar; because he believeth not the record that God gave of his Son. Now this says that unless you believe this record that God gave of HIS SON, you make God a liar. So if you claim that Jesus is God, you are calling God a liar. So where does this leave almost everyone? Calling God a liar. You are saying that your words are truth and God’s word is a lie. And most people think this is not important? That has to be deception from Satan.

1John 5:11 And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son.

1jo 5:12 He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life.

1jo 5:13 These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God.

So what is the record that God has given to us eternal life? This record that we believe that Jesus is the Son of God and therefore have the witness of the Father, the Word, the Holy Ghost, the water, the blood, and the spirit in us. Now to say you can add to this and claim that Jesus is God, a second person in a Godhead, or God incarnate, places you out in the darkness of calling God a liar. Then you do not have the witness in you that is a record that God has given you eternal life. Unless you have this witness in you, then there is no record of your spiritual birth. God has not given you this record, if you dispute what he has told us to believe. And not once has he said, believe that Jesus is God, or God incarnate, or a second person of God. Where is that recorded in this Word? It is not there, so how do so many say it is not important what you believe about this.

I read today where some �?I>Jesus-only folks�?and some trinity folks were disputing and saying that we should not even speak of this, as it causes divisions and is not important. Such darkness and deception. Then you set yourself above God, who said that IF we believe this record which He gave of HIS SON, THEN WE HAVE THIS WITNESS IN OURSELVES, AND IT IS A RECORD THAT GOD HAS GIVEN US ETERNAL LIFE.

What else did God say we need to have eternal life? I do not see anything else written here. Notice it said that this life is in his SON. It did not say this life, which he gives us, is in God, the Father. It said in his son. So if you are claiming that Jesus is the Father and the Holy Ghost, then he has not given you eternal life, for he said this life is in his SON. You are not having his Son. You are trying to have another Jesus.

Verse 12: He that hath not the SON, hath not life. So if you say you have God, instead of God’s Son, you do not have life. If you are saying that Jesus is God, then you have not received this record which God gave of HIS SON. So you are calling God a liar. He will not give you eternal life on these grounds. This word says so in this chapter. Yet the majority of People will STILL claim that Jesus is God, and that you are an Agnostic or something worse, if you say that Jesus is NOT GOD. Yet this chapter nowhere says that Jesus is God. It did not say to believe that Jesus is God. I simply can’t find it written here.

1John 5:13 These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God.

This is saying that it is necessary to believe on the name of the SON OF GOD, to have eternal life. It did not say believe on the name of God. He repeated it twice here, thus establishing that this is the only way to have eternal life. You do not receive this eternal life by believing that Jesus is God. You must believe that he is God’s Son. You say, well, I believe that he is the Son and also God, and also the Father and also the Holy Ghost. Well, where did God say believe that? I had not read it yet. Are you not guilty of ADDING TO HIS WORDS? Yet almost everyone will still hold to their �?I>pastor’s beliefs, their churches beliefs so much, that they feel they are evil if they deny that Jesus is God. They will not see the truth even in the face of this much proof that the only way to eternal life is to believe that Jesus is God’s Son, not that he is God.

1John 5:19 And we know that we are of God, and the whole world lieth in wickedness.

1jo 5:20 And we know that the Son of God is come, and hath given us an understanding, that we may know him that is true, and we are in him that is true, even in his Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God, and eternal life.

1jo 5:21 Little children, keep yourselves from idols. Amen.

Verse 19.. Who is speaking here, we know that we are of God? Those who believe this record which God gave of HIS SON. We know that the Son of God is come, and hath given us an understanding. So, apparently all of these people claiming that Jesus is God did not receive this understanding. It did not say God came and gave us understanding that Jesus is God. It is simply not recorded. Someone must have made a big blunder of this chapter, if that is what we are to believe to obtain eternal life. It has not been mentioned. Yet this claim of man is so strong to almost everyone, that they will totally reject this truth and cling to their man-made lie. We are in him that is true, even in his Son, Jesus Christ.

Now watch how people will warp Scripture, even after all of this has been said about the Son of God. They will claim where it said, This is the true God, and eternal life, they jump completely off what has been said here, and claim that this is saying that Jesus is the true God. But it could not be saying that. It is simply saying that this God, who gave us this record of His Son, is the true God, and eternal life. This life is in his son, which he gives to us. You can have it no other way.

If you claim you have God, meaning Jesus, then you do not have this truth. For you must believe that you have the Son of God, Jesus Christ.

Why did he go next to, keep yourselves from idols? Nothing in this chapter could possible link with idols except claiming that Jesus is God. So instead of receiving this true witness, which God gave of his Son, you then make this Jesus to be an idol,( when you claim he is God), thus a false Jesus. This cannot and will not give you eternal life. This Life is in HIS SON.

By: Jo Smith�?August 20, 2007