Proofs of Being “Born Again”- A Study in First John
Hope Ellen Rapson
Many people profess (claim) to be Christians.
The question is, “Do they confess to be born again Christians?” The
difference between a professing faith and a confessing faith in
Christ is significant. A profession is a verbalized intellectual assent to the
teachings of Christianity. A confession is a full surrender of oneself and
one’s life to a personal relationship with God through Christ. Knowing the difference is vital for the
following reasons:
It determines a person’s eternal destiny.
It confirms person’s sense of assurance of that eternal destiny.
In his gospel, the Apostle John reiterates the teaching of
Jesus to Nicodemus in John 3:16 that “You must be born again” when he writes,
“But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of
God, even to those who believe in His name, who were born, not or blood nor of
the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.”(John 1:12-13) Those
who confess are given a new life and relationship with God that
continues into eternity because the Holy Spirit has come to dwell with them.
In his first epistle, John unpacks this truth by explaining
three indicators of being “born again.”
First, a developing lifestyle that embraces and demonstrates trust and
obedience to God’s Word; second, a special growing love for others, especially
other Christians; and third, standing solidly on the incarnation, that Jesus
was and is indeed “God in the flesh” (John 1: 14).
In this time of political, physical, and cultural relativism
and unrest, it is important to stay awake intellectually, emotionally, and
spiritually to the pressures that surround us. The Bible calls
this “discernment.” Follow us as
we examine these proofs in the epistle of First John learning what it means to
confidently confess our faith in Christ.
Clear and concise. Thank you, Alice!
ReplyDeleteThis was written by my sister, Hope Ellen Rapson. It is the first in a series drawing on First John.
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