Christianity: By Mom

1 John 5:1-5

5 Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ[a] has become a child of God. And everyone who loves the Father loves his children, too. 2 We know we love God’s children if we love God and obey his commandments. 3 Loving God means keeping his commandments, and his commandments are not burdensome. 4 For every child of God defeats this evil world, and we achieve this victory through our faith. 5 And who can win this battle against the world? Only those who believe that Jesus is the Son of God.

Genuine Christian: Positive

1 John 4:2  This is how we know if they have the Spirit of God: If a person claiming to be a prophet acknowledges that Jesus Christ came in a real body, that person has the Spirit of God.

1 John 2:3  And we can be sure that we know him if we obey his commandments.

1 John 4:20 If someone says, “I love God,” but hates a fellow believer, that person is a liar; for if we don’t love people we can see, how can we love God, whom we cannot see?

Profess to be a Christian, but....Negative

1 John 2:22 And who is a liar? Anyone who says that Jesus is not the Christ. Anyone who denies the Father and the Son is an antichrist.

1 John 1:6 So we are lying if we say we have fellowship with God but go on living in spiritual darkness; we are not practicing the truth.

1 John 4:20 If someone says, “I love God,” but hates a fellow believer, that person is a liar; for if we don’t love people we can see, how can we love God, whom we cannot see?

True Christianity is characterized by: correct belief, godly obedience, brotherly love.  

The deity and humanity of Jesus and Christianity.  

1 John 4:2,15 and 5:1--Correct belief about the "Incarnation."

4:2  This is how we know if they have the Spirit of God: If a person claiming to be a prophet[a] acknowledges that Jesus Christ came in a real body, that person has the Spirit of God.

 

v15 All who declare that Jesus is the Son of God have God living in them, and they live in God. 

5:1  Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ[a] has become a child of God. And everyone who loves the Father loves his children, too.

Correct belief about the Holy Spirit and threefold ministry

First:  He is God's gift and assures us of our relationship to Christ.  

1 John 3:24  Those who obey God’s commandments remain in fellowship with him, and he with them. And we know he lives in us because the Spirit he gave us lives in us.

He abides in us and we abide in Him.  v4:13  And God has given us his Spirit as proof that we live in him and he in us.

Second:   The Holy Spirit testifies to the reality of the incarnation of Christ.

1 John 4:2  This is how we know if they have the Spirit of God: If a person claiming to be a prophet acknowledges that Jesus Christ came in a real body, that person has the Spirit of God.

1 John 5:6-8  And Jesus Christ was revealed as God’s Son by his baptism in water and by shedding his blood on the cross—not by water only, but by water and blood. And the Spirit, who is truth, confirms it with his testimony. 7 So we have these three witnesses— 8 the Spirit, the water, and the blood—and all three agree.

Jesus Christ has come in the flesh and is of God.  Jesus came by water and blood and three bear witness.

Third:   The Holy Spirit is given to us.

1 John 2:20   But you are not like that, for the Holy One has given you his Spirit, and all of you know the truth.

1 John 4:4  But you belong to God, my dear children. You have already won a victory over those people, because the Spirit who lives in you is greater than the spirit who lives in the world.

The true Christian believes, through the Holy Spirit, has a full realization of the truth concerning Jesus, so that we may successfully oppose the heretics who deny the truth.  

That was Mom's take on the believes that characterize true Christians.  A firm understanding of who Christ was, and the work of the Holy Spirit in our lives.  This wasn't to say that she believed, nor do I that we get it right all the time...but because we believe these truths, we continually work with the Lord to become all He desires us to be and to grow in our knowledge of Him.  He is so vast, so beyond our understanding...it will take an eternity to discover Him. She believed we should be grounded enough to give an answer to those who would oppose this truth...and honestly that takes time in the Word and studying it's truth, meditating and allowing the Holy Spirit to enlighten us and plant it's truths in our hearts.  

Lord, keep us in Your Word, keep us by Your Holy Spirit.