BIRTHMARKS OF A REAL CHRISTIAN...

                  BIRTHMARKS OF A REAL CHRISTIAN

1 JOHN (various passages)

A birthmark is any minor disfigurement (a nevus) or blemish on a person’s skin at birth. Jokingly we may say it is proof that a person was born. Not funny is the fact that many, in fact multitudes, think they are born again or true Christians, when, in fact they are not. It is important, therefore, to put ourselves to the test (s) to make sure we are indeed “in Christ Jesus.” The Apostle Paul challenges us accordingly,

“Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves. Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates?” (2 Corinthians 13:5) – This word of instruction is very straight forward. A ‘reprobate’ is a hypocrite. We must ask ourselves the hard questions. Eternity hinges on it!

IN JOHN’S FIRST EPISTLE SEVEN SUCH POINTS OF PROOF ARE SET FORTH:

1.   THE TEST OF DELIGHTING IN GOD’S WORD (1 John 2:3-6)

“And hereby we do know that we know Him, if we keep his commandments. ⁴ He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. ⁵ But whoso keepeth his word, in him verily is the love of God perfected: hereby know we that we are in him. ⁶ He that saith he abideth in him ought himself also so to walk, even as he walked.” – (The Psalmist declared, “Oh, how I love your law! It is my meditation all the day” (Psalm 119:97). Is such a yen strong in my heart? If so, it is part of confirming my faith in Jesus to be real.)

2.   THE TEST OF DOING RIGHTEOUSNESS (1 John 2:29; 3:7)

“If ye know that he is righteous, ye know that every one that doeth righteousness is born of him.” (1 John 2:29)

“Little children, let no man deceive you: he that doeth righteousness is righteous, even as he is righteous.” (1 John 3:7) – (A real believer puts on “the breastplate of righteousness” every day. Righteousness results when we hear God’s Word, appropriate it obediently, and therefore walk in paths of righteousness for His Name’s sake. A real Christian takes most seriously the matter of daily righteousness. The “breastplate of righteousness” is located over the heart. He takes ‘to heart’ the matter of living obediently for the Lord. If he doesn't, he's bothered.)

3.   THE TEST OF DETESTING SIN (1 John 3:9; 5:18)

“Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; for his seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God.” (1 John 3:9)

          The AMP translation clarifies: “No one born (begotten) of God [deliberately, knowingly, and habitually] practices sin, for God’s nature abides in him [His principle of life, the divine sperm, remains permanently within him]; and he cannot practice sinning because he is born (begotten) of God.” (1 John 3:9)

“We know that whosoever is born of God sinneth not; but he that is begotten of God keepeth himself, and that wicked one toucheth him not.” (1 John 5:18)

          The AMP translation clarifies: ¹⁸ “We know [absolutely] that anyone born of God does not [deliberately and knowingly] practice committing sin, but the One Who was begotten of God carefully watches over and protects him [Christ’s divine presence within him preserves him against the evil], and the wicked one does not lay hold (get a grip) on him or touch [him].” (1 John 5:18) – (A genuine believer cannot look ‘ho-hum’ on sin. He hates it! “The fear of the Lord is to hate evil…” (Prov. 8:13). He sins but is not comfortable or indifferent to the fact. He’s bothered. He quickly confesses (1 John 1:9).)

4.   THE TEST OF DESIRING GOD’S PEOPLE (1 John 3:10-11, 14, 19; 5:1)

¹⁰ “In this the children of God are manifest, and the children of the devil: whosoever doeth not righteousness is not of God, neither he that loveth not his brother. ¹¹ For this is the message that ye heard from the beginning, that we should love one another.” (1 John 3:10-11) – (God’s redeemed ones constitute family. All in the family have their weaknesses, glaring wrongs, bothersome traits, slips and backslidings, but brothers and sisters in Christ use all such as occasions for loving one another, with patience, forgiveness and mutual admonition.)

5.   THE TEST OF DEFINING JESUS (1 John 5:1)

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.” (Who is Jesus? Jesus Himself even asked what people were saying about Him. Peter said, “You are the Christ, the Son of the Living God.” Yes, Jesus, the Man of Nazareth, is the fulfillment of the many O.T. prophecies that a Messiah would come, pay for the sins of His people, and someday rule the world.)

6.   THE TEST OF DEFEATING THE WORLD (1 John 5:4, 5)

⁴ “For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith. ⁵ Who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God?” (1 John 5:4-5) – (Real Christians not only believe in Jesus as personal Lord and Savior, but then proceed day by day to walk by faith. What is faith? Looking to Jesus. Depending on Him. Obeying Him. Including Him in in daily life. “Turn your eyes upon Jesus, look full in His wonderful face; and the things of life will grow strangely dim, in the light of His glory and grace.” And so the world fades and the Kingdom of Jesus is what we seek first.)

7.   THE TEST OF DELIGHTING OURSELVES IN HIS KEEPING GRACE (1 John 5:18)

          NASB translation: ¹⁸  ”We know that no one who is born of God sins; but He who was born of God keeps him, and the evil one does not touch him.” (1 John 5:18) – (This is a difficult verse to translate. I believe the NASB gets it right. Below is a scholarly explanation by A.T. Robertson. First, consider the context. The preceding verses (16,17) pertain to a sinning brother for whom the real believer prays and seeks to restore. The key to understanding A.T. Robertson’s explanation is at the end of line 4 where he refers to “A B”, which signifies a family of Greek manuscripts. A B autographs are among the oldest and most complete. In the above verse, the phrase “He who was born of God keeps him” is based upon this family of MSS. Notice that ‘He’ has the capital ‘H’ unlike the authorized version.  (In the Greek there are no punctuation marks, capitals, etc.) It refers to Jesus. He was born or begotten of the Father. He “keeps him”, the erring brother. A B accepts that it properly reads “him”, not “himself.” “The Word became flesh and dwelt among us” (John 1:14). When a brother in Christ strays, He (Jesus) exercises His keeping power and prohibits the evil one from touching him. 'Touching' is a strong word indicating severe and even deathly injury. Even as God allowed Satan to go just so far in testing Job, so Christ not only saves us, but keeps us, in more ways than we know! But, in the end, nothing can “separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 8:29). All this spells out the eternal security of the genuine believer. He is safe in the arms and unending love of Jesus! A true believer rests in this amazing salvation. Believing it and sensing it, a true Christian knows he is saved. 

A.T. ROBERTSON: “1Jn 5:18 We know (οιδαμεν). As in 3:2,14;5:15,19-20. He has "ye know" in 2:20;3:5,15. Sinneth not (ουχ αμαρτανει). Lineal present active indicative, "does not keep on sinning," as he has already shown in 3:4-10. He that was begotten of God (ο γεννηθειϛ εκ του θεου). First aorist passive articular participle referring to Christ, if the reading of A B is correct (τηρει αυτον, not τηρει εαυτον). It is Christ who keeps the one begotten of God (γεγεννημενοϛ εκ του θεου as in 3:9 and so different from ο γεννηθειϛ here). It is a difficult phrase, but this is probably the idea. Jesus (Jn 18:37) uses γεγεννημαι of himself and uses also τηρεω of keeping the disciples (Jn 17:12,15;Rev 3:10).”

RDC