Classic Christianity – Book of John p7 (10-24-18)
Bob George continues teaching from the book of John. Bob shares what it means to born again, to have the Holy Spirit living in you, as John Baptist testified that Jesus would do. He also shares again some of the ways people have believed in error, following other doctrines and misplaced trust, believing in anything except Jesus Christ alone or even believing in Jesus plus something. Indeed, Jesus plus anything nullifies the finished work of Jesus Christ, and is really a false gospel one is believing. He also shares about those who only looked for what Jesus could do for them but had no change of heart, concerning who God is or even failing to recognize their own condition in sin to have a reason to come to believe. He shares a message Jesus told that should send chills to religious people who think so highly of themselves by the works they do, but fail to recognize Jesus and come to him for life and righteousness. Bob also shares the story in John concerning the testimony of a woman from Samaria, where you can see how a person comes out of darkness and into the light by hearing the words from the man from heaven, the words of God. Bob provides extra historical information concerning the relationship between the Jews and the Samaritan to provide extra insight into the righteous character of God so unlike men of the world. And by the words of Jesus in this story, he certainly knows all the thoughts of men and chooses to love them.
Recall that John 2:1-2, Jesus did not baptize anyone, even though the Pharisee thought he did. Notice also the passage where John the Baptist testified that he came to baptize by water, as instructed by God to do, whereas Jesus came to baptize with the Holy Spirit (John 1:33). We also have further clarification of the importance of baptism of the Holy Spirit and how water baptism saves no one (1 Peter 3:21).
John 1:33
And I myself did not know him, but the one who sent me to baptize with water told me, ‘The man on whom you see the Spirit come down and remain is the one who will baptize with the Holy Spirit.’
1 Peter 3:21
and this water symbolizes baptism that now saves you also—not the removal of dirt from the body but the pledge of a clear conscience toward God.[a] It saves you by the resurrection of Jesus Christ
So what does it mean to be baptized with the Holy Spirit? It means the Holy Spirit comes to live inside a person. John the Baptist died before this happened to all men because only until after the resurrection was the Holy Spirit given. The book of Acts provides information of when the Holy Spirit was given (Acts 1:5, 8). That is why Jesus made this compliment of John (Luke 7:28).
Luke 7:28
I tell you, among those born of women there is no one greater than John; yet the one who is least in the kingdom of God is greater than he.”
Acts 1:5, 8
5 For John baptized with water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.” 8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”
If someone today does not have the Spirit of God in them, then they do not belong to Him (Romans 8:9). Bob also shares that when one is born again they are immersed in the Spirit of Jesus Christ; Christ in you (Colossians 1:27) and you in Christ (Colossians 3:3). When you are born again, you are placed in the body of Christ (1 Corinthians 12:27).
Romans 8:9
You, however, are not in the realm of the flesh but are in the realm of the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God lives in you. And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, they do not belong to Christ.
Colossians 1:27
To them God has chosen to make known among the Gentiles the glorious riches of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.
Colossians 3:3
For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God.
1 Corinthians 12:27
Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it.
So body of Christ, all over the world at the same time, by the Spirit that dwells in each person born again. That is why Jesus said:
John 16:7
But very truly I tell you, it is for your good that I am going away. Unless I go away, the Advocate will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you.
While Jesus remained in a physical body, he could not be present in all men at the same time. So his death took away sin, but his resurrection gave life to all men by the Holy Spirit freely given to those who believe. That is why scripture states that we are saved by his life (Romans 5:10).
Romans 5:10
For if, while we were God’s enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life!
Bob also went on to elaborate about Professors and Possessors. There are many who profess to know Christ but are not possessors of the Holy Spirit. They can boast about their achievements, even preaching and teaching, performing miracles, but Jesus said of those who trust in their own righteousness that on the day judgment he will say to them “I never knew you” (Matthew 7:22-24). In reality, only God really sees into the thoughts of men, whether they placed their trust in him, and only that individual can really know for sure if he is saved or not. All men just make best discernment as to whether someone is a believer by their testimony of confession and manner of life, which is secondary confirmation. There are men of outward appearance of moral character, and can even be seen that what they do is good, and those who struggle in the flesh, yet God knows those who are really his. Salvation is trust in God alone in his finished work, His righteousness received as a gift, and nothing added to it – not my works, not my church, not whether I was baptized in water or not, whether in this church or that. Trusting Jesus plus anything added to His work nullifies receiving the gospel of grace. Have you accepted the gift of eternal life, Christ’s righteousness alone?
Matthew 7:22-24
22 Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and in your name perform many miracles?’ 23 Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers
Just accept the simple what Jesus came to do for you and then you can know you have eternal life (1 John 5:11-13).
1 John 5:11-13
And this is the testimony: God has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life. I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life.
Bob then shares an amazing story of Jesus encounter with a Samaritan woman. This is exactly what this Samaritan woman did, once God revealed himself to her and she simply believed in Him. She was spiritually dead, devoid of understanding and even skirmishing to change the subject after Jesus, being God, told her everything she ever did. Jesus, a Jew asked a Samaritan woman for a drink of water? In the culture in that day, Jews and Samaritans hated each other, and Jews would not even walk through Samaria, and certainly would not drink out of the same cup! Jesus told her that the water he gives would well up to eternal life. She thinking only in the natural realm, told him to to get this water so she does not have to keep coming back to draw water. Jesus later told her to get her husband. She said she had no husband. He told her she was correct and indeed she had five husbands and the one she is living with now is not her husband. She squeamishly said he must a prophet, and switched the subject to a place of worship, that Samaritans worship on Mount Gerizim (Bob shared more cultural background and referenced a passage in 1 Kings). Jesus told her that it is not where you worship but how you worship. Jesus told her that salvation comes to the world through the Jews and you worship what little you know. She then said that when the Messiah comes he will explain everything. Then Jesus told her plainly that he is the Messiah, and she placed her trust in him and believed. The word of God by the person of God came alive in her.
Bob shared also that Jesus did not condemn her but simply told the truth about her condition in sin. Jesus did not come to condemn the world but to save the world (John 3:17).
John 3:17
For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.
As you read the story yourself, you will see how dead to spiritually things she really was, as we all once were. But Jesus spoke to her, not condemning her, but honest with her about her condition in sin, and she comes to believe Jesus is the promised Messiah, the one who came to save her from her sins (no condemnation) and give her life (spring of living water). It is not the amount of sinning one does, but that you are in a condition of death in sin. Jesus spoke spiritual truth from heaven, speaking about himself, and she simply believed!
But what do people still do today? Ignore God’s word and believe the lies of the spirit of the age. They say, “Oh, I want to find something!”, “I want more of God”, “I want to feel something”. They go to a conference and sing songs “I want more of you in my life” not realizing the words of the song totally contradicts the truth of what you have in Jesus Christ (2 Peter 1:3)
2 Peter 1:3
His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness.
Experience trumps truth today and so instead of believing the simple truth of life in Jesus Christ, they believe all kinds of things. Many today think that all roads lead to heaven, but that denies the clear word of God (John 14:6). They are deceived in thinking this way because they are striving to be good enough to find God’s favor, the way natural men think and the way we are programmed in all that we do to succeed in business and living. There is the natural tendency of men, darkened in understanding, to merely look on outward behavior and relative comparison to other human beings, who are also dead in sin in Adam. They fail to look at themselves in light of God’s perfect righteousness. And unless someone is as righteous as Jesus Christ, he will never enter heaven, a futile endeavor in man’s weakened nature.
John 14:6
Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.
Yes, and there are religions that are very close to the truth, but a lie poisons the gospel. They can believe Jesus died, was buried and rose again, like one believes that Abraham Lincoln as a historical fact, and even believe in the Trinity, yet work through various rituals involving confession of sin, meritorious prayers of others, and while doing so denying God’s finished work in Jesus Christ. Yet, they have so deceived themselves thinking they are okay, yet have no peace in their heart (Isaiah 48:22), even fear death (Hebrews 2:14-15), with no assurance of eternal life, not knowing if enough prayers of others will get them out of Purgatory! Yet, they will claim they belong to the one true church yet following the broad road to destruction. Many such people will refuse to listen to truth! So sad! So heartbreaking! Jesus exposed error to the religious leaders in his day, mostly through parables since their hearts were hard. Who listened to him? Will you listen to the word of God, the words from heaven, or the words of men (Philippians 3:9)?
Isaiah 48:22
But there is no peace, says the Lord, for the wicked.
Hebrews 2:14-15
14 Since we, God’s children, are human beings—made of flesh and blood—he became flesh and blood too by being born in human form; for only as a human being could he die and in dying break the power of the devil who had the power of death. 15 Only in that way could he deliver those who through fear of death have been living all their lives as slaves to constant dread.
Philippians 3:9
no longer counting on being saved by being good enough or by obeying God’s laws, but by trusting Christ to save me; for God’s way of making us right with himself depends on faith—counting on Christ alone
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