Exploring 1 John: Being Born of God
1 John 5:1-4 - A simple formula: Obedience, love and faith.
“Whoever believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God, and whoever loves the Father loves the child born of Him. By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and observe His commandments. For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments; and His commandments are not burdensome. For whatever is born of God overcomes the world; and this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith.”
1 John 5:1-4 NASB1995
John once again reiterates his three tests of obedience, love and faith at the start of the last chapter of this epistle. We believe that Jesus is the Christ (Messiah) and He is born of God and we are born of God; whoever loves the Father loves the child born of Him. We love the children of God when we love God and observe His commandments. His commandments are not burdensome. Whatever is born of God overcomes the world and this victory is our faith. Let’s look at commentary on the first part of this passage from Enduring Word:
Whoever believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God: John has often mentioned being born of God (as in 1 John 2:29, 3:9, and 4:7). Here he tells us how one is born of God: whoever believes that Jesus is the Christ. This means believing that Jesus is his Messiah, not just the Messiah in the generic sense.
John’s great emphasis has been on love, but he never wants anyone to believe he earns salvation by loving others. We are born of God when we put our trust on Jesus and on His saving work in our lives.
We also understand that John was not talking about a mere intellectual assent to Jesus being Messiah (as even the demons might have, as described in James 2:19). Instead, he means a trust in and reliance on Jesus as Messiah.
Additionally, John makes it plain we must believe Jesus is the Christ. There are many, of a new-age sort of thinking, who believe Jesus had the “Christ-spirit” – as they claim also Confucius, Mohammed, Buddha and certain moderns did. But we would never say Jesus “has” the Christ – Jesus is the Christ.
When I was growing up in a mainstream Lutheran church, I don’t recall hearing the words “born again” very often or at all. I’m pretty convinced, in spite of my activity at the church (I was diligent in confirmation classes, I was a church council member at the age of 17 and I seemed to be always participating in music and youth groups) that I was never truly born of God or born again, because I walked away from belief too easily. Oh, I could cite Bible verses and catechism and even write sermons! But the minutiae of ritual, liturgy and the clock management that was strictly observed at our church didn’t give me a sense of being with Him.
If you are truly born of God then He baptizes you in the spirit and you are His. Recently, a person we know who is a devout Lutheran was very critical of the term “born again”, especially when appending it to the word Christian (she felt that was redundant, which might be a valid point). But what does it really mean to be “born of God”? I like this answer from Gotquestions.org:
The term born of God is found primarily in the book of 1 John. First John 5:1 says, “Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God, and everyone who loves the father loves his child as well.” Other references are found in 1 John 2:29; 3:9; 4:7; and 5:4, 18.
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So how does one become born again, or born of God? Jesus used an earthly metaphor to explain a spiritual idea. When a baby is born, a new life emerges that did not previously exist. The baby is a brand-new being who begins to grow to look like the parents. A puppy grows up to look like a dog. A calf grows to look like a cow. An infant grows to look like an adult human. So it is with those born of God. Second Corinthians 5:17 says that, if anyone is in Christ, he is a “new creature.” Later on in John 3, Jesus explains how to become born of God: “Whoever believes in Him shall not perish but shall have everlasting life” (verse 16). When we are born into the family of God (John 1:12), we grow to look more like our Father.
First John 3:9 describes a person who has been born of God: “No one who is born of God will continue to sin, because God’s seed remains in them; they cannot go on sinning because they have been born of God.” God our Father is holy, and He desires that His children become holy like He is (1 Peter 1:15–16). When we are born of God, we have a new heart, one that wants to please God (Ezekiel 36:26; 2 Corinthians 5:9; Colossians 1:10). This does not come about by good intentions or white-knuckled effort. We please our new Father by surrendering to His Holy Spirit who lives within us. We allow Him to change our desires, our goals, and our will to conform to His (Romans 8:29; Philippians 2:13). As a baby grows to look like the parents to whom it was born, so do we grow to be more like our heavenly Father when we are born of God (Philippians 3:10; Romans 6:1–2).
We know we love God when we observe His commandments. His commandments are not burdensome! It is a delight to obey His laws, as the Psalmist says. Here is a great explanation from Enduring Word:
His commandments are not burdensome: Some Christians feel very burdened by the commandments of God, yet John insists that they are not burdensome.
His commandments are not burdensome when we see how wise and good the commandments of God are. They are gifts from Him to show us the best and most fulfilling life possible. God’s commands are like the “manufacturer’s handbook” for life; He tells us what to do because He knows how we work best. God’s commands are not given to bind or to pain us, or because God is like an irritated old man.
His commandments are not burdensome because when we are born again, we are given new hearts – hearts which by instinct wish to please God. As part of the New Covenant, the law of God has been written on the heart of every believer (Jeremiah 31:33).
His commandments are not burdensome when we compare them to the religious rules men make up. John is not trying to say obedience is an easy thing. If that were so, then it would be easy for us to not sin, and John has already acknowledged that we all do sin (1 John 1:8). John is thinking of the contrast Jesus made between the religious requirements of the religious leaders of His day, and the simplicity of loving God and following Him. Jesus said all the rules and regulations of the Scribes and Pharisees were as heavy burdens (Matthew 23:4). In contrast, Jesus said of Himself, My yoke is easy and My burden is light (Matthew 11:30). Instead of the burdensome requirement to keep hundreds of little rules and regulations, Jesus simply says to us, “Love Me and love my people, and you will walk in obedience.”
His commandments are not burdensome when we really love God. When we love God, we will want to obey Him and please Him. When you love someone, it seems little trouble to go to a lot of difficulty to help or please that person. You enjoy doing it, though if you had to do it for an enemy, you would be complaining all the time. Just as the seven years of Jacob’s service for Laban seemed only a few days to him because of the love he had for Rachel (Genesis 29:18), so obeying God’s commands does not seem a burden when we really love Him. An old proverb says, “Love feels no loads.”
That old “me first” demon that has lived in me is just now starting to understand that love from God feels no loads. We want to obey Him and please Him!
Finally, whoever is born of God overcomes the world. Our faith is what helps us with this victory! Enduring Word has been a go-to resource today on this passage:
Whatever is born of God overcomes the world: John begins with a principle that is so simple, yet so powerful – if we are born of God, we will overcome the world. The idea that anything born of God could be defeated by this world was strange to John and it should be strange to us.
This is the victory that has overcome the world; our faith: Since believing on Him is the key to being born of God (1 John 5:1), the key to victory is faith, not only an initial, “come-to-the-altar-and-get-saved” faith, but a consistently abiding faith, an ongoing reliance and trust upon Jesus Christ.
John repeats the thought with the words, Who is he who overcomes the world, but he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God? The life of abiding faith and trust in Jesus Christ is the life that overcomes the pressures and temptations of the world.
Knowing who Jesus is – not just as a matter of facts or information, but as food for life – “fills the soul with so great things concerning him… as to easily turn this world into a contemptible shadow, and deprive it of all its former power over us.” (Matthew Poole)
I also like this Daily Bread short article that was shared on Precept Austin:
When it comes to expressing our feelings, few of us are more honest than children. A father was having a struggle to get his 4-year-old son to obey. When asked why he wouldn’t do as he was told, the boy said, “Daddy, I just don’t want to!”
Many of us as Christians are not that honest. We make excuses for not obeying God’s will, when the real reason may be that we just don’t want to. For example, when our family lived in West Berlin, I began neglecting Bible reading and prayer. I honestly thought I lacked the time. Later, when we moved to Switzerland, I felt excited, not only because we lived near majestic mountains, but also because of the mountains of time I would have. Yet in spite of more time, I still didn’t read and pray regularly. My real problem was that I simply didn’t want to.
I found the answer to my dilemma in 1 John 5:3, which states, “This is the love of God, that we keep His commandments.” As I repented of my long neglect of Him, He filled my empty heart with His forgiving love. Bible reading and prayer became a delight. My renewed love for God made doing His will more desirable than doing my own will.
Is there something you know is God’s will for you? Do you love Him enough to desire it and do it?
That’s the old “me first” ghost appearing in that story. Often in my past faith life I just “didn’t want to” do something for Him. But He loves us when we obey and we learn to love obeying. One more little gem I read in Precept Austin: “Attachment to Christ is the secret of detachment from the world”. Hopefully, the points that John has been making over and over again in this epistle are now abiding in you! We believe, we obey, we love!
My next devotional examines 1 John 5:5-8 - Of blood and water and Spirit.
Heaven on Wheels Daily Prayer:
Dear Lord - With Your infinite love, fill me with obedience, faith and love for others so that I am ready to do Your will! Amen.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Commentary from Enduring Word by David Guzik is used with written permission.
Gotquestions.org was accessed on 6/14/2024 to review the answer to the question “What does it mean to be born of God?”
Precept Austin was accessed on 6/14/2024 to review the commentary for 1 John 5:1-4.