The Masterpiece 98

1 John 5

November 29th, 2006

Brian Kocourek

 

1. Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ is born of God: Now, we know that this word Christ comes from the root which means to anoint or speaks of the anointed or can speak of the anointer Himself. So we must look at the context of what John is saying here to understand which way this word is to be used. And we see that he is speaking of the anointed one.

 

Acts Chapter  2  Verse 36 Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly, that God hath made that same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ. So if God made Him both Lord and Christ, then it is God that is the anointer and Jesus the Son of God is the Anointed. We see Paul speak of this in the following verse.

 

Acts Chapter  10  Verse 38 How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power: who went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the devil; for God was with him.

 

Now, in getting back to verse one. Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ (anointed one) is born of God,  and every one that loveth him that begat loveth him also that is begotten of him.  Now, let me ask you what is one who begats? It’s a father. Right? Then who is the begotten? It is the child or in this case the son. So what He is saying here is that everyone that loveth the Father will love his son. Then if they do not even belief God had a son, how can they love him? Impossible.   So here we see John speaking of one that begat and then another that was begotten. Therefore there is one that is a Father and one that is a son.

 

2  By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God, and keep his commandments. Now remember God is the Word, “In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word was God”, and so those who Love God are those who love His word, for God is the Word.  

 

3  For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous. Now, the word commandments, was taken from a Greek word that means authoritative prescription. So we see that God is the Great Physician and has given us a prescription to adhere to his Word.   

 

4  For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: Now, the question here is how do we overcome the world? You see he is saying that everyone who is truly born again will overcome the world, so if we wish to know whether we are born again we must look at whether we are over comers or not. But the real question is whether we are truly born again or not. Because there are dozens of millions in this country alone and much more throughout the world that believe they are born again when they are not. And so he tells us here how we know if we are or not.

and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith.  Now, it is not our Faith as though we have a faith that is different from the Faith of Jesus Christ the Son of God, because Paul tells us that we are saved by the Faith of Him.

 

Galatians 2:20 I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.

 

Ephesians 1:11  According to the eternal purpose which he purposed in Christ Jesus our Lord: 12  In whom we have boldness and access with confidence by the faith of him.

 

5  Who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God? Now, here is a bold statement, John tells us that those who believe that Jesus was the Son of God are those who have overcome the world.

 

Philippians 3: 9 And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith:

 

Galatians 2: 16 Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified.

 

Romans 3: 22 Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference:

 

6  This is he that came by water and blood, even Jesus Christ; not by water only, but by water and blood. And it is The Spirit that beareth witness, because the Spirit is truth. Now, notice that he is speaking of The Spirit, not our spirit. God does not give two bits whether your spirit bears witness or not. It is not Him that willeth, nor him that worketh, but God that showeth mercy. So this does not speak of your spirit bearing witness. It speaks of God’s Spirit bearing witness.  That is why Paul clarifies this in Romans chapter 8.

 

Paul said, Romans Chapter  8  Verse 16 The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God: Now, notice that Paul says it is God’s spirit that beareth witness with our spirit, not the other way around. There are perhaps 5 billion out of 6 billion people in the world who believe that if their spirit can bear witness with God’s spirit then they will be alright. But that is not what paul said here. He said it is God’s Spirit, The spirit, that bears witness withour spirit that counts.

 

That is why in Ezekiel 11: 19 And I will give them one heart, and I will put a new spirit within you; and I will take the stony heart out of their flesh, and will give them an heart of flesh: and again in  Ezekiel 36:26 A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh.

 

Brother Branham taught us that when God gives us a new heart it is a new way of thinking and when he gives us a new spirit it is a new desires that come from our new way of thinking.

 

From His sermon Impersonation of Christianity 57-0120M P:42 Br. Branham said, So God had to give you a new heart, not a patched up one, a new heart. That's your intellects that you think with, a new way of thinking.

 

That is why Paul told us “let the mind that was in Christ be in You, we must receive the mind of Christ if we are to receive just one heart or one way of thinking.

 

And again from Impersonation of Christianity 57-0120M P:43a Br.  Branham said, "Then I'll give you a new spirit. "What's that? A new desire, "I want to do right."…..

 

So you see if you receive the mind of Christ you can’t help but to have right desires.

 

Again from  Impersonation of Christianity 57-0120M P:43b He said,   Then notice the order of the Scripture. After you get a new heart and a new spirit, He said, "Then I'll put My Spirit..." See? Oh, what? That's the what the Scripture says here. That's the order, the numatics and numerical order of the Scripture: a new heart, a new spirit, and then My Spirit.

 

So you see, if God promised to give us One heart or One mind, it has to be the mind of Christ for he said in, Isaiah 55: 8 For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD. 9 For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts. 10 For as the rain cometh down, and the snow from heaven, and returneth not thither, but watereth the earth, and maketh it bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to the sower, and bread to the eater: 11 So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.

 

7  For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one. Therefore we must know how these three are one. Because they are not one like your finger is one.

 

8  And there are three that bear witness in earth, the Spirit, and the water, and the blood: and these three agree in one.

 

9  If we receive the witness of men, the witness of God is greater: for this is the witness of God which he hath testified of his Son. Look, what greater witness do you need than for God’s Spirit to bear witness with your spirit. John said he had a greater witness than that of John, John 5: 32 he said,  There is another that beareth witness of me; and I know that the witness which he witnesseth of me is true. And then he qualified that in the next two verses.  John 5: 36 But I have greater witness than that of John: for the works which the Father hath given me to finish, the same works that I do, bear witness of me, that the Father hath sent me. 37  And the Father himself, which hath sent me, hath borne witness of me. Ye have neither heard his voice at any time, nor seen his shape.

 

10  He that believeth on the Son of God hath The witness in himself: he that believeth not God hath made him a liar; because he believeth not the record that God gave of his Son. Now, The Witness is God Himself, His own Spirit bearing witness with our own spirit that the Spirit that we have is from Him.

 

11  And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son.  And we know this is the record because John bear record of God bearing record when he said, 29  The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.  30  This is he of whom I said, After me cometh a man which is preferred before me: for he was before me. 31  And I knew him not: but that he should be made manifest to Israel, therefore am I come baptizing with water. 32  And John bare record, saying, I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove, and it abode upon him. 33  And I knew him not: but he that sent me to baptize with water, the same said unto me, Upon whom thou shalt see the Spirit descending, and remaining on him, the same is he which baptizeth with the Holy Ghost. 34  And I saw, and bare record that this is the Son of God.

 

12  He that hath the Son hath life; (He that echoes the son echoes life) and he that hath not (He that echoes not)  the Son of God hath (echoes) not life.

 

13  These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God. And how did Jesus get his name? He was given it by inheritance. Hebrews 1: 4 Being made so much better than the angels, as he hath by inheritance obtained a more excellent name than they.

 

14  And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us:  Now, the key here is that we know His will in order to ask according to His will. And His Word is His Will. So if we come according to God’s Word which is His Will then he is obligated to answer our petition. James said we have not because we ask amiss. Because we do not ask according to God’s Word. So if there are any need whatsoever you have need, find it in God’s word then you can ask for it and God is obligated to His own Word.  People say, I hope it is the Lord’s will that I be healed. It is the Lord’s will that you be healed, because by His stripes you are already healed, he’s just waiting for you to accept it.

 

15  And if we know that he hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him.  And that is the key is that you know that he hears you, then ask away. Brother Branham quoted Jesus saying, “Ye have not because ye ask not, ask abundantly that your joy may be full. Give God back his own Word and watch how quickly he answers your request. Study God’s Word for there are over 800 promises of God in His word to us. Nut God loves to hear His own Word given back to Him, so ask and believe that you receive.

 

16  If any man see his brother sin a sin which is not unto death, he shall ask, and he shall give him life for them that sin not unto death. There is a sin unto death: I do not say that he shall pray for it.

 

17  All un-right-wise-ness is sin: And remember, sin is unbelief so all un-right-wise-ness is unbelief.  and there is a sin not unto death. 18  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. 

 

19  And we know that we are of God, and the whole world lieth in wickedness.

 

20 And we know that the Son of God is come, and hath given us an understanding, that we may know him that is true, and we are in him that is true, even  in his Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God, and eternal life.

 

This is the one Scripture that is used by the Oneness people to try to justify their doctrine, but if we read it slowly and clearly and read what is written by John without trying to add our own thoughts, you will see that it perfectly runs in continuity with the doctrine of Christ.

 

1 John 5:20 And we know that the Son of God is come, (so we se here that he is speaking of the Son of God. And he’s telling us there’s something this coming we should know.) and this coming hath given us an understanding, (in this thought John is telling us there is something that the Son of God did for us in his coming, and that is to give us understanding. And the understanding was given for the purpose) that we may know him that is true, (so we must ask ourselves this question. Was the coming of the Son of God to give us an understanding of the Son, Himself? Or did He come that we might know “HIM THAT IS TRUE” which is God!

 

And who do you think this one is that John is speaking of here? He said the Son of God came that we might have understanding of “HIM THAT IS TRUE”. Now, scripture tells us that Jesus did not come to declare Himself, but He came to declare the Father.)