DISTINGUISHING MARKS OF A PERSON WHO IS GENUINELY BORN OF GOD 1 John 2:29; 3:9; 4:7; 5:1, 5:4

 Knowing the distinguishing marks of one truly “born of God” in Scripture will truly separate the “professing Christian” from the genuine Christian.  REGENERATION refers to a particular event that is compared to a NEW BIRTH that takes place in one’s life where one humbly repents and receives Christ by faith as the Spirit of God comes to spiritually quicken and gives the new spiritual nature from God.

BACKGROUND: 1.The author of this epistle is the apostle John or John the beloved. 2.WHY DID JOHN WRITE THIS EPISTLE?  The churches in Asia Minor were facing the threat of heretical teachings of Gnosticism and Docetism. 3.The false teachers attacked anyone who rejected their teachings (3:1-18) and separated their deceived followers from the fellowship of those who remained faithful to the apostolic teachings.

4.HOW DID JOHN RESPOND TO THE SITUATION? 1.He reassured and encouraged the believers who stayed to remain faithful on the truthfulness of the Gospel and challenged them to face this attack or threat to the church. 2.He positively reinstated the fundamentals of the faith.  John was concerned about one thing- authentic Christianity (to be truly born of God).

FIVE DISTINGUISHING MARKS OF A PERSON BORN OF GOD. 1.HABITUAL PRACTICE OF RIGHTEOUSNESS - DOING WHAT IS RIGHT (2:29) 2.NOT CONTINUING IN SIN (3:9) 3.LOVE OTHERS (4:7) 4.BELIEVE JESUS AS THE CHRIST - HIS HUMANITY & DIVINITY (5:1) 5.VICTORIOUS LIFE - OVERCOMING THE WORLD (5:4)

THE MEANING OF THE TERM “BORN OF GOD”  The term “born of God” refers to the idea of “spiritual birth” which focuses not on the repetition of the birth but on the origin or source of birth which is from God (I John 2:29; 3:9; 4:7; 5:1,4,18; cf. John 1:13; 3:3,7).  It is from the Greek word “gegennetai” which literally means “has been begotten of”  This word in the Greek is a third person perfect indicative passive which means:

First, it is a completed action in the past  The completed act of regeneration that took place in the past is not a process but a one- time actual historical event.  This is the impartation of divine life through the Holy Spirit, where God’s seed then resides, grows and remains in the heart of the believer.

Second, it has a present and continuing result  The recipient of divine life becomes a spiritually alive individual and by nature, a permanently true child of God who continuously remains a child of God. Third, the person is only the receiver of the action.  This new birth is from God- the source of this spiritual birth is God.

 John in this epistle defines the term “born of God” as a spiritual birth from God through a one-time past completed act but having a present and continuing result in a person’s life who stands in a new position as a true child of God.  John also emphasized in this epistle that this divine birth manifests evidences as a direct result of this new spiritual birth.

DISTINGUISHING MARKS OF A PERSON BORN OF GOD. 1.HABITUAL PRACTICE OF RIGHTEOUSNESS (DOING WHAT IS RIGHT) 1 John 2:29  The first Greek word for “know” means to know inherently or intellectually  To know inherently in this verse is to be aware that God is righteous

 The second Greek word for “know” means to perceive and experientially know.  To know experientially in this verse is to understand God’s righteousness through actual experience.  The adjective “righteous” in Greek means that one conforms his actions to Christ’s constitutionally just and righteous character.  John is explaining here that a true believer in Christ knows His righteous character not only intellectually but by experience.

The genuine believer consistently reflects Christ’s righteousness. WHAT IS THE IMPLICATION OF THE KNOWLEDGE OF THE RIGHTEOUSNESS OF CHRIST?  WE HAVE BEEN MADE RIGHTEOUS (WE ARE NOW RIGHTEOUS) 2 Corinthians 5:21 We have been made righteous because of the righteousness of Christ imputed to us by God in the new birth. This is our justification before a holy God, declaring us righteous before Him.

 Christ’s imputed righteousness also produces His righteousness in the believer experientially and practically in his daily life.  Positionally and practically, God is the cause and source of the believer’s righteousness.

 The word “does” in Greek means “to do or to practice habitually” indicating a continuous action.  The word “righteousness” in Greek means “uprightness as the compelling motive for the conduct of one’s whole life”.  Righteousness as part of the new nature manifests the fruit of habitually doing what is right.

 If truly born again, this uprightness becomes the compelling motive for the conduct of one’s whole life.  Let us then check our lives: Is righteousness truly the compelling motive in our daily lives? Does this habitual practice of righteousness evident as fruit in our decisions and relationships?

Implications: God’s children are recognized by their righteous conduct expressed in the obedience and practice of His Word. This is demonstrated in a life which is daily surrendered to His will where every thought and action glorifies God. PEOPLE IN THE FAMILY OF GOD WILL PRODUCE BEHAVIOR LIKE THEIR FATHER. Matthew 7:16

2. LIFE NOT CONTINUING IN SIN (1 Jn. 3:9)  The word “does not sin” in Greek means “cannot or will not do a continuous or habitual practice of sin”.  Thus, no person who has been “born of God” can be a deliberate or consistent sinner.  No one who is “born of God” can live a life in which sin is dominant in his actions.

 One writer gave this comment: “He does not make it his trade and business; it is not the constant course of his life; he does not live and walk in sin, or give up himself to it. Yet he is not without the being of it in him, or free from acts of sin in his life and conversation, but he does not so commit it as to be the servant of it, a slave unto it, or to continue in it.”

 Why? The word “seed” in Greek signifies the principles of spiritual life or divine life from God and is imparted in the believer which grows and remains in them. The word “remains” in the Greek is a future indicative, which means that it will abide in a person without the possibility of removal or extinction.

 Implications and applications If we really have Jesus Christ living in us, we can not be the same persons we used to be. We cannot go on living in sin and keep on doing the things that will hurt the heart of God like lying and stealing or living in sexual immorality. We cannot have the Holy Spirit living in us and live an unholy life or a lifestyle of sin. THIS IS CONTRARY TO THE NEW NATURE WE RECEIVED FROM GOD.

 The Bible gave us strong warnings on why and how believers in Christ are to deal with sin: 1.Sin is no longer their master because of the grace of God in their lives. (Rom 6:11-14) 2.They are not controlled by the sinful nature but by the Spirit of God. (Rom 8:9-10) 3.Their key to overcome sin is to live by the Holy Spirit. (Gal 5:16-25)

 Here are some necessary steps to find victory over sin as children of God: 1.Avail of the unlimited power of the indwelling Holy Spirit in us. 2.Continually immerse our minds and thoughts in the Word of God. 3.Stay away and flee from temptations. 4.To be discerning and guard our lives. 5.Seek the help and accountability in the body of Christ.

“Nothing could be more vital than God’s people understanding what regeneration looks and feels and tastes and desires and speaks and walks and thinks like. Nothing could be more eternally important than Christian people knowing what the Bible teach about the new birth and knowing that they have experienced it” THABITI ANYABWILE

Jesus’ word in John 3:7, “YOU MUST BE BORN AGAIN” is a “must” we dare not lose.