The True God
1 John
5:16-21 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 unrighteousness is sin: 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.
(21) Little children, keep
yourselves from idols. Amen.
Reading
(v 16), we may be concerned regarding the statement: “There is a sin unto death.” We must also concern ourselves with how the
word “brother” is
used. Whom is John referring? We know from other scripture verses that once
God gives salvation, it is eternal.
John
10:28-29 And I give unto them eternal
life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out
of my hand. (29) My Father, which gave them me, is
greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my
Father's hand.
So, to whom is John referring? I have read many writings by theologians. (There are many different thoughts and
interpretations.) The most “common opinion”
is that when salvation is accepted, it is a forever gift, an everlasting gift,
a gift given of God. (It cannot be
returned, [“no man is able to pluck them out.”] It can’t
be cashed in at Wal-Mart. It is a forever gift.)
My
opinion as to whom John is referring rests with many theologians. The word “brother” refers to
one who has made a false profession of faith in Christ. He may come to Church, and the fellowships. (In
some extreme cases may even be the Pastor.)
He plays at being a Christian, (never realizing his situation is deteriorating
from “bad to worse.”) He may also claim
he has professed Jesus, (but refuses to honour Him by going to Church.) He never prays, and his walk and his life have
no Christ like values.)
(V
16) (“he shall ask”) is a dire warning for Christians to pray for those that
we presume to be Christian when we see them in sin. (“All unrighteousness is sin.”) We are not
to accost them or be judgmental, but simply pray that God will convict their
hearts to repent of their sin and turn to Him.
(V 17) John defines “sin” as “All unrighteousness is
sin.” So, what is “righteousness?”
Webster’s
1828 defines righteousness as:
1. Purity
of heart and rectitude [uprightness of mind] of life;
conformity of heart and life to the divine law. Righteousness, as used in
Scripture and theology, in which it is chiefly used, is nearly equivalent to
holiness, comprehending holy principles and affections of heart, and conformity
of life to the divine law.
2. Applied to God, the perfection or
holiness of his nature; exact rectitude; faithfulness.
From this definition, righteousness is our holy walk
in faithfulness with God. We as
Christians must strive to be as righteous as possible, as Holy as
possible. We cannot be perfect; however,
we need to strive to be righteous.
Romans
3:10 As it is written, There is none
righteous, no, not one:
God through Paul didn’t write this verse as an excuse to
be unrighteous. (He wrote it for our knowledge.
None of us can be 100% righteous.) God commands that we pray for those that we
see being unrighteous. (We are never to
pray that a person commit a sin unto death.)
God knows that we will sin, we will covet. We are not righteous, yet our task is to “walk
the walk and talk the talk” that will help us approach a state of Holiness [total
separation].
Until
God calls us home into eternity, we are sinners saved by grace, and we must
realize our condition. John tells us, “whosoever
is born of God sinneth not,” which means we are to follow The Ten Commandments, and
stay away from besetting sins. People who murder, rape, all pedophiles,
whoremongers (and the list could go much longer,) are not Christians regardless
of their profession, But, they can become Christians by honestly
accepting Jesus and repenting (not going back to those besetting sins). However, they will still face the
consequences of their sin.
As
Christians, we are to keep ourselves as clean as we possibly can.
Hebrews
10:22 Let us draw near with a true heart
in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil
conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water.
To obtain a closer walk with God, we are to walk in a
“full assurance of faith.” It will not
be a perfect walk, but it must be a walk with the intent of perfection, (fully intending
to “draw near” to God.) Our
intent must be with a repentant heart, all evil thoughts removed, and knowing that
we are washed with a cleansing repentance. “This is the true God,
and eternal life.”
It
is a wonderful walk when we know (by “faith”) that we
have The Holy Spirit within us (given by God.) We have access to Jesus, and our Father God in
Heaven. Jesus’ Father, our God in Heaven,
is The only God. There are no other. Graven
images whether stone, wood, or plastic are not gods, nor are they anything
real. We are commanded to “keep
yourselves [ourselves] from idols” and (any thing
that someone would worship or pray through.)
The
God Jehovah, His Son Jesus, and The Holy Spirit are the only true God. There are no others, regardless.
Exodus
20:3-5 Thou shalt have no other gods before
me. (4)
Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of
any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth
beneath, or that is in the water under the earth: (5)
Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the LORD
thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the
children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me;
Stand fast in your “faith” and walk
with The “True God.”
Bro John R. E Chastain
Baptist Evangelist
<www.johnchastain.com>
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