Believing in the Son of God | 1 John 5:5

The Overcoming Faith of 1 John 5:5

1st John chapter 5. We'll begin in verse 4 this time. Lots of good scripture to cover today. 1st John chapter 5, beginning in verse 4. For everything that has been born of God overcomes the world, and this is the overcoming that has overcome the world, our faith.

Who is the one who overcomes the world, but he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God? This is the one who came by water and blood, Jesus Christ, not with the water only, but with the water and the blood, and with the blood.

It is the Spirit who bears witness, because the Spirit is the truth. This is God's Word. Amen.

So,.

So we see here today, beloved, a continuance as we dive into God's Word. We continue to dig into it for even more powerful, powerful, precious gospel gems and indicatives, specifically here with respect to the person and the work of Jesus Christ.

You can tell by the sermon title today, Believing in the Son of God, Believing in the Son of God, that will be the focus particularly in verse 5. I'm going to be particularly in verse 5 today. There's just a lot there to expound upon.

And so, we saw previously how everyone believing, right? It's ongoing tense, present participle. Everyone believing that Jesus is the Christ has been born of God already, and all that has been born of God already, and he who is believing that Jesus is the Son of God overcomes the world.

Amen. That's a powerful truth there, truths there from verses 1 and 5, and 1 through 5. Now, also recall, very important to recall this, and to keep this in mind, our faith is not just a verb. It's not just an action that we do.

It is also a noun. A message. A body of divinity, like the Puritans used to say. Of divine truth, right? Of divine truth, of saving truth, that has already overcome the world of unbelievers and Antichrists.

That enlightens those who believe and empowers them with victorious, conquering power to likewise overcome the world. To overcome the world. So that has some precious gospel gems and indicatives there.

Now, what does it mean to believe that Jesus is the Son of God in verse 5? Who is the one who overcomes the world, but he who believes or is believing that Jesus is the Son of God? What does that mean exactly?

We always need to make sure that we properly define our terms, beloved, and as I've mentioned several times in the past, to believe, the Greek is a bestial, besties, faith, belief. To believe is simply to know, to understand the message.

To know and to understand it. In this case, specifically, that Jesus himself is the Son of God. According to God's Word. Not according to other people's Word that may contradict the Word of God, but according to God's own Word, his own self-disclosure, his own revelation.

Right? His God-breathed words, like I covered in the sermon series that I recently finished. To agree with it, to accept it as true, that's what belief means. It's not a work. It's not adding to something else.

It's not surrendering yourself. It's none of that. Faith is simply to understand the message and to agree with it as true. That is the precious mercy and grace of God. Now, this brings me to my first public service announcement, that this emphasis on believing is in keeping with God's emphasis all throughout Scripture.

All throughout Scripture, right? On knowing him and his Word. How many times does John himself say that in this letter? How many times does the Apostle emphasize that in this letter? I did a little research on it and it turns out that there are several words that John uses to describe essentially the same thing, right?

Believing, receiving, knowing, confessing,.

Seeing,.

Abiding, you know, the light and all those things. So in total, there's well over a hundred, over a hundred, in this small letter, over a hundred references to this aspect of belief, believing, including in 1st John 5, in this passage.

Over a hundred, okay? That's amazing how clearly this is an important subject matter that God, through the Apostle John, wants to communicate to us. Even Jesus' own high priestly prayer to the Father in John 17 3, where he says, and this is eternal life, defined, this is eternal life, that they may know you, the Father.

That is eternal life, to know him, God the Father, the only true God and Jesus Christ whom you have sent. That's the gospel. That is eternal life, beloved. It's knowledge of the truth, knowledge of the truth, believing the truth.

And this belief, this faith, is a gift that we receive, a gracious free gift of God. It doesn't come from us. It's not our own work or our own doing. Contrary to what many heretics in the past and today have said, like Pelagius and many others after him and before him.

So I.

Know that sounds really simple and everything, understand and agree, okay. But for man, it is impossible because man is naturally a hell-bound sinner, like we're saying today in the hymn. He hates God, right?

It requires the grace of God. Not like Pelagius taught that grace is optional. You don't really need it. It's there if you need it. No. No, no. May it never be. Because the grace of God is what saves us through the gospel.

Amen? But our belief, if it is true, like James and several other places say, has consequences. Right? Our belief has consequences that follow. Our belief will evidence itself. It will manifest itself.

It will become something that you can behold and see. Live itself out. It will evidence itself in our love for God and for his children who have also likewise been born of him.

Right?

We believe because we have been born of God. That's what 1st John 5 says, right? We have been born of God already. First. That's first in the order of salvation.

Now,.

It will evidence itself in our love for God and for his children. In our love for his commandments. Right? Like this passage says, once again, in verse 3, 5 -3, which are not burdensome to us. They are both good and for our good.

Right? Like we read today in the Psalms. I love your law. I love your law. If you don't love God's law, there's something wrong with... You may not be saved. Right? Not to say that we always enjoy... We still struggle with the flesh and all those things.

We still struggle. But we recognize that God's law is holy, righteous, just, and good. Just like the Word of God says. Amen? And it also shows itself in our faith, in our victorious overcoming of the world, by trusting in our victorious faith, the body of divinity.

Not our act of believing, but in the faith that was once for all delivered to the saints, like Jude says. Right? In our, and consequently, in our victorious Savior, Jesus, the Christ, the Son of God. Right?

The Son of God.

And.

In our, in our family worship last night, I read this verse, and it's just like, wow, this is right along the lines of this passage in 1st John 5. In 1st Timothy 5 .25, he says, the Apostle Paul says, so also good works are quite evident, like some sins are.

He's comparing that to some sins that are evident. But so also good works are quite evident, and those which are otherwise cannot be concealed. Right? So let your light shine before men. That's why Jesus says, so that others may see God, see you, and glorify God.

All glory goes to God. Soli Deo Gloria. Okay, so that being said, we, how, how is Jesus the Son of God then? What does that mean? That Jesus is the Son of God. That's a very simple-sounding sentence, but boy, has it been variously understood and misunderstood, butchered and twisted by many who claim to call on Christ as their Lord, and even as their Savior.

So,.

What exactly does, this is vitally important for us to understand. What does it mean? Was there a time when the Son was not, as the ancient Aryans used to teach, that the Son was not eternal, but created by God the Father, and, and as the not-so-ancient Jehovah's Witnesses now teach.

Right?

What, what about that? Is that what that means? That Jesus was the Son of God in the sense of being created? I have a quote here from Arius's own work called the Thalia. It's, it's a Greek for banquet.

It's a theological and poetic treatise. He, Arius was a very charismatic leader. He was a, he was a presbyter. He was an elder, and he was very charismatic. He, he wrote very catchy phrases. There was a time when the Son was not, and people caught on to that, like, spread like wildfire, and not in a good way, as we will see.

He says in that treatise, he, God the Father, who is without beginning, made the Son, a beginning of created things.

He,.

He produced him, he produced him as a son for himself by begetting him. He, the Son, has none of the distinct characteristics of God's own being, none of them. For he is not equal to, nor is he of the same being as the Father.

Okay? Whoa, so you will see, this is, we keep that in mind, keep that in mind, as we continue to plow through this. Now, okay, so that's Arius. He was from the 300s. He wrote that, he wrote these words in, like, 322, 323 AD.

Note that date, too. When was the Council of Nicaea? 325, right? So this was right around that time. Now, the official, what about Jehovah's Witnesses? The official website of Jehovah's Witnesses, it's right there in their page.

The Watchtower Bible and Tract Society, okay? They have a Q &A section on their website, and this is what it says. Do Jehovah's Witnesses believe in Jesus? Do they believe in Jesus? You might even say that he, that he is the Son of God.

What's their answer? Yes. Yes, we believe in Jesus, and they go on to say that, yeah, he, we believe he's the King of Heaven, and this, that, and the other. However, that last sentence, however, we take Jesus at his word when he said, the Father is greater than I am, in John 14, 28.

So, we do not worship Jesus, and.

As.

We do not believe that he is Almighty God, that he is not, he's not Jehovah. They don't believe that he is God,.

Right?

Wow, and on that web page, there's a picture of Jesus on a, on a stake, with his hands tied upwards. They don't believe he was crucified.

So,.

Okay, is that what that means, that Jesus is the Son of God? That he is not God? Because he was begotten, or the firstborn of creation? Is that what those words mean in Scripture?

So,.

Many false religions abuse that verse. Verses like that, the Father is greater than I am. But again, greater in what sense? What was Jesus talking about? What was he referring to? Was he referring to his incarnation, as opposed to his, his, his essence?

What about taking Jesus at all his words, right? Not just one or two here and there. What about taking Jesus at all his words, his actual words at that? You know, I was gonna save the rebuttal for the end, but I just can't, I can't let this one slide.

I'm sorry. His, because they also have their own translation, right? The New World Translation, and I think that is, that Bible translation is a misnomer. It's not a translation. It's a propaganda piece, designed to take out the divinity of Christ.

And the divinity of Christ is so prominent throughout Scripture, that even they couldn't take out all of it. You can use their own Bible against them, and I'm going to quote some of the verses that, where that's applicable.

But what about the actual words of Christ? All of his words, not just one or two, taken out of context, by heretics. What about the disciples in Matthew 28, 17? When they saw Jesus, they, they did what?

They worshipped him. They worshipped him, but some doubted,.

Right?

Okay, so note here, those who doubted did not worship Jesus. Were they commended? No, they doubted. They did not believe in Jesus, and therefore did not worship him, but instead they doubted. Those who believed in Jesus worshipped him.

So how can Jehovah's Witnesses say that they believe in Jesus, but they don't worship him? That's a direct contradiction to the Gospels, and to Christ's own words. All of his words, rightly understood, right?

I'm going to include the links here. When they come knocking at your door, they've been coming on. They came a few times at our home, not too long ago, but I want to encourage you to take a look at this, because this is right here.

You can show them very clearly. Look, this is what your website says, the official page, and look at what the Bible says. I haven't checked these verses in their version. They probably twist them up, but it's very clear here, and.

So.

Those who doubted did not worship Jesus. They did not believe him. What about also when Jesus heard that the Pharisees had put the blind man out in John 9 35 to 39? They had put the blind man out, and after finding him, he said, Jesus said, do you believe in the Son of Man?

Okay, so another exactly the same question. He answered and said, the blind man said, who is he, Lord, that I may believe in him? Jesus said to him, you have both seen him, and he is the one who is talking with you.

Can you imagine that?

And.

He said, the blind man said, Lord, I believe, and he did what? He worshipped him. He worshipped him. Capital H, Jesus. He worshipped him, and Jesus said, for judgment I came into this world. For judgment?

So who is this Jesus? A judge? A judge of the earth, of the world? So that those who do not see may see, and that those who see may become blind. Become blind.

Wow.

By the way, that verse ties directly to what I preached last time about God not intending to save everyone. Right? He deliberately blinds some. He gives sight to some, and he blinds others like the Pharisees who claim to see, and therefore you are in your sin.

That's what he told him after this passage. But okay, doesn't this mean then that if you do not worship Jesus, then you do not actually believe in him? Because that's what it says. Lord, I believe, and he worshipped him.

And Jesus didn't correct him. Jesus accepted their worship because he is God. Okay? Man, this is powerful stuff. I really encourage you to use this in your interactions with Jehovah's Witnesses. Now, or, okay, so that's one set of views.

Or, was Jesus the physical offspring of God the Father and Mary, like the Mormons teach? Contrary to the virgin birth. Okay? They deny the virgin birth. They may try to claim that they affirm it, but they deny it.

Their teaching denies it. So do their founders. Is Jesus the only begotten of the Father in the flesh? That's what they teach. The Father in the flesh, in his own body. Because God the Father also has a physical body.

So, and just so you, they will deny this today. Many will deny this, Mormons. But out of, straight from the horse's mouth, the words of Joseph Fielding Smith, the very founder of Mormonism. What did he have to say?

He said, Christ is not begotten of the Holy Ghost. I firmly believe that Jesus Christ is the only begotten Son of God in the flesh. Son of God the Father in the flesh. He taught this doctrine to his disciples.

He did not teach them that he was the Son of God, Son of the Holy Ghost, but the Son of the Father. Christ was begotten of God. He was not born without the aid of man, and that man was God, the Father.

Okay? So Mary, apparently, at some point in her life, committed adultery or fornication with God the Father, had Jesus, and also had,.

Well,.

In the Mormon theology, God the Father Elohim had a bunch of wives. So Jesus is actually the brother of Lucifer, too. Lucifer is also a son of Elohim. So like, is that what it means that Jesus was a Son of God?

That he was the physical offspring of Elohim the Father, God, and Mary.

Okay.

Okay, so it's hard to even say this, okay? But bear with me. Or, does it mean that Jesus Christ, that Jesus Christ is the eternal, divine Son of God the Father? Like Athanasius taught against Arius, right?

And the early Christian Church affirmed in the major creeds of the early church. Speaking of which, here's a quote from the Nicene Creed. The Creed of Nicaea that came out of the Council of Nicaea in 325 AD.

Shortly after, Arius started spouting his heresies. You know, I was trying to save the whole drama, and I it's just too hard to, it's too hard to not say something to, it is just such horrid blasphemy and heresy to say what these false religions say.

So what does the Nicene Creed say? I believe in one Lord Jesus Christ, the only begotten Son of God, begotten of the Father before all worlds, all aeons, God of God, Light of Light, very God of very God, begotten, not made, not made, not created, being of one substance, rather the better word is essence, being of one essence with the Father.

Homoousion, remember that word? Homoousion, homo-same, oousion, essence, oousia. That's the word that, which we get the word essence from, oousia. One essence with the Father, the same nature as the Father, directly opposed to what Arius taught.

Know that he, that he was not in any way like the Father, that he was distinct from the Father and not like him, but of a different essence from the Father, right? He was, and he had a beginning because there was a time when the Son was not.

So obviously the Nicene Creed and many of these creeds were designed, they were written to explicitly refute heresy back in that time. And Lord knows we need to keep doing that today. There is an absolute vital need for creeds, confessions, and catechisms for the health of the church, and for the drawing of lines, like Jesus often did, and the Apostles often did, to draw the line between truth and error.

And frequently that requires using extra biblical language because the heretics are sly, they're deceptive, they use the same words. Arius taught that Jesus is the Son of God. Mormons will teach that Jesus is the Son of God.

Jehovah's Witnesses will teach that Jesus is the Son of God, but what do they mean by it? They mean something completely opposed to what Jesus himself taught and what the Bible itself teaches.

So,.

Not made, being of one essence with the Father, by whom all things were made, all things,.

All things.

Therefore, he wasn't created because he made all things with the Father and the Spirit, who for us men and for our salvation came down from heaven, came down like 1st John 5 6 says, and was incarnated by the Holy Ghost of the Virgin Mary and was made man, right?

Became flesh and dwelt among us.

So,.

There's all these opinions, right, about Jesus and my next, this brings me to my next public service announcement. What you believe about Jesus Christ has eternal consequences. I've stated this many times before.

What you believe about Jesus Christ is the difference, could be the difference between eternal life and eternal damnation, eternal death. That's why it is so important. That's why there's so much controversy, controversy surrounding who Jesus is and what he did, who he is and what he did, what he came to do.

Did he actually die on the cross? That's what verse 6 talks about. We'll deal with that next week, Lord's willing. Or did only appear to die. Now, so there's eternal consequences at stake here and okay, so we heard these views.

What sayeth the scripture then? What does the scripture say and speak regarding this all-important matter? I'm going to take a small sample of verses that I want to go through together today. As we exercise the analogies of faith and of scripture, to bring the dots together of scripture and draw out what the Bible says regarding this matter.

I want to begin with John chapter 1 verse 18. John chapter 1 verse 18, the gospel of John chapter 1 verse 18. I want to emphasize again, it may seem like I'm quoting several passages, but this is just a small sample of everything that scripture expounds or deals with regarding Jesus.

And even as Jesus is son of God, John chapter, the gospel of John chapter 1 verse 18. No one has seen God at any time. The only begotten God, the only begotten God, who is in the bosom of the Father. He has explained Him.

He has revealed Him. He has explained Him. He has exegeted Him. That's where we get the word exegesis. He has revealed Him to us, the only begotten God. Okay, wait a minute, begotten God? How can God be begotten if like Arius taught, that must mean He had a beginning.

So then He's not God. No, but this says the only begotten God. Begotten God. Okay, so biblically speaking, the word begotten does not always mean you had a beginning, an origin. Because here, the only begotten God, who is in the bosom of the Father, who is also God, He has explained Him.

Wow. That's just one verse, y 'all. I'm just getting started, and we're already starting to tear down these strongholds of false teaching. Now, Matthew 16, 13. Let's go over there. Matthew 16, 13. I should have started with this, but I couldn't help myself.

The Gospel of Matthew, chapter 16, verse 13. This is a very important passage in the ministry of Christ on earth, and as disciples. The Gospel of Matthew, chapter 16, verse, chapter 16, verse 13. Now, when Jesus came into the district of Caesarea Philippi, He was asking His disciples, saying, who do people say that the Son of Man is?

Okay, so direct question there. Who is He? Who is the Son of Man? That's a messianic title. And they said, some say John the Baptist, and others, Elijah. But still others, Jeremiah, or one of the prophets.

He said to them, Jesus said to them, but who do you say that I am? And Simon Peter answered and said, you are the Christ, the Son of the Living God. You are the Christ, the Son of the Living God. And Jesus answered and said to him, blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah, son of Jonah, because flesh and blood did not reveal this to you, but my Father who is in heaven.

And God's people said, Amen. Wow, so there you see one. That's why I said earlier, faith is a gift of God. It doesn't come from us, not by the will of man, or the will of, it doesn't come by the flesh, or the will of man, but by God and His will, and whoever He chooses to save and reveal Himself to.

My Father who is in heaven has revealed. Now, what did Peter say? What did he say? You are the Christ, the Son of the Living God. Peter, here, supernaturally, amazingly, beautifully, sumerily, comprehends the central focus of Scripture in its entirety, and of the Gospel.

The entire thing, in one simple sentence, that Jesus is the Christ, the Messiah, the Promised One, the Son of the Living God. That sums up, in so many ways, sums up the entire matter. In one sentence, Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the Living God.

These are the same titles of Jesus that the Apostle John emphasizes in his own letter, that we read in 5 .1 and 5 .5, right? And several other places. It's emphasized throughout the entirety of the New Testament, and in several aspects of the Old Testament as well.

Not as clearly, but still, nonetheless, very much there. The Messiah.

Wow.

That is something to soak in, beloved. Now, turn with me to the Gospel of John, chapter 5. The Gospel of John, chapter 5. So here, we're seeing, while you're turning there, this passage in Matthew, we see the similar context to our day today.

It's probably worse today now. There's probably, there's so many more opinions about who Jesus is. So many wrong opinions. There's only one true opinion, true view of who Christ really is, and that is what God Himself taught and showed us in His Word.

But there were people who said this, people who said that. Just like I showed you the Mormons, Jehovah's Witnesses, Arius, all these folks. Contradictory opinions that are not according to God's Word.

Rightly understood, according to the analogies of Scripture and of faith, because God does not contradict Himself. He cannot. He is the God of truth. He cannot lie.

So,.

Now in the Gospel of John, chapter 5, verse 17. This is a very important passage, beloved. Very important passage. We should seek to memorize this passage, in fact. But He, Jesus, answered them, the Jews, My Father is working until now, and I Myself am working.

For this reason, therefore, the Jews were seeking all the more to kill Him. Why? Why? Because He not only was breaking the Sabbath, according to them, but was also calling God His own Father. Meaning what?

Making Himself equal with.

God.

Making Himself equal with God. Therefore, Jesus answered and was saying to them, Truly, truly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing from Himself, unless it is something He sees the Father doing. They have one will.

One will. That's the doctrine of the Trinity. For whatever the Father does, these things the Son also does in the same manner. So, He's not denying what they are, what they are seeing Jesus teaching. He's not denying it.

He's affirming it. The Father, what the Father does, the Son does in the same manner. How can He do something in the same manner, unless He is the same nature as the Father? If the Father creates and Jesus creates in the same manner, what does that mean?

It can only mean one thing. He is equal with God. For the Father loves the Son, verse 20, and shows Him all things that He Himself is doing. And the Father will show Him greater works than these, so that you will marvel.

For just as the Father raises the dead and gives them life, even so the Son also gives life to whom He wishes. For not even the Father judges anyone, but He has given all judgment to the Son, so that all will honor the Son, even as they honor the Father Himself.

He who does not honor the Son does not honor the Father who sent Him. So not only does the Son receive the same honor as the Father, but He who does not honor the Son does not honor the Father either.

Who sent Him? Who sent Him to come down and tabernacle among us in the flesh, incarnated. Truly, truly, I say to you, He who hears My word and believes Him who sent Me has eternal life and does not come into judgment, but has passed out of death into eternal life.

Amen, beloved. Now, okay. So now we're getting a fuller picture of what the Bible very clearly teaches us. So, you know, I recently listened to this debate by a Unitarian. Unitarians don't believe in the Trinity and it was a debate between Dale Tuggy and James White and he kept saying that the Jews thought that Jesus was calling Himself, making Himself equal with God because He was calling Himself the Son of God and and the Unitarian was saying, well, no, that's because the Jews misunderstood what Jesus taught.

It's like, no, they didn't. Jesus said, before Abraham was, I am.

Yahweh.

And here, He says, if the same manner that the Son does things, the Father does them also. The same honor, the same everything, making Himself equal with God. And that, by the way, beloved, that verse is still in the Jehovah's Witness translation, mistranslation, the New World Translation.

You can quote this verse right there and it says that Jesus was making Himself equal with God. So I guess you forgot to take that part out of your Bible. Equal with God. So what it means that Jesus is the Son of God then, in part, means that Jesus is equal with God and therefore God.

Like John 1, in many other countless places, the only begotten God has revealed Him, the Father, because He is the unique, one-of-a-kind Son of God, the Father. Like Father, like Son, same usia, homo usian, same nature, same essence, like no one else's.

That's what the word monogamous means. Begotten. When it's referring to Christ, it is begotten, not made, like the Nicene Creed teaches. Doesn't mean He had a beginning. It doesn't mean He had a beginning.

It means that He is eternally begotten.

Of.

God.

He is the eternal Son because He has the same essence as the Father and the Father doesn't have a beginning.

So.

Amazing truth from God's Word. When you rightly understand and bring it together, this is what the Bible is teaching us. Similarly, in John 19 7, the Jews answered Him, we have a law and by that law He ought to die.

Jesus ought to die because He made Himself out to be the Son of God. So it was commonly understood in Jewish theology according to the scriptures, the Tanakh, that claiming to be the Son of God makes you eternal.

Equal with God because when you are the son of someone, you have the same nature that they do. You are like them. That's why the phrase comes from, like father like son. Not in a human sense, but similar.

It's analogous. This is why the Gospel of John is also a great place to start reading the Bible and to refute other cults and false religions with. These are very powerful verses against these door-knocking cults that come our way.

Like the Mormons, Jehovah's Witnesses, and the like. There's really nothing new under the sun. That's why it's so important to know church history as well. Because what Jehovah's Witnesses taught is very similar to what the Aryans taught.

In fact, in some ways the Aryans had a more conservative view than the Mormons do. Because they believe that we all become gods or good Mormons eventually become their own gods. Many will deny that, but Joseph Smith preached a sermon called On the Plurality of Gods.

So they're polytheistic, which is completely contrary to God's Word. There is only one God and his name is the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost. Those three are one. One essence, three Hupostasis. Substances.

There's three of them, but they are one. In essence, in will, in authority, and so on. Specifically with respect to Jesus as the Son of God. Jesus Himself, Jesus Christ, is the same yesterday, today, and forever.

Yesterday, and today, and forever.

Why?

Because He's eternal. He's eternal. Do not be carried away. Do not be carried away by varied and strange teachings, much like the ones we just heard. And even the ones back then. That find their way to our day.

By varied and strange teachings, for it is good for the heart to be strengthened by grace. I love that verse. It is good to the heart to be strengthened by grace. Not by foods, through which those who were so occupied were not benefited.

According to Hebrews 13, verses 8 through 9. Strengthened by grace. Our great God and Savior, Jesus, is the Christ. The Christ. The one and only Christ. The Son of God. The unique Lee, the God and Son of God.

Is of the same essence. Same power. Same reign. Same authority as the Father Himself. Same will. Same God. Same Godhood. The fullness of the deity of the Godhead dwells in who bodily? In Jesus Christ, Himself, according to Colossians.

Not only that, beloved, okay? Not only that, as amazing as all of this is, but This really opened my eyes to something I hadn't noticed before, but one of, quite in this way, but one of the primary subjects, one of the primary subjects of the Apostle John's first letter, the entire letter, is Jesus.

Particularly, Jesus as the Christ and Son of God. In that particular sense, senses, this letter begins and ends with Christ and every chapter reveals and expounds, exegetes Christ to us, okay? I want to, I want to do a drive-by, a little recap of this letter, a survey of this letter of many of the verses that deal with Jesus as Christ and Son of God.

Okay, because it is literally in the entire letter. Starting with chapter 1. What we have seen and heard we proclaim to you also, so that you may also have fellowship with us. And indeed our fellowship is with the Father and with His Son, Jesus Christ.

But if we walk in the light as He Himself is in the light, we have fellowship with one another. And the blood of Jesus, His Son, cleanses us from all.

Sin.

Chapter 2. Who is the liar but the one who denies that Jesus is the Christ? This is the Antichrist, the one who denies the Father and the Son. Just like Jesus said, if you do not honor me, you do not honor the Father either.