Whosoever shall confess that Jesus is the Son of God,
God dwelleth in him, and he in God. And
we have known and believed the love that
God hath for us. God is love; and he that
dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and
God in him. Herein is our love made perfect,
that we may have boldness in the
day of judgment: because as He is,
so are we in this world. There is no fear in love;
but perfect love casteth out fear:
because fear hath torment. He that
feareth is not made perfect in love.
We love Him, because He first loved us.
1John 4:15-19
Love: this is the theme of First John, in fact it is the theme that John carries throughout all his writings. Here in this letter love is carried out to its fullest meaning. While love is at the top of the list it is not the top for John the top is who is this man Jesus. Many Churches and religion who claim to be Christian say and agree that Jesus is the Son of God: all cannot be right as there are as many differences about the Son of God as there are so-called Christian organizations. The Mormons say and teach that Jesus is the Son of God, so do the Jehovah Witness, the Christian Scientists, the Seventh Day Adventist, the World-wide Church of God, the Baptist, the Methodists, the Presbyterians, the Calvary Churches....etc... so and so on. So what is John teaching us when he says that we must confess that Jesus is the Son of God. The Greek word is derived from two Greek words that mean the "same," and the "word(s)." This Greek word carries the meaning to speak the same thing, or to assent, to confess but there is more to the meaning of this word. To confess by way of admitting oneself guilty of what one is accused of, the result of inward conviction: "If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness" (1John 1:9). To confess according to this Greek word is also to declare openly by way of speaking out freely, such confession being the effect of deep conviction of facts: (Matthew 7:23, 10:32, and Luke 12:8: John 9:22; 12:42; Acts 23:8; Romans 10:9-10). We are as Authentic Christians to be willing to speak openly about our faith in Jesus Christ. Some Churches denounce or denigrate in some way those Churches that have an altar call where people come forward to show that they have accepted Jesus Christ as Savior. Is this not an open confession? Is this not following the Greek meaning to confess whereby a person openly shows those present then and to others later that they know for a fact that they are guilty of what the Bible accuses them of and that inward conviction of their sin(s). This may not be the modus operandi of your Church but sometime, somewhere you must openly confess your faith, that is if your faith is Authentic. Luke reminds us: "Also I say unto you, Whosoever shall confess me before men, him shall the Son of Man also confess before the angels of God: but he that denieth me before men shall be denied before the angels of God" (Luke 12:8-9). Authentic Christianity is seen by all who are the real Christians and that are being identified in thought or language as to whom they believe, they are confessing allegiance to Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. Our salvation, our conversion to Jesus Christ is not to be some silent inward, quiet belief: it is to be loud, spoken to all, lived according to His word and to have the right and true belief in who Jesus Christ is for He is not only our Savior, He is what John so clearly writes as to who He is: "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by Him; and without Him was not anything made that was made" (John 1:1-3). Here lies the truth as to who Jesus Christ, to whom we make our allegiance, and to to whom we make our confession. Jesus is God. PERIOD! Jehovah Witnesses make Jesus to be an angel, so do the Mormons, others make Jesus to be a spirit, a ghost, or some other being, but they do not confess that Jesus is the Son of God, the Second Person of the Trinity. Read John again: "All things were made by Him: and without Him was not anything made that was made" (John 1:3). If nothing that was made could only be made by Him and through Him then how did Jesus be made? He wasn't1 John 1:1 tells clearly that Jesus is God. When God says that He dwelleth in You, this includes Jesus and the Holy Spirit. In you resides, abides, dwelleth God, that is, if you are true to what God has declared and revealed about Himself. If this is true of you and you have not succumbed to the false teaching(s) about Jesus Christ you can have boldness when you are in front of the throne of God and your life is being revealed.
This is all possible, no fear, boldness, and salvation because God first loved you and now in return for His great and unsurpassing love, you love Him.
As righteoussness tendeth to life:
so he that pursueth evil persueth
it to his own death.
Proverbs 11:19
Who or what is the object of your love?
Richard L. Crumb
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