1 John 5:1-6 (NRSV)
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Chapter 5Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ has been born of God, and everyone who loves the parent loves the child. Verse 2By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and obey his commandments. Verse 3For the love of God is this, that we obey his commandments. And his commandments are not burdensome, Verse 4for whatever is born of God conquers the world. And this is the victory that conquers the world, our faith. Verse 5Who is it that conquers the world but the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?
Verse 6This is the one who came by water and blood, Jesus Christ, not with the water only but with the water and the blood. And the Spirit is the one that testifies, for the Spirit is the truth.
Devotion
Will the real Jesus please stand up? It isn't just scholars who want to know. Even people of other religions are interested in who Jesus was and what he did. A recent book suggests he and Mary Magdalene had children.
The early church carefully sifted out and canonized as scripture only the reliable accounts. Yet recent skeptics would like us to accent Jesus’ humanity and discount New Testament claims that he was more. But a Jesus who was not Son of God and Messiah is of very little help or use. Any other Jesus cannot fulfill our need for eternal life, for the Holy Spirit's guidance or for personal presence with us when the world has done its worst. Thank God the New Testament tells us of a big Jesus who was up to the task of being Savior of the world. We can trust such a one to be able even to make obedient children of God of us rebels.
Prayer
Lord, we trust you to be what the Bible says you are. We need all the help we can get. Amen.