But what does that mean? By Kai Mester

"Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him, and he in God." (1 John 4,15:XNUMX) How is this verse to be understood? Don't countless people confess that Jesus is the Son of God? Doesn't everyone who calls himself a Christian do that? Then the world could be saved simply by everyone agreeing to this belief: »Jesus is the Son of God.« Then everyone who doesn't say it with their lips would also be lost.

We want the author of this statement to explain that to us in a little more detail. Dear John, even though you are in the grave and cannot hear us, what kind of people are these who profess that Jesus is the Son of God?

"Whoever abides in him [the Father] sins not." (1 John 3,6:1) "Whoever keeps his [God's] commandments abides in him, and he in him." (3,24 John 1:2,17) »But whoever does the will of God remains forever.« (XNUMX John XNUMX:XNUMX)

Interesting! So that means whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God does not sin, keeps God's commandments, does his will. Well, unfortunately, that description doesn't fit most Christians. Most Christians sin quite happily. In some countries around the world it is therefore not at all unusual for a Bible verse or a picture of Jesus to be stuck to the same shop wall or vehicle and next to it a scantily clad woman or a lewd joke. Actually, sin and Christianity have entered into an unholy marriage everywhere: art, music and film are just examples.

So we must be misunderstanding something. Thank you Johannes for bringing this to our attention. The confession of the divine sonship of Jesus cannot be about giving him the right title, name or label. Because otherwise we would all be real Spirit-filled men and women of God. Professing Jesus as God's Son must have a deeper meaning.

Let us read as John continues: “And we have known and believed the love which God has for us. God is love, and whoever abides in love abides in God, and God in him.« (1 John 4,15:XNUMX) Ah, so! To confess Jesus as the Son of God means to recognize love, to believe and to abide in it. But now I'm very confused. What does that have to do with my confession that Jesus is the Son of God? In my eyes, a person who confesses Jesus as God's Son does not automatically become sinless, righteous, or loving. I have simply seen too many Christians who were sinful, disobedient and unloving. To understand what is meant here, we really need help. John, can you help us?

»But this is eternal life, that they recognize you, the only true God, and whom you sent, Jesus Christ.« (John 17,3:16,16) You are right, John, we cannot confess without recognizing. Peter, too, was preceded by knowledge before he formulated his famous confession: »You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.« (Matthew 1:4,2) »And every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh, he is from God.« (XNUMX John XNUMX:XNUMX)

To know Jesus, then, means to know that he is the Messiah, the Son of the living God. I believe we have to get to the bottom of this so that the promise to us can come true: "Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him, and he in God." (1 John 4,15:1) Anyone who confesses this has not only recognized Jesus, but also the Father. For you, John, also said: "Whoever confesses the Son also has the Father." (2,23 John XNUMX:XNUMX)

For me, the key to understanding these verses is the high priestly prayer that Jesus said before he entered the Garden of Gethsemane with his disciples. Thank you Johannes for writing this down for us. There Jesus prays to the Father over us:

“I gave them the glory that you gave me, that they might be one as we are one, I in them and you in me, that they might be perfectly one and that the world might know that you sent me and love them as you love me... And I have made your name known to them and will make it known, so that the love with which you love me may be in them and I in them.« (John 17,22:26-XNUMX)

When we understand the good character of the Father through Jesus, internalize it and thereby become one with one another, then we confess that Jesus is the Son of God, that God anointed him with this character and sent him to us so that we too can be anointed and sent with it.

»As you sent me into the world, so I also sent you into the world.« (John 17,18:19) In this way we can sanctify ourselves for other people as Jesus did for us. “I sanctify myself for them, that they too may be sanctified in truth. I pray for those who will believe in me by their word, that they may all be one...and the world know that you sent me and love them as you love me." (verses 23-XNUMX)

When we understand that the Father loves us as He loves Jesus, fear goes away; then fall the chains that enslave us; then we are freed to fulfill our commission; then God realizes his plan in us and we develop our full potential.

You are invited to come along on this journey!