Confidence (4) - November 5, 2023 - Is JESUS the Only Way to GOD? 1 John 5:1-13 -

 Confidence (4) – November 5, 2023 – Is JESUS The Only Way to GOD?

This is lesson four (4) in our series entitled “Confidence in the Face of Hard Questions.”

Our focus scripture is 1 John 5:1-13.

Because JESUS is the Son of GOD, HE is the only ONE Who can bring us to GOD. Why? Because JESUS is the only acceptable sinless sacrifice that GOD accepts to pay, in full, the penalty for sin.

The key is that the GOD of our Bible, Old and New Testament, is the same GOD, WHO introduced Himself to Moses in Exodus 3:14:

And God said to Moses, “I AM WHO I AM.” And He said, “Thus you shall say to the children of Israel, ‘I AM has sent me to you.’”

 I AM was later written as YAWEH or Adonai. Yet, the same GOD, New and Old Testament.

In Revelation 22:13” I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End, the First and the Last.”

YAHEW or I AM sent HIS only SON to earth to be born of a virgin, Mary.

What did JESUS tell HIS disciples in John 14:1-11:

The Way to the Father

14:1: “Don’t let your heart be troubled. Believe^[a] in God; believe also in me (JESUS). ² In my Father’s house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I am going to prepare a place for you? ³ If I go away and prepare a place for you, I will come again and take you to myself, so that where I am you may be also. ⁴ You know the way to where I am going.”^[b]

Trust is a key factor. Trust equals faith. Is there enough evidence to confirm JESUS as the promised Messiah? There are historical facts but the greatest of all is the indwelling Holy Spirit, WHO confirms and is a Spirit-born believers Guarantee. Do you have this witness and guarantee within? If not confess it to JESUS and ask HIM why you do not have the witness of the Holy Spirit.

The groom prepares the place where HE and the bride (the church made up of both Spirit-born men and women) will live eternally. JESUS is excited that one day the church, those born-again/Spirit-born will become, in essence, HIS bride. It is very hard for us men to think about being a bride but it is the greatest honor GOD will bestow upon all Spirit-born people. JESUS takes the church out of earth and GOD, JESUS and all Spirit-born will be in a banquet while chaos is taking place upon earth. Listen for the midnight cry, “The Bride Groom is coming.”

⁵ “Lord,” Thomas said, “we don’t know where you’re going. How can we know the way?” (Honest statement and that is what GOD/JESUS desires from each of us.)

⁶ Jesus told him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. ⁷ If you know me, you will also know^[c] my Father. From now on you do know him and have seen him.”

JESUS is GOD’S only redemptive plan, from before the foundation of the earth. JESUS is GOD’S only begotten SON. JESUS willingly came to earth to be born a human; live as a human, subject to sin, subject to death, give HIS sinless life to pay, in full, for the sins of mankind, including the original sin of Adam and Eve. All who place their faith in JESUS, will be Spiritually born into GOD’S eternal family, never to be unborn. Once a person is Spirit born, he/she is never unborn but the person can lose their Heavenly rewards.

Jesus Reveals the Father

⁸ “Lord,” said Philip, “show us the Father, and that’s enough for us.”

Isn’t this a question all humans desire to be answered? All a person has to do is to look around and he/she can see GOD’S handiwork. Yes, Satan is working to get people to focus on the bad things going on upon earth. As Spirit-born people, we must keep our focus upon GOD/JESUS.

⁹ Jesus said to him, “Have I been among you all this time and you do not know me, Philip? The one who has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’? ¹⁰ Don’t you believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me? The words I speak to you I do not speak on my own. The Father who lives in me does his works. ¹¹ Believe me that I am in the Father and the Father is in me. Otherwise, believe^[d] because of the works themselves.

JESUS told HIS disciples to look at what I am doing – healing the blind, the lame, raising up the dead, curing the sick and lame, walking upon water, feeding 5,000 with little food with baskets left over, casting out demons just to name a few things to consider.

Dr. Henry Blackaby in his study on “Experiencing GOD,” challenges those having the desire to experience GOD, to look around to see where GOD is working and then join HIM in that work. When we see and experience the work of GOD, GOD becomes more real to those who have been born-again in their spirit.

JESUS’ disciples were face to face with JESUS. GOD was manifested in and through JESUS. Yet, they were still searching for their version of the promised Messiah.

Often, our preconceived notions prevent us from seeing and embracing GOD/JESUS. If this is your situation, reveal it to JESUS and ask HIM to help your unbelief.

As Spirit-born people, we can approach GOD through our faith in JESUS 24/7 and call HIM, FATHER/DADDY. WOW! What a heritage that GOD has given to us. Do you believe it?

Residing within each and every Spirit-born person is GOD, our FATHER, GOD, The SON and GOD, The Holy Spirit. Let’s read what JESUS told Nicodemus, a leader and member of the Jewish Sanhedrin in John 3:1-3:

3 There was a man from the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews. ² This man came to him at night and said, “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher who has come from God, for no one could perform these signs you do unless God were with him.”

³ Jesus replied, “Truly I tell you, unless someone is born again,^[a] he cannot see the kingdom of God.”

A person must be born-again before he/she can begin to see or experience the Kingdom of GOD. Like a new born, we must be fed the milk of GOD’S Word and as we grow Spiritually, we can be fed the meat of GOD’S Word. What is your diet – milk or meat? If you get meat too soon, you may get choked. Desire to move up to the meat of GOD’S Word.

Was Nicodemus a brief follower or a faithful follower? What do we read about Nicodemus and Joseph of Arimathea Jewish leader after the death of JESUS? Let’s consider John 19:38-42:

³⁸ After this, Joseph of Arimathea, who was a disciple of Jesus—but secretly because of his fear of the Jews—asked Pilate that he might remove Jesus’s body. Pilate gave him permission; so, he came and took his body away. ³⁹ Nicodemus (who had previously come to him at night) also came, bringing a mixture of about seventy-five pounds^[j] of myrrh and aloes. ⁴⁰ They took Jesus’s body and wrapped it in linen cloths with the fragrant spices, according to the burial custom of the Jews. ⁴¹ There was a garden in the place where he was crucified. A new tomb was in the garden; no one had yet been placed in it. ⁴² They placed Jesus there because of the Jewish day of preparation and since the tomb was nearby.

Who was Joseph of Arimathea? Let’s read Matthew 27:57: When it was evening, a rich man from Arimathea named Joseph came, who himself had also become a disciple of Jesus.

In Mark 15:43:
Joseph of Arimathea, a prominent member of the Sanhedrin who was himself looking forward to the kingdom of God, came and boldly went to Pilate and asked for Jesus’s body.

So, Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus took the dead body of JESUS and buried HIM. Some Bible scholars speculate that since Joseph of Arimathea was a rich man, the tomb in the Garden belonged to him.

What we just read was important to me when I was searching for truth but likely it was what the natural born brothers of JESUS did before and after the resurrection of JESUS that helped me to see truth.

In John 7:1-9, we read:

After this, Jesus traveled in Galilee, since he did not want to travel in Judea because the Jews were trying to kill him. ² The Jewish Festival of Shelters^[a] was near. ³ So his brothers said to him, “Leave here and go to Judea so that your disciples can see your works that you are doing. ⁴ For no one does anything in secret while he’s seeking public recognition. If you do these things, show yourself to the world.” ⁵ (For not even his brothers believed in him.)

⁶ Jesus told them, “My time has not yet arrived, but your time is always at hand. ⁷ The world cannot hate you, but it does hate me because I testify about it—that its works are evil. ⁸ Go up to the festival yourselves. I’m not going up to this festival,^[b] because my time has not yet fully come.” ⁹ After he had said these things, he stayed in Galilee.

JESUS was crucified, died, buried and resurrected from the physically dead, according to GOD’S plan and schedule, to fulfil and complete all that had been prophesied in the Bible about HIM. What impact did this have on JESUS’ brothers?

Let’s read Acts 1:1-14:

Prologue

1 I wrote the first narrative, Theophilus, about all that Jesus began to do and teach ² until the day he was taken up, after he had given instructions through the Holy Spirit to the apostles he had chosen. ³ After he had suffered, he also presented himself alive to them by many convincing proofs, appearing to them over a period of forty days and speaking about the kingdom of God.

The Holy Spirit Promised

⁴ While he was^[a] with them, he commanded them not to leave Jerusalem, but to wait for the Father’s promise. “Which,” he said, “you have heard me speak about; ⁵ for John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit in a few days.”

⁶ So when they had come together, they asked him, “Lord, are you restoring the kingdom to Israel at this time?”

⁷ He said to them, “It is not for you to know times or periods that the Father has set by his own authority. ⁸ But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come on you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”

The Ascension

⁹ After he had said this, he was taken up as they were watching, and a cloud took him out of their sight. ¹⁰ While he was going, they were gazing into heaven, and suddenly two men in white clothes stood by them. ¹¹ They said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking up into heaven? This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come in the same way that you have seen him going into heaven.”

United in Prayer

¹² Then they returned to Jerusalem from the Mount of Olives, which is near Jerusalem—a Sabbath day’s journey away. ¹³ When they arrived, they went to the room upstairs where they were staying: Peter, John, James, Andrew, Philip, Thomas, Bartholomew, Matthew, James the son of Alphaeus, Simon the Zealot, and Judas the son of James. ¹⁴ They all were continually united in prayer,^[b] along with the women, including Mary the mother of Jesus, and his brothers.

WOW!!! The burial and resurrection made a vast impact on the natural brothers of JESUS. James the brother of JESUS became the head of the Christian church in Jerusalem.

Have you placed your faith in JESUS by asking HIM to forgive you for your sins and for HIM to come into your life? If not, why not now and become a born-again/Spirit-born believer in JESUS and receive eternal life!

This is the most important decision you will ever make. It is eternal. If you have asked JESUS to forgive you and come into your heart years ago but have not been living for HIM, confess your sins and ask JESUS to give you a restart on living the Christian life.

Do you recall the parable of the Prodigal son. Our Heavenly Father’s arms are always open to receive all who decide to return back home.

What does a Spirit-born person know?

Second Corinthians 5:1-10: For we know that if the earthly tent (human body or earth suit) we live in is destroyed, we have a building from God, an eternal house in heaven, not built by human hands. ² Meanwhile we groan, longing to be clothed instead with our heavenly dwelling, ³ because when we are clothed, we will not be found naked. ⁴ For while we are in this tent (human body), we groan and are burdened, because we do not wish to be unclothed but to be clothed instead with our heavenly dwelling, so that what is mortal may be swallowed up by life (eternal life). ⁵ Now the one who has fashioned us for this very purpose is God, who has given us the Spirit as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come.

⁶ Therefore we are always confident and know that as long as we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord. ⁷ For we live by faith, not by sight. ⁸ We are confident, I say, and would prefer to be away from the body and at home with the Lord. ⁹ So we make it our goal to please him, whether we are at home in the body or away from it. ¹⁰ For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each of us may receive what is due us for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad.

1 John 5:1-13:

5 Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ has been born of God, and everyone who loves the Father^[a] also loves the one born of him (JESUS). ² This is how we know that we love God’s children: when we love God and obey^[b] his commands. ³ For this is what love for God is: to keep his commands. And his commands are not a burden, ⁴ because everyone who has been born of God conquers the world. This is the victory that has conquered the world: our faith.

The Certainty of God’s Testimony

⁵ Who is the one who conquers the world but the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God? 

What does the world offer humans? Death and Hell! What does GOD offer to those in the world – salvation through faith in JESUS, through the forgiveness of sin and being given the Holy Spirit to those born-again as their guarantee of eternal life.

Is JESUS the only way to GOD and eternal life in Heaven?

Let’s read 1 John 5:6-10:

⁶ Jesus Christ—he is the one who came by water and blood, not by water only, but by water and by blood. And the Spirit is the one who testifies, because the Spirit is the truth. ⁷ For there are three that testify:^[c] 8 the Spirit, the water, and the blood—and these three are in agreement. ⁹ If we accept human testimony, God’s testimony is greater, because it is God’s testimony that he has given about his Son. ¹⁰ The one who believes in the Son of God has this testimony within himself. The one who does not believe God has made him a liar, because he has not believed in the testimony God has given about his Son. 

JESUS was 100% human, yet GOD. JESUS was born by natural birth as all humans. Blood flowed through HIS veins. HE was subject to death. If HE pricked HIS finger, HE bled. HE lived a sinless life so that HE would be the perfect acceptable sacrifice for all sin.

The three witnesses for JESUS being GOD’S Only SON is the Spirit, the water and the blood.

When JESUS began HIS earthly ministry, HIS cousin, John the Baptist was preaching in the wilderness as recorded in Matthew 3:13-16:

¹³ Then Jesus came from Galilee to John at the Jordan to be baptized by him. ¹⁴ And John tried to prevent Him, saying, “I need to be baptized by You, and are You coming to me?” John the Baptist knew exactly who JESUS was. (Besides being JESUS’ cousin, HE was the promised Messiah,)

¹⁵ But Jesus answered and said to him, “Permit it to be so now, for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness.” Then he allowed Him.

The witness of the Spirit of GOD - the Spirit, the water, and the blood—and these three are in agreement. 

¹⁶ When He had been baptized, Jesus came up immediately from the water; and behold, the heavens were opened to Him, and ^[b]He saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting upon Him. ¹⁷ And suddenly a voice came from heaven, saying, “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.”

This scripture refers to the Spirit and the water. The blood of JESUS is recorded in 1 John 5:6 - The Certainty of God’s Witness:

This is He who came by water and blood—Jesus Christ; not only by water, but by water and blood. And it is the Spirit who bears witness, because the Spirit is truth.

Further witness of the blood is recorded in John 19: ³² So the soldiers came and broke the legs of the first man and of the other one who had been crucified with him. ³³ When they came to Jesus, they did not break his legs since they saw that he was already dead. ³⁴ But one of the soldiers pierced his side with a spear, and at once blood and water came out. ³⁵ He who saw this has testified so that you also may believe. His testimony is true, and he knows he is telling the truth. ³⁶ For these things happened so that the Scripture would be fulfilled: Not one of his bones will be broken.^[h] 37 Also, another Scripture says: They will look at the one they pierced.^[i]

GOD said of JESUS in 1 John 5:11-13:

¹¹ And this is the testimony: God has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. ¹² The one who has the Son has life. The one who does not have the Son of God does not have life. ¹³ I have written these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life.

Blessings!!!