Confess That Jesus Is The Son of God

Minister:
Date: PM
Text: I John 4:15
Psalters: 128, 69, 249, 383
Confession of Faith
  1. The beautiful confession.
    1. To ?confess? is to say the same thing as another, to agree with (often with the Holy Spirit).
      1. It is to declare openly, to speak out freely about that which one is convinced and which he holds to be true.
      2. Our calling is to confess Jesus before men (Matt. 10:32).
    2. That ?Jesus is the Son of God.?
      1. This is a confessional matter for the Christian church: Nicean, Anthanasian, and Belgic (Articles 9 & 10).
      2. Jews and modern cults deny Jesus being very God.
      3. To say that Jesus is the Son of God is to say that He is God (cf. Caiaphas? reaction, Matt. 26:63).
        1. Confer 5:5,20 along with Romans 9:5 and I Tim. 3:16.
        2. Divine names, attributes, works, and honors are attributed to Jesus.
    3. The significance of His being God.
      1. First, it means that He always is; and that after His incarnation He remained very God (cf. 2).
      2. Further, this explains His ability to bear the full wrath of God for our sins and to deliver us from it completely.
  2. The significance is that ?God dwelleth in him, and he in God.?
    1. The meaning: ?dwell? is to remain or abide, to sojourn and speaks of unbroken fellowship, a constant presence.
    2. Objectively, the ability to obey God?s call to confess that Jesus is the Son of God is because the Spirit dwells in him, enabling you to believe and confess this truth.
    3. Subjectively.
      1. Negatively, if one does not confess Jesus to be Lord, then they are going to be without God in the world.
      2. Positively, Jesus dwells in you (John 6:56; 15:4; I John 3:24; 4:13,16) you are said to dwell or abide in Christ.
      3. And you are in God (this is the same as to know God - 2:3).
        1. It is to have intimate fellowship with Him through Jesus, and thus to be safe and secure in the life of God.
        2. It is to live in Him, for fellowship with the living God is not static, but an active relationship that endures.