“If anyone confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him, and he in God.”

We have had a similar verse like this in this book from John. Chapter four verse two is similar in that it requires us to identify the incarnation and that Christ has come in the flesh.

This verse is different in that it tells us that what we believe about Jesus is of vital importance. It is crucial that we are believing in the true Jesus and not in an idol of our own making! There are many who believe in a God, or a Saviour, who will save them and let them do whatever they like with no change in life or personal holiness. We must have a clear idea of Jesus and who He is and what He has done for us. Jesus is the second person of the trinity and is the eternal Son of God. This means He has always existed with the eternal Father and the eternal Holy Spirit. His presence is all over the text of the Old Testament, and He is promised as the Saviour of the world, right from the beginning of Genesis.

“And I will put enmity between you and the woman, And between your seed and her Seed; He shall bruise your head, And you shall bruise His heel.”

Genesis 3:15

The Messiah of God is identified from the beginning and all through the Scripture text as the One sent from God is save fallen humankind. We have pictures of Him and His work in the sacrifices of the Old Testament law, and in the lives of the patriarchs.

Jesus Christ our Lord is the Creator of the world and has been with the Father sharing in the power and glory from all eternity. Indeed, we have the record of the plan of salvation for fallen human beings right from before the world existed. God was not caught off guard by the fall of His humans, but had an escape plan ready before the world was made.

“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through Him all things were made, and without Him nothing was made that has been made.”

John 1:1-3

“Jesus said to them, “Most certainly, I tell you, before Abraham came into existence, I AM.”

John 8:58

This title “I AM” is reserved for the eternal God. Jesus is telling us who He is, that He is the God man come in the flesh to be our Saviour. John is very clear about Jesus and loves Him and has put his trust in the Lord of all things. John is also an eye witness to the words and deeds of Jesus, the Son of God and has testified to what he has seen in the gospel, in these letters and also the Revelation of Jesus Christ. For us, we must believe in the Holy Scriptures and search them for ourselves to learn about our Lord and God and ensure we worship the true Lord Jesus. Those who see the truth of Scripture and worship Him are abiding in God and God abides in them, and the Spirit witnesses within us that we belong to the true God.