In the first chapter of the Gospel of John verses 1 through 5 we read what, in my opinion, is the best description of Jesus Christ and His commission from God to be found in the Holy Scriptures. As the Word, He was with God and was also a God–One of two Gods in the Godhead, known as Elohim in Hebrew. The Word was the eternal spirit being who had created the universe and supplied it with light and life. Later, He was the God of the Old Testament who dealt directly with the prophets and talked face-to-face with several of them, as well as Adam and Eve. Then later, as Jesus of Nazareth, He was the light and life of mankind Who came unto His own people (the Jews–Israelites that continued to live in the land that God had given them) and His own people rejected Him because of His message. They loved what He did but hated what He said. Nothing has changed. Today the Jews consist of approximately 15,000,000 people, less than half of whom live in what is called Israel today. The other Israelites, numbering in the hundreds of millions, do not inhabit their original Promised Land. To learn about them in today’s world read Who and Where is Israel Today? Key word–Today.

In verse 12 we come to the part of Christ’s commission that involves the whole of mankind. Here we find John writing that “AS MANY as believed in Him to them He gave POWER TO BECOME sons of God, even to them who believe in His name (power).” There are two important Truths brought out in this verse. First and foremost, the main Truth involves FAITH–BELIEVING IN CHRIST’S MESSAGE which He had given to the Old Testament prophets as well as to the New Testament apostles (1 Cor. 10:11). Everything He said revolved around FAITH, which, in simple terms, is taking God at His Word (Rom. 3:17).

Contrary to church opinion, faith cannot save us. As John 1:12 declares, believing in Jesus and His Words (Genesis to Revelation) gives us the power TO BECOME God’s children and heirs of salvation, IF we fulfill the requirements for receiving eternal life. For example, in the parable concerning the five foolish virgins (Matt. 25:1-12), those church members had faith, otherwise they would not have shown up at the marriage feast expecting to be allowed in. Though Jesus knew they had faith in Him and His Word, He no longer “KNEW” them. Something had nullified the effects of their faith. Read “I Never Knew You.” Key word–Knew. Which brings us to Truth number two brought out in verse 12.

In the focal verse we find the all-important word: “BECOME.” Note carefully what is written about the effect of having faith in Jesus. Such faith, if followed by justification and conversion, provides the salvation seeker with the POWER TO “BECOME” GOD’S TRUE CHILDREN. Faith alone does not do this. Faith, along with God’s grace, enables us to be justified (have all PAST sins forgiven, thereby rendering us RIGHEOUS). IF, following this sin-cleansing action by God, we become truly CONVERTED (DO A SPIRITUAL 180 DEGREE TURN AND WALK IN THE RIGHTEOUSNESS THAT JUSTIFICATION PRIVIDES UNTIL DEATH, then, and only then, will we be saved and born again upon the arrival of Jesus Christ to earth (Mat. 10:22). Read First John 2:6/ Revelation 3:21/ Romans 5:21 and 6:22. Note that salvation is the END RESULT OF WALKING (LIVING) IN RIGHTEOUSNESS AND HOLINESS AS DID JESUS DURING THIS LIFE. Salvation is not the end result of faith. Faith makes it possible to receive the power to do so through the Holy Spirit.

In order to approach Truth number two relative to John 1:12, we need to understand the Lord’s view of faith relative to works. This will shock those who have not STUDIED God’s Word (2 Tim. 2:15) in search of His “fine print” messages, but have heard only their false prophets’ lies about God’s “headlines” (my terms). One of their favorite lies concerns the power of faith. Faith can do many things. Contrary to church doctrine, faith alone cannot save us. What does God say about faith? Much–most of which religious people reject.

One of the Lord’s most powerful statements about the effects of faith is found in the second chapter of the Book of James. Martin Luther called the Book of James a “straw book,” meaning that its pages are only good for starting fires. Why would such a supposed man of faith reject a book which the Lord himself dictated through His apostle James? The answer involves FAITH, or in Luther’s case, the lack thereof. Martin Luther was a product of his church fathers’ version of God’s Holy Word. Read The Traditions of the Fathers. Key word–Fathers. He had been taught, as have all of us, that FAITH WAS THE “BOTTOM LINE/ GROUND ZERO” RELATIVE TO SALVATION. Passages such as “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you shall be saved” (Acts 16:31) and other true “headlines” is where Luther’s “truth” about salvation began–and ENDED. Luther, like so many of his religious brethren, stopped with the “headline” and did not search for the Lord’s “fine print” messages that make His “headlines” come to fruition. Concerning Martin Luther and his so-called “Protestant Reformation,” he and his followers did not leave the Catholic Church because of false teachings and beliefs. They left because of the personal sins of the priests. When they left the mother church they took most of her heathen beliefs and customs with them. So-called “Protestantism” is nothing more that Catholicism by another name. Their core principles and beliefs remain the same. Several of them are listed on the home page of this website. The end-time religious beast that mother and daughters have created is described in Revelation 17:1-5.

God has placed me in the “fine print” business. Which makes me very unpopular within the religious community. A quick study of James 2 will reveal why, in 40 years of teaching God’s “fine print” Truth in this community, I have never been invited to speak in a local church. Though having been heard on radio and read the newspaper, only six people have physically joined me. To understand why, we will begin with verse 10 where the apostle tells us that to fail to obey one of the Ten Commandments in God’s Law is guilty of breaking the entire Law.” This makes the offender guilty of INIQUITY—LAWLESSNESS/SIN. God defines sin as “the transgression (breaking) of the Law” (1 Jn. 3:4). In Matthew 7:21-23 Jesus, speaking about Judgment Day, addressed those who will be found guilty of INIQUITY. He said that He will say to them: “I NEVER KNEW YOU.” Read the series using Never as the key word.

To understand why Christ does not “KNOW” those church people who “know” that faith is all that is necessary for salvation, let us continue in James chapter two. In verse 14 we find one of the most rejected verses in the Holy Bible. Here God asks, “What does it profit the believer if he has faith without WORKS? CAN FAITH (without works) SAVE HIM?” The Scriptural answer is “NO.” Relative to salvation, verse 12 tells us that WE WILL ALL BE JUDGED BY GOD’S TEN COMMANDMENT LAW. Having failed to obey just one of His commandments will eliminate us from salvation. Read Mark 10:17-22. Note that the man had broken only one commandment (#12), but because he would not give up his lust for things he would be denied salvation. Read James 2:17 carefully, recalling that we live by our faith. Dead faith=a spiritually dead believer. Read verses 18,20,24,26. Professing Christendom calls the WORKS God requires “LEGALISM.” What the church calls “legalism” God calls “good works” (1 Pet. 2:12/ Rev. 20:13). Good works consists of obeying His Law, which includes #4 which is about His Sabbath which He blessed, sanctified (set aside for holy use) and calls “… My holy day, the holy of the Lord” (Gen. 2:3 and Isa. 58:12,13).

Being truly BORN OF GOD means that one has put all sins (breaking of the Law–iniquity) behind him and has become truly converted. IF, and only IF he/she continues on his/her walk of righteousness and holiness until the end of life, he/she will be awarded eternal life at the return of Jesus Christ to earth to establish His Father’s kingdom in the Middle Eastern area Biblically known “the Holy Land.” Read about that kingdom using the word Kingdom as the key. L.J.