The "Power To Become"

The apostle John records in John 1:12 KJV: “But as many as received him, to them gave He power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:  Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.”

I am thankful to God to be a simple, New Testament Christian – free from the bondage to sin; free from the tentacles of false doctrine; free from denominational trappings; free from biblically unauthorized worship – in other words, free to do God’s will (Romans 6:17-18). I am not a Christian through my own meritorious works, but through the love and grace of God and His only begotten Son (John 3:16; Titus 2:11-12). Yet I also obeyed God’s plan of salvation for humanity – the gospel of Jesus Christ (Romans 1:16-17). The “good news” is simple, forthright and determined. Plain vanilla Gospel preaching saved my 12 year old soul from hell, as the Apostle Paul explained to the Corinthians in 1 Corinthians 2:4-5).

It is the wonder of the ages that God allows us to partake of the atoning sacrifice of Christ and be saved from our sins. I came into contact with the blood of Christ when I became a Christian (Acts 22:16; Romans 5:8-9; Romans 6:4). Yet obeying the Gospel also opens up a door to our true potential as children of God (1 John 3:1). As Christians we are part of something greater than ourselves – the kingdom of Christ. New Testament Christianity helps make us what God intended for humanity to be ..... spiritually, socially, intellectually, emotionally and physically (Luke 2:52; Ephesians 4:14-15).

The phrase “power to become” (John 1:12) involves the liberty to either obey the gospel one has heard and believed or disobey. The language used says one gains the “power” or liberty of action to become a son of God when they believe and obey. For example, a medical school student may say, “I am studying to become a doctor.” He or she has not become a doctor yet, something must be done that only they can do. Likewise after "hearing" the Gospel (Romans 10:17) the believer in Jesus Christ has the power or freedom of choice to proceed with their obedience to God’s plan of salvation, If they do this, they are saved from their sins and are “born again” (John 3:3,5). If they fail to act in obedient faith, they are not a New Testament Christian or “sons of God” (John 1:12) no matter how loudly they profess that they are (Matthew 7:21-23).

My friends, are you a New Testament Christian? Have you obeyed the gospel of Jesus Christ or are you merely playing lip service to it? —Roelf L. Ruffner

—Mike Riley, Gospel Snippets