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 ⁵ Examine yourselves, whether you are in the faith; prove yourselves. Do you not know yourself, that Jesus Christ is in you — unless you are reprobates [tested, rejected]?²

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 ¹ [In this chapter John carefully defines what are the qualifying experiences of a believer who is born of God, which are summarized here:

1. a believer born of God keeps the commands of God, and they are not a burden; verses 2,3
2. the believer born of God has overcome the world by crucifying his sinful nature, (the forbidden cravings, the passionate desires, and the lusts of it), verses 4,5
3. the believer born of God has seen in his heart by the light that manifests all things the three witnesses in the earth: (See Verse 8 and its Footnote 3 below for more description of the three witnesses that are to be experienced before one is born again.)
• first, the spirit that bears witness in the earth, which mortifies them, which circumcises them, which leads them into all truth;
• secondly, they come to know the water that is a witness in the earth; by which they are washed, their minds, their souls, their spirits, and in their bodies, with this pure water;
• and the third witness is his blood, which blood of Jesus is sprinkled in their hearts and consciences; by which blood they are sanctified, and they are cleansed from all their dead works, to serve the living God.
From the Word of the Lord within: "The three witnesses: these three clearly must be manifest."
4. the born again believer has eternal life in him, which is to be restored to the spiritual image of God in true righteousness and holiness. verse12
5. the born again believer does not sin and cannot sin because he is protected by his Father from falling to any temptation. verse 18
6. Jesus is present within the believer, and the believer is in Christ; the believer is in union with Christ and the Father. verse 20

Those who say they are born-again Christians still living in the fleshly lusts and pleasures of the world, and so still slaves to sin, are maligning the truth and create confusion.

From the Word of the Lord within:

• "By their evident display of sin, Christians cause my name to be blasphemed among the people.
• Salvation occurs when you are one with Christ and God.
• Once you are in union, it is permanent.
• You are a son when Jesus appears in your heart to guide you.
• You are raised to a new life, not just an imitation; He is one with us and ever-present.
• To know you are born again is to see your salvation appear in your heart."]

 ¹ Whoever believes that Jesus is the Christ, is born of God, and everyone who loves the father also loves him who is begotten of him.¹

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 ⁹ But you are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if the Spirit of God dwells in you. Now if any man does not have the Spirit of Christ [to rule a man as his king, doing His will], he is none of his. [Paul has clearly said in the preceding verses that unless your sinful nature has been destroyed, including your carnal mind; that unless you are no longer walking according to your lusts, passions, and pleasures; that unless you are walking under control of the Spirit in thought, word and deed; then you are not a part of Christ — you are not in Christ — you do not belong to Christ — yet. You first must mortify your fleshly, sinful nature on the inward cross of self-denial... Those who belong to Christ have crucified the flesh [the sinful nature] with its passions and desires (lusts and affections). Gal 5:19-24. Click to see more on being "in Christ."]

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 ⁵ And when we were dead in our sins, He brought us to life in union and fellowship with Christ;² it is through grace that you are saved; [but you have not been saved by grace until you have been brought to life in union and fellowship with Christ, having been raised up together with Christ into heaven. From the Word of the Lord within: "Saved by grace; but what about the rest of that chapter? You have not experienced grace until you have been raised with Him. Salvation occurs when you are one with Christ and God. Once you are in union, it is permanent." Until brought to union, because of Adam, we all are dead in our sins, dead to the life of God, Gen 2:17,3:24, having been cut off from the tree of life.]

 ⁶ And has raised us up together [with Christ], and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus.³ [This is to have experienced being translated into the kingdom of heaven, where you are with Christ in sight and consciousness. From the Word of the Lord within: "I work with the blind; but if you think you can see, and you are not with me in heaven, I will make you a laughingstock."]