John 1:10–13 — Born of God: Receiving Christ and Becoming Children of God
Introduction
What does it mean to receive Jesus Christ and become a child of God?
John 1:10–13 reveals one of the most important truths concerning salvation: Jesus Christ, the eternal Word who created the world, entered the very world He had made. Yet the world did not recognize Him, and many among His own people rejected Him.
Nevertheless, not everyone rejected Jesus. Those who received Him and believed on His name were given the privilege of becoming the children of God.
John makes it clear that this new relationship with God does not come through ancestry, human effort, religious tradition, or the will of another person. It comes through a spiritual birth that originates with God.
These verses reveal both the tragedy of rejecting Christ and the wonderful promise extended to those who receive Him.
The central message of John 1:10–13 is that salvation comes through receiving Jesus Christ by faith, and those who believe in Him are born of God.
Historical and Biblical Background
The Gospel of John is traditionally attributed to John the apostle, the son of Zebedee. Its precise date and place of composition remain debated, although many scholars place it toward the end of the first century.
John wrote so that his readers might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and receive life through His name.
John 20:31 (KJV)
"But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name."
Unlike Matthew and Luke, who begin with accounts of Jesus' earthly birth and ancestry, John begins by revealing Christ's eternal existence.
John 1:1 (KJV)
"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God."
John identifies Jesus Christ as the eternal Word, who was with God in the beginning and through whom all things were made.
The Greek word translated Word is Logos. John uses this title to reveal Jesus as the divine Word who makes the Father known.
John 1:14 declares that the Word became flesh and dwelt among us.
The Creator entered His own creation.
Yet His coming exposed the spiritual condition of humanity. Although the world was made through Him, the world did not recognize Him.
John 1:10–13 explains the contrasting responses to Christ: rejection by some and reception by others.
It also introduces the spiritual birth that Jesus later explains to Nicodemus in John chapter 3.
Scripture and Exposition
John 1:10 — The Creator Was Not Recognized
John 1:10 (KJV)
"He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not."
John presents three extraordinary truths in this verse.
1. "He was in the world"
The eternal Word entered the world He had created.
Jesus Christ did not begin His existence at Bethlehem. He existed before His incarnation.
John 1:14 explains that the Word was made flesh and dwelt among us.
Jesus entered human history, lived among humanity, and revealed the character and works of the Father.
2. "And the world was made by him"
Jesus is not merely a teacher, prophet, or religious leader. He is the eternal Word through whom creation came into existence.
John 1:3 declares:
"All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made."
Everything in creation owes its existence to Him.
The One who made the world entered the world as a man.
3. "And the world knew him not"
This is one of the most tragic statements in John's introduction.
The Creator came into His creation, but the world did not recognize Him.
Here, the word world refers especially to humanity in its failure to recognize the One through whom it was created.
The problem was not that Jesus lacked divine authority or failed to reveal the Father. Rather, humanity's spiritual darkness prevented many from recognizing Him.
Observation: It is possible to witness the works of God and still fail to recognize or submit to Him.
John 1:11 — Rejected by His Own
John 1:11 (KJV)
"He came unto his own, and his own received him not."
John moves from the world's general failure to recognize Christ to His rejection among His own people.
Jesus was born into Israel, the nation to whom God had given the covenants, the Law, the promises, and the prophetic Scriptures.
The prophets had foretold the coming of the Messiah.
Yet when Jesus came, many among His own people did not receive Him.
This does not mean that every Jewish person rejected Jesus. Jesus Himself, His apostles, and many of His earliest disciples were Jewish.
John is describing the rejection He experienced among those to whom He came.
Jesus fulfilled the promises concerning the Messiah, but many expected a different kind of deliverer.
His teaching challenged religious hypocrisy, exposed sin, and called people to repentance and faith.
Rather than receiving Him as the promised Christ, many opposed Him.
Observation: Religious knowledge, ancestry, and familiarity with Scripture do not automatically produce genuine faith in Jesus Christ.
John 1:12 — The Right to Become Children of God
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:"
This verse introduces a beautiful contrast.
Although many rejected Jesus, others received Him.
John declares that those who received Christ were given the privilege of becoming God's children.
1. "But as many as received him"
The invitation to receive Christ is not restricted to a particular family, nationality, or social position.
Those who receive Him are those who believe in Him as the Christ, the Son of God.
Receiving Christ involves more than acknowledging that He existed.
It means placing our faith in Him and accepting the truth of who He is.
2. "To them gave he power to become the sons of God"
The Greek word translated power is exousia, which can mean authority, right, or privilege.
In this verse, it refers to the right or privilege granted to believers to become God's children.
This relationship is not something we earn through our own righteousness.
It is a gift granted through Jesus Christ.
Believers are welcomed into God's family through faith in His Son.
3. "Even to them that believe on his name"
John explains what it means to receive Christ.
It means believing on His name.
In Scripture, a person's name can represent that person's identity, character, and authority.
To believe on Jesus' name is to place our faith in Him as He is revealed in the Gospel.
It is not merely repeating His name or acknowledging Him as an important historical figure.
It is trusting in Jesus Christ as the Son of God and the Savior.
Observation: Becoming a child of God is a privilege granted through faith in Jesus Christ, not a status earned through human achievement.
John 1:13 — Born of God
John 1:13 (KJV)
"Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God."
John now explains the origin of this new relationship with God.
He identifies three things that do not produce spiritual birth.
1. "Not of blood"
Spiritual birth does not come through natural ancestry or family lineage.
Being born into a religious family does not automatically make someone a child of God in the saving sense described here.
Neither Jewish ancestry nor any other human lineage can replace personal faith in Jesus Christ.
2. "Nor of the will of the flesh"
Spiritual birth cannot be produced by natural human desire or effort.
We cannot make ourselves spiritually alive through our own strength.
Salvation is not the result of merely deciding to become morally better or attempting to establish our own righteousness.
3. "Nor of the will of man"
No human being can produce spiritual birth in another person.
Parents can teach their children the Scriptures.
Pastors and teachers can proclaim the Gospel.
Believers can pray for others and share the truth of Jesus Christ.
But spiritual birth is God's work.
4. "But of God"
These three words identify the source of the new birth.
God brings believers into His family through His gracious work.
John develops this teaching further in his account of Jesus' conversation with Nicodemus.
John 3:5 (KJV)
"Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God."
The new birth is spiritual in origin and is accomplished through the work of God.
It is not inherited from our parents or earned through religious performance.
Observation: We may be born naturally into an earthly family, but entrance into God's family requires a spiritual birth that comes from Him.
Key Observations
Jesus Christ is the eternal Creator. The world was made through Him, yet He entered His own creation.
The world did not recognize its Creator. Humanity's spiritual darkness prevented many from recognizing Jesus as the eternal Word.
Jesus experienced rejection. Many among His own people did not receive Him as the promised Messiah.
God extends the privilege of becoming His children to those who receive Christ. This promise is available to all who believe on His name.
Receiving Christ involves genuine faith. Believing on His name means trusting in Him as the Christ, the Son of God.
Spiritual birth is not inherited. Our ancestry or family background cannot make us children of God in the saving sense described by John.
Human effort cannot produce the new birth. Religious activity, moral improvement, and personal determination cannot replace God's gracious work.
Salvation originates with God. Those who receive Christ are born of God.
The new birth establishes a new relationship with the Father. Through Jesus Christ, believers receive the privilege of belonging to God's family.
Personal Application
John 1:10–13 challenges me to examine my personal relationship with Jesus Christ.
Do I truly know Him, or am I merely familiar with information about Him?
It is possible to read Scripture, attend church, participate in ministry, and possess extensive biblical knowledge without personally receiving Christ.
The religious leaders of Jesus' day had access to the Scriptures, yet many failed to recognize the One to whom those Scriptures pointed.
I must therefore examine whether my confidence rests upon Jesus Christ or upon my religious experiences and accomplishments.
I cannot depend upon my family's faith to establish my own relationship with God.
Neither can I rely upon my position, ministry responsibilities, or knowledge of Scripture as the basis of my salvation.
John declares that those who receive Christ and believe on His name are given the right to become God's children.
This truth should produce both humility and gratitude.
I have no reason to boast about my spiritual position, because my new birth originates with God.
As a child of God, I should also desire to reflect the character of my heavenly Father.
My relationship with Him should influence my thoughts, my words, my conduct, and the way I treat others.
When I encounter people who have not received Christ, I should remember that the Gospel is an invitation to believe in Him.
My responsibility is to proclaim the truth faithfully, demonstrate the love of Christ, and trust God to accomplish His work in the hearts of those who hear.
I am not made a child of God by my ancestry, my accomplishments, or my religious position. Through faith in Jesus Christ, I receive the privilege of being born of God.
Reflection Questions
What does John 1:10 reveal about the eternal existence and divine nature of Jesus Christ?
Why is it significant that the world was made through Jesus, yet the world did not recognize Him?
What does John mean when he says that Jesus came unto His own?
Why did many among Jesus' own people reject Him?
According to John 1:12, who receives the right to become a child of God?
What does it mean to receive Jesus Christ and believe on His name?
What is the significance of the Greek word exousia, translated as "power" in John 1:12?
Why does John emphasize that spiritual birth does not come through blood, the will of the flesh, or the will of man?
How does John 1:13 prepare us for Jesus' teaching about the new birth in John chapter 3?
Am I depending upon my relationship with Jesus Christ, or am I placing my confidence in religious activities, family traditions, or personal accomplishments?
How should being a child of God influence my daily conduct and relationships?
How can I faithfully share the Gospel with others while recognizing that spiritual birth is God's work?
Closing Prayer
Heavenly Father,
I thank You for sending Your only begotten Son, Jesus Christ, into the world.
Through Him, all things were made, and in Him is life and light.
Father, thank You for the privilege of becoming Your child through faith in Jesus Christ.
I acknowledge that my salvation does not come through my ancestry, my personal accomplishments, or my religious activities.
It is by Your grace that I have been given the privilege of belonging to Your family.
Lord Jesus, help me to know You more deeply and to remain faithful to Your Word.
Never allow me to become so occupied with religious activities that I neglect my personal relationship with You.
Give me wisdom and understanding as I study the Scriptures, and open my heart to receive the truth You have revealed.
Holy Spirit, continue Your work within me. Strengthen my faith, transform my character, and help me to walk in obedience to the Father.
May my life reflect the love, holiness, and righteousness of Jesus Christ.
Give me boldness to proclaim the Gospel and compassion for those who have not yet received Him.
Help me to remember that salvation belongs to You and that spiritual birth is accomplished through Your gracious work.
Thank You for receiving me into Your family through Jesus Christ.
In His precious name, Amen.
Comments
Post a Comment