1 John 5:4-12.
For everything that is born of God overcomes the world; and our faith is the victory that overcomes the world. But who is he that overcometh the world, except he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God? This is he who comes with water and blood, Jesus Christ, not with water alone, but with water and blood. And it is the Spirit who testifies that the Spirit is truth. For there are three who bear witness in heaven: the Father, the Word, and the Holy Spirit; and these three are one.
*Called Quasimodogeniti. D. Red.
And three find, which beget on earth: The Spirit, and the water, and the blood: and the three are together. If we accept the testimony of men, the testimony of God is greater; for the testimony of God is that which he begat of his Son. He who believes in the Son of God has such a testimony with him. He who does not believe God makes him a liar, for he does not believe the testimony that God bears about His Son. And this is the testimony that God has given us eternal life, and such life is in His Son. He who has the Son of God has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life.*)
I. This epistle is therefore ordained to be read first on this Sunday, that it speaks of the baptism and new birth of those who are Christians and have believed; because in former times this custom was kept in the church, that at this time, soon after Easter, those who had now accepted the faith of Christ and had been taught it, were all baptized; Hence this Sunday is called Dominicam in albis, and we Germans have called it White Sunday, because those who were baptized went dressed in white linen as a sign and confession of their baptism and new birth; just as one still dresses baptized infants in white Western shirts.
Therefore, although this epistle does not speak of the resurrection of Christ, it also speaks of the fruit of it, namely, of faith and of the whole Christian being, which he calls "being born of God," and of the testimony of the Holy Spirit through baptism, which makes us certain that we are children of God and have eternal life through Christ. etc.
(3) But they are bad, simple words, as St. John used to speak, and yet quite unusual and incomprehensible to all men's ears; indeed, they are spoken before the world as vain children's tales or foolish words. For what is it spoken according to their saying: "That which is born of God overcomes the world"? "Overcoming the world" is as if a man should make himself subject to everything on earth and become lord and emperor of the whole world. And still more inconsistent is it said that men should be born of God. Who has ever heard such a thing, says the world, that children are born of God?
It would not be so ridiculous if he said that they should be born of stones, as the pagans' poets wrote. For she knows no other birth of men, but of man and woman. Therefore it remains a strange sermon, which no one understands and grasps except the Christians, who should speak with such new language, as Christ Marci says at the end, taught and enlightened by the Holy Spirit.
4. Now it is evident that when Scripture speaks of this birth, which is called being born of God, it does not speak of human nature and things pertaining to this temporal life, but of the high things that belong to that life; that so much is said: If a man is to be redeemed from sins and eternal death, come into God's kingdom and be saved, it is not enough for him to be born of father and mother, that is, all that he has by nature and brings with him, reason, free will, and all human ability and activity. For this birth comprehends and grasps everything that the world has and is capable of, great, mighty, noble, rich, wise, learned, holy, and summa, what is highest and best on earth. All this gives and does no more than what serves this bodily life and being, which is taken away by death and must remain under it eternally. Therefore another, new birth belongs to it, which is better than all men, emperors, kings, wisest and mightiest on earth; who are nothing else, but, as Isaias Cap. 40, 6. like the grass or the flower of the grass, which suddenly withers and dies. But it must be such a birth that it is called "to be born of God", since he himself is father and mother, that is, by his divine power, above nature's ability, he works in man and makes a new light, mind and heart.
(5) This is what happens when a man hears the word of the gospel of Christ, which is not revealed and preached by human understanding and will, but by the Holy Spirit, and believes it from the heart; he is then called and born of God; as St. John also says in the Gospel, Cap. 1, 12: "To those who received him he gave power to become children of God, who believe in his name. And in this chapter, just before these words, v. 1, he also speaks thus: "Whoever believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God." For through this faith we are also adopted as children by God for the sake of His Son, so that we may now please Him and be heirs of eternal life, and the Holy Spirit is given into our hearts, as is said elsewhere.
(6) Hereby are condemned the trustworthy teachers and spirits who pretend or presume to become righteous before God by their own merit and work; and think that because they are wise, learned, reasonable, honest, pious people, it is in their power to do good, which God must accept and therefore lift them up to heaven. On the other hand, the Scriptures clearly state the contradiction that all this is nothing in the sight of God, for it is still only a human thing and not born of God. Therefore, even if you were wise, mighty and the noblest, most beautiful fruit that human nature can bear, you would not be able to see God's kingdom, you would become another man, born anew, says Christ John 3:3. You will not begin this by yourself with your thoughts and powers, for you cannot of course make yourself otherwise, since you are already born of father and mother: but God must begin it in you and give His seed to it, namely, His word, so that the Holy Spirit may work in you, that you may cling to it with faith; as has been said.
(7) He therefore that is born of God, saith St. John, "overcometh the world. This is a fine, great and much spoken, according to the language of the Holy Spirit, and is indeed a great power and work. For whoever is God's child, must of course also have great
Doing and being able to do things. So this birth by word and faith makes right emperors and kings, above all kings and lords, who overcome the world, which neither Roman nor Turkish emperors are able to do; and yet not by bodily or worldly power, but by this spiritual birth of faith; as he also speaks soon after: "Faith is our victory, which overcomes the world" etc., so that he himself interprets what he means "to be born of God".
If you want to know what kind of victory and overcoming this is and how it happens, you must first know what he calls the world. For he does not speak here of cities and lands, fields, houses and farms, money and goods; but he divides and distinguishes the two kingdoms. One is called the kingdom of God and Christ, which is the kingdom of heaven, in which first of all the most noble inward councils and nearest lords are the angels in heaven, then all Christianity on earth, under One Head, Lord and King, Christ. The other dominion is the infernal kingdom, where the devil is lord and prince, together with his mighty rulers and servants, the angels who fell away from God with him, and the world, which are the people on earth who teach, believe and live against Christ, pagans and Jews, Turks and false Christians. For when one speaks of the heavenly kingdom of God, one must not only understand the government and the people who belong to heaven, but the Lord and Regent Himself, Christ with all His angels and saints, both living and dead. So also the world or the kingdom of the world is not only called the earthly being and life, but especially its lord and ruler, the devil, with his angels and all unbelievers, godless and evil people on earth. Therefore, when St. John says here: "He who is born of God overcomes the world", he wants to understand by the word "world" first of all the devil himself with all his power and all his rule on earth.
(9) Now how these two kingdoms are governed is evident and not hidden, unless we see the two heads, the Lord Christ and the devil, for the devil and the Lord Christ are not seen.
Christ himself reigns mightily by his own power and might through the word and the Holy Spirit in the hearts of his believers, sustains and protects them in the faith and knowledge of his word against the devil's wrath and cunning; in addition, through his angels who guard them, and they themselves among themselves, by their service and work of love, as one teaches, instructs, comforts, admonishes the other etc.; and has in his company fine, pious, obedient, patient, chaste, kind, mild, and benevolent people. On the other hand, one can see what the devil's rule is, and how the world lives and does, which is nothing but a great stable full of unbelieving, shameful, evil people, who are driven by their God to all disobedience, ingratitude and contempt of God and His word; item, to idolatry and false doctrine, to persecute and torment the devout Christians, and otherwise to practice all impudence, iniquity, wickedness and vice etc.
10. These are the two vile kingdoms, which wrestle with each other for and against the crown, and which shall have the victory and the upper hand; Therefore the Christians are set to battle, that they may lie in the field against the enemy of God, who rules the world through lies and murder, and fight with his mob and his servants, the spirits of the mob and evil, wicked people, so that they may resist evil and promote good, and so that they may be equipped to know how to meet the enemy and resist, so that they may not be overcome, but may conquer the field and retain the victory.
11 Therefore St. John says: "That which is born of God overcomes the world, and our faith is the victory that overcomes the world. For he thus speaks to admonish Christians that if they believe, they should also think to prove such faith by deed and life; just as he wrote this epistle primarily to punish false Christians, who gladly hear it taught that we are saved by Christ alone, and that our works and deeds do not deserve this, and think that when they have heard this, they too are Christians, and must neither do anything nor argue; but think that they are not Christians.
not that by and through faith new men should be made who overcome the world and the devil.
(12) For this shall be the sign of the true Christians, that they are known to be born of God, and shall distinguish them from the false children, who only retain the foam of the word of God, but never experience the power thereof; of whom only a moon child becomes, since there is neither true divine life nor power. It is not called here: to be born of God, and yet remain in the old, dead, worldly being, and to lie and live in sins according to the devil's pleasure, as you were before; but to resist the devil and his whole kingdom. Therefore, if you do not overcome the world, but let yourself be overcome, you may well boast of faith and Christ; but your own deeds testify against you that you are not God's child. So that I began with the lowest and grossest example: If you call yourself God's child and yet live in fornication, adultery etc., then the devil has already overcome you and torn you out of God's kingdom. If you are a covetous person, who harms your neighbor with usury, transgression, false goods and unrighteous trade, you have let the world and your own flesh overcome you by a penny. If you lie in hatred and envy against your neighbor, you are already the devil's servant and captive. So also in the subtle high things, where you are to resist the devil's trickery and deceit, when he deceives man with false doctrine, and drives to idolatry, false faith, presumption, despair, blasphemy etc. If you then give way to the devil and allow yourself to be deceived, what good does it do you to boast of the gospel and faith, if you have not rightly grasped God's word and do not rightly recognize God in Christ, but walk in error and false conceit, caught and deceived by the devil?
(13) Therefore, there is no need for bad human wisdom and art, or strength and power, to stand and conquer against such a formidable enemy; and a Christian must be equipped, as I have said, to guard against the devil's trickery and deceit.
and can also resist him. For this is why he is called such a man who is born of God; he must be a different man than a sensible pagan or clever man of the world, so that he understands God's word correctly, and knows and has grasped Christ correctly through faith, and practices and uses it in such a battle as his armor and defense. Thus he can stand against the devil and the world and keep the victory, because he has the strength and power with him, namely, God's word and faith, which penetrates through and cannot be overcome, because he remains with it. Therefore also St. John speaks first of all before this text: Because we are children of God, we keep His commandments, and His commandments are not hard; for that which is born of God overcomes the world etc. So strong is this birth, where it is true, that it overcomes the devil, the world and everything. Just as a child born righteous and perfect into the world, it can overcome a minor illness, as an unrighteous, unbearable birth or moonchild dies of itself and corrupts.
14. As an example: If I have faith and am born of God, I will not defile myself with fornication and whoredom, nor disgrace another man's child or spouse; For the new birth will teach me that I should not so shamefully throw away and willingly lose the treasure I have through Christ, and cast away from me the Holy Spirit who dwells in me; and faith, if it is and remains with me, will not allow me to do such things, which are contrary to my conscience and to God's word and will. Item, where avarice wants to tempt me to deceive my neighbor and to overprotect him, or to close my hand before him, because I should help and give to him: if I am a Christian and born again, then also my faith will have to awaken and remember against it: Should I harm my brother or let him suffer hardship and not help him, when I know that Christ has given his body and blood for me? How can such things come into a Christian heart if it believes that it has an unspeakable eternal treasure through
What is the reason why a person has received the Son of God, so that he should leave his neighbor in little distress, when he could well help him? Much less will he do him harm or injustice for the sake of a small shameful gain, but rather think thus: If I have become God's child through Christ and an heir in heaven, then all the world's goods should be far too small for me to cheat or overprovide a man for a penny. So also, if the devil tempts you through his tyrants or his spirits, or through your own thoughts, to fall away from the pure doctrine and to follow his deceitfulness: As a Christian, you must defend yourself and remember what you have received from Christ in the Gospel through faith, how you have been redeemed from your former darkness, blindness and error, and have now learned to know God rightly, have attained certain comfort of grace and blessedness, and know what you should live and die for; Why then would you now give room to the devil, and deprive yourself of your blessedness and eternal life, and not rather let go of everything that is on earth, before you deny God's word, or let the blessed comfort be taken from you, perverted and falsified?
(15) Behold, this is what St. John says: "Our faith is the victory that overcomes the world. A great and glorious prize of Christian faith, that it has such power against the devil and the world, which cannot be done nor attained by human works and abilities; there must be a higher and greater strength and power to defeat the devil, especially in the high battle of conscience, when he torments and tortures the heart with the terror of God's wrath, and thereby wants to drive it to despair: As soon as all our works fall away, there is neither help nor victory, neither faith, which holds to the word of the Lord Christ, and concludes that God is merciful to us for the sake of His dear Son, and will not condemn us for our sin and unworthiness, if we believe in Him. This faith stands firm and retains the victory, so that neither the devil nor all the gates of hell can do anything against it.
16. also in all kinds of other challenges.
gen: If I am to resist and overcome, then this faith must be there, that through Christ I have forgiveness of sin, and a gracious God, who will also give me help and strength to stand in such a battle, that the devil, death, the world and the flesh do not overpower me, that I thus receive victory through his divine power of the Holy Spirit, since otherwise I would be far too weak together with all men; For without faith we are all already before with our old birth under the power of the devil and of sins, and cannot be redeemed from it except by this faith of Christ.
17 And that St. John speaks of this very faith in Christ, he himself shows in clear words, saying: "But who is he that overcometh the world, except he believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God? This he says, actually to interpret what right faith, of which the Scripture says, is called and is? For there are many other faiths that the world calls faith. The Jews, Turks, and Papists also believe, as they say, in God, who created heaven and earth; but that this is not yet true faith is proven by the fact that he neither does nor creates anything, neither fights nor overcomes, but leaves them all as they are, in the old birth and under the power of the devil and sins. But this is called the right victorious faith, which believes that Jesus is the Son of God; this is an unconquerable power, made in the hearts of Christians by the Holy Spirit. For it is such a certain mind that does not flutter to and fro nor gape at its own thoughts, but takes hold of God in this Christ, as His Son, sent from heaven, through whom He reveals His will and heart, and helps from sins and death to grace and new eternal life; and such a confidence and trust that relies, not on its own merit or worthiness, but on Christ, the Son of God, and on His power and authority against the world and the devil. Therefore such faith is not a cold, idle and idle thought, as the papists and others dream of faith; but a living, active power, that where it is, there such fruit, victory and overcoming must follow, or
so it does not follow, the faith and new birth is also not there.
18 This is the first part of this sermon on the new birth and faith. Secondly, he shows from where and by what means faith comes, which has such victory and overcoming, and says: "This is he that cometh with water and blood, Jesus Christ; not with water only, but with water and blood. And the Spirit is he that beareth witness that the Spirit is truth. For there are three that bear witness in the earth: The Spirit, and the water, and the blood" etc.
(19) He speaks of the kingdom of Christ, and of the ministry of the Holy Spirit, which he leads in Christianity outwardly and publicly through the ministry of preaching and the sacrament; as he says, "There are three that testify in the earth. And he calls it a testimony according to his way; as he often uses this word; as, in the beginning of his gospel, of John the Baptist Cap. 1, 7: "This man came for a testimony, that he might bear witness of the light" etc.: so that "testimony" or "bearing witness" means nothing else with him than the public preaching of God's word; as also Christ Joh. 16, 9. 10. 14. says of the ministry of the Holy Spirit, that he should bear witness of Him, that is, to lead the public preaching ministry, which is a testimony that God Himself gives of His Son Christ, as He also says here, namely, that we have such victory against the devil and the world through faith for the sake of this Christ, the Son of God.
20 This testimony has been ordained by Christ himself, that it should go on and remain in the church forever; for he sent the Holy Spirit for this purpose, and himself called and gave to the apostles and their descendants pastors, preachers and teachers, as St. Paul says in Eph. 4:11, 12, 13. who are to do it, that it may resound throughout the world for ever, that it may also reach to their children's children and their descendants; otherwise the preaching chair and the whole outward church government should not be used, for each one could read it for himself in the Scriptures. But for the sake of the multitude, and of the young people who are still growing up, who do not yet know it, or who ever need admonition, he must practice such public testimony or preaching,
so that they may also learn to recognize God's grace, which He has given and shown to us through Christ, and so that His work and miracles may be publicly known and praised through us, contrary to the devil and the world.
(21) And where this testimony goes, it certainly does not go without fruit, and does not fail, for it affects some who accept and believe it. For since it is the testimony of the Holy Spirit, as he says here, "The Spirit testifies," he also wants to be powerful through it, and to work such things, of which St. John says, that we become children of God, having victory and conquest, and eternal life. And so these two things come together: the word or the sermon and testimony, and faith; they do not have to remain separate from one another. For without faith the preaching accomplishes nothing; so faith comes not otherwise than by the word. Therefore we should hear it gladly and act on it. For where the Word is, there is also the Holy Spirit; and where the Holy Spirit is, there must be some who believe. And even though you have heard the word before and have received faith, it is strengthened more and more by it; so no one knows at what time and hour God will stir and enlighten your heart or the heart of another. For it may well happen at the hour when you least think of it, and with the person when you least think of it. "For the Spirit," says Christ, "blows where he wills," and stirs the hearts when and where he knows and knows them.
(22) Here St. John speaks of this power and might, wrought by the Holy Spirit, and also shows from where and by what means this testimony has such power, since he speaks of Christ: "This is He who comes with water and blood" etc. There he even grasps what we have in the kingdom of Christ, and praises the power of our dear baptism and of the suffering or blood of Christ, bringing and tying everything together as a little bundle, and making a third thing out of the testimony, that at the same time all three, together and with each other, give testimony to and fortify our faith, water, blood and Spirit.
23 Now the first thing is that Christ comes with water, which is holy baptism, which He needs as an outward sign for this His
Work of the new birth and sanctification of man. For this water, so that Christ comes, does not have to be a badly unlearned sign; for he does not only come to wash or bathe the body, but to cleanse the whole man from all filth and damage, which is innate to us from Adam; and has thus done much different bathing than Moses with the Old Testament, who also came with various laws of washing and bathing, which was only cleansing of the body or flesh and had to be renewed daily. Since this did not help to purify man before God, which must be done by a new birth, Christ came with a new water bath and baptism, which is not a mere outward washing away of bodily impurity, but such a bath that cleanses man from the inward filth of the old sinful birth and evil conscience, and brings forgiveness of sin and a good conscience toward God, as St. Peter says in 1 Ep. 3. Therefore also St. Paul Titus 3, 5. calls baptism "a bath of rebirth and renewal of the Holy Spirit".
24 He began baptism through John the Baptist, and therefore called it, in distinction from the old Mosaic and Jewish baptism and bathing, "a baptism of repentance and remission of sins," that is, so that man may recognize his inward uncleanness and know that outward Mosaic cleanness is of no avail before God, and the cleansing of the conscience and remission of sins must be sought and received by the power of the Lord Christ, who instituted such baptism.
(25) Secondly, that these things may be done in us by baptism, there must not be only water in it; otherwise it could do no more than other water baths, or Jewish and Turkish baptisms and baths: but there must be a power and authority in it, which can cleanse a man inwardly according to the soul. Therefore Christ comes, says St. John, not only with water, but also with blood. But not with the blood of oxen or calves or goats, which were the sacrifices of the Old Testament;
but with his own blood, as St. Paul says Hebr. 9, 12. But he comes through the preaching ministry of the New Testament, which is his rule on earth, and shares with us the power and effect of his sacrifice and blood, which he shed for our sins, and thus applies the treasure to us, so that he bought our redemption.
26 Therefore also in baptism there is such power of the blood of Christ. This is the right sharp soap, which not only washes away the filth from the skin of the body, but also eats through it, and stains and washes out the inner filth, so that the heart becomes clean before God. And so the blood of Christ is vigorously mixed into water baptism, so that it should not be regarded or thought of as just bad water, but as beautifully colored and reddened with the precious raisin-colored blood of the dear Savior Christ. That it cannot be called a water bath in general, as Moses or the bather can give it; but a wholesome blood baptism or blood bath, which only Christ, the Son of God Himself, has prepared by His own death.
27. This is also indicated and interpreted with diligence and for a strange miracle in the history of Christ's suffering, when his side was opened on the cross, that immediately blood and water came out, namely, to show that this should not be a blood shed in vain, but a washing or a bath, and that the same power should be in water baptism: That therefore after the death of Christ there passeth through all Christendom an everlasting river, sprung up out of his body, flowing with water and blood, whereby we all must be cleansed from sins. This is what makes baptism so precious, holy and valuable, that it is mixed and united in the blood of Christ; to be baptized in Christ through water is to be truly washed and cleansed with the blood of Christ.
The third part, which St. John adds to these two, is "the Spirit," who begets together with the other two, yes, works through the two, water and blood. This is the Holy Spirit Himself, not as He is invisible above in the divine being, but as He manifests Himself and lets Himself be heard through outward manifestations.
Office and word; as also St. John says here that he witnesses together with the other two on earth etc.
Neither does Moses or other teachers bring and give this with their preaching of our doings and outward cleansing and bathing, or sprinkling of the blood of goats and sheep. There is still no spirit and divine power and renewal, for all unbelieving, spiritless, wicked boys and husks are able to do all these things: But this Christ alone brings with him the Holy Spirit with his power, who sanctifies us through the blood and water that flowed from his divine side, and makes us partakers of the same through the outward ministry and sacrament, which is called the ministry and gift of the Holy Spirit, through which he works in his Christianity, as he began on the day of Pentecost through the apostles and continues to distribute throughout the world until the last day; Otherwise we would never know of it, nor be able to receive such power of the baptism and blood of Christ.
(30) This is the kingdom of Christ, which he has established without ceasing in Christendom, that in him we may have an everlasting cleansing, if the Spirit comes and blows on men's hearts through the word, and so washes them, not only by the wetness of water, but by the healing power of the blood of Christ to take away sin and the wrath of God. For although this work of our redemption through his blood, shed on the cross, was done once, and is enough to take away all the sin of the world, yet he instituted it so that the power of it might remain forever, and be distributed and offered to us daily through the Holy Spirit.
Such a work of the Holy Spirit is neither received nor felt in any other way than through the faith of this testimony or preached word of Christ, if the heart grasps it, and certainly believes it to be and to take place in him, as the word says, and is thus truly cleansed and born again through the Holy Spirit, who is in the holy bath of the water and blood of Christ. Therefore also St. Peter 1. Ep. 1, 2. calls the sanctification of the Christians a "sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ", so the Holy
The Holy Spirit Himself sprinkles us with the outward preaching of the Gospel, which is a different sprinkling than the sprinkling water of the Jews was from the ashes of a red heifer, or as their sprinkling blood was from a dead lamb or goat, so that they sprinkled around the altar, and those who were to be cleansed were sprinkled. For here is the right holy holy water and sprinkling blood together, that is, the preaching of the blood of our Lord Jesus Christ, which is sprinkled on the soul, and where it hits, there it does not celebrate. For it is not a vain dead blood, but a strong living blood of the Son of God; and it does not leave the soul unclean, but cleanses and heals us from the foundation of both sin and death, until we are completely rid of it and attain eternal life in soul and body.
32) Behold, this is ever gloriously preached of the testimony that Christians have here on earth; which he now, at the end, with beautiful comforting words, emphasizes and praises such a testimony that God Himself bears witness of His Son, and that it should serve to assure and assure us that we are God's children and have eternal life. For thus he says: "This is the testimony that God has given us eternal life" etc. That is, an excellent testimony that God Himself testifies and promises to you, and that the Holy Spirit brings and reveals to you; which cannot lie or deceive, but is eternal, unchanging truth, as He said above. And if thou believest the same, thou hast surely received and obtained the same: as he saith again, He that believeth on the Son of God hath this testimony in him.
(33) This is the correct salutary doctrine of Christian faith, namely, that it must be such a certain assurance and testimony in the heart, so that there is no doubt at all that through Christ we are children of God, have forgiveness of sin and eternal life. And that we should know that God earnestly demands such faith, and forbids doubting it, He says: "He who does not believe God makes him a liar, for he does not believe God.
do not believe the testimony that God bears of His Son."
(34) Hereby, the shameful, damned doctrine of the devil of the papists, who impudently pretend that it is right to doubt and that a Christian should doubt grace, has been violently struck down. This is taught so much that it is right not to believe God's testimony, and it means to punish God with lies, to blaspheme and desecrate the Lord Christ, to publicly strike the Holy Spirit in the mouth, and thus to knowingly lead people into futile sin and blasphemy, so that they must go to the devil and have no salvation or comfort in their blessedness.
(35) This is the beautiful fruit of the papal doctrine and holiness, which is called to us, who want to be the Christian church, that we should publicly and without all shyness punish God with them under our eyes, trample on his word and worship the devil in his place. And we should also praise, honor and thank them, and be glad that they make friendship and comparison with us; if they do not want to repent of their abominable idolatry in any way, nor recognize their error, but still adorn themselves and make themselves pure, as if they had never taught anything wrong, or if we do not want to do it, we should be persecuted by all the world with fire and sword, murdered and destroyed. Let this be done by the devil and death in our place, and let him who is a devout Christian pray and wish that God may overthrow such accursed teaching into the abyss of hell, and punish the unrepentant blasphemers as they deserve, because they do not want to stop, and let all the people say, Amen, Amen.
36 And notice especially this consoling conclusion, when it briefly and concisely sums up in one word the whole body and sum of the Gospel, saying: "He who has the Son of God has eternal life. He who does not have the Son of God does not have life." How could he speak more simply and clearly, and more powerfully? And what need is there now of further seeking and questioning, or disputing about this matter? If you want to be sure of eternal life, then you truly have it here, if you have Christ the Son.
But you have him, if you believe this testimony and sermon, as he said, and you should certainly rely on it in life and death, as on the divine eternal truth. But you do not believe,
You do not have life, and nothing that you are able to do and suffer together with all the world helps you, for you do not have the Son of God, because you do not believe this testimony about Him and make God a liar.