"Insights" from the New Testament Greek

By Bob Jones, Northside Bible Church, Jacksonville Florida

The Wonderful Riches of God’s Word. Example, 1 John 3:9.

Part Three of Three
"We Have God's "Seed" Permanently Implanted in Us!"
I John 3:9

In 1865 an Augustinian Monk named Gregor Mendel discovered that individual "traits" in plants and animals are determined by "discrete factors" inherited from the parents. These "discrete factors" later came to be known as "genes".

During the last 100 years, scientists have continued Mendel’s line of study to discover that the complete lifeprint of a living organism is contained in strands of DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid) within the cells.

But, modern science is only working with the temporary human realm. More important to us as children of God is the eternal realm. 1 John 3:9 states that everyone who is born of God continually has God’s "seed" implanted in them.

What is God's "seed"? The English word "seed" in 1 John 3:9 is the Greek word for seed, "sperma". Just as God has placed the physical lifeprint of every plant in its seed, and the physical lifeprint of a human being in their DNA, our Heavenly Father has permanently placed HIS eternal "seed", or "DNA lifeprint" in His children!

In 1 Cor. 15:35-58, we find that God has designed a "seed" and a special "body" for each plant, fish, animal and bird on earth, and He designed human bodies to live on earth and special "resurrection" bodies to live anywhere in the universes.

What will our "resurrection" body be like? 1 John 3:2 states that we don’t know ALL about what we will be in our resurrection bodies, but we will be like Jesus! So, what was Jesus like? 1 Cor. 15:20-23 states that Jesus is the "firstfruits" of the resurrection. "Firstfruits" is an agricultural term referring the small sample of a crop that matures early in the season and gives the farmer an idea of how the rest of the crop will turn out. So, the scripture is stating that Jesus is the early sample that reveals to us the characteristics of the rest of the resurrection.

In His resurrection body, Jesus had a body of flesh and bone, and his friends recognized him in Luke 24:39. He could walk through a wall, or use the door as in John 20:26. He appeared and disappeared at will, as in Luke 24:31. He could eat or not eat as in Luke 24:39-43. He walked and talked with men, and they did not know that he was in a resurrection body until he revealed himself, as in Luke 24:13-32. He could travel in space without a spacesuit as in Acts 1:9-11. We will be like HIM! And we have God’s "seed", or "lifeprint" , permanently residing in us, a "lifeprint" for our resurrection body!

1 John 3:9 expanded from the Greek: "Everyone who has been permanently born of God (cannot be unborn) cannot continually commit sin (God will either straighten us out or take us out), because God’s seed keeps on remaining in him (our resurrection body "DNA"); and he is unable to continually commit sin, because he has been permanently born of God".

What a rich verse! What a glorious Savior! What a glorious salvation! Live for Jesus – He gave his life for you!

Bob Jones