As Many As Received Him

John 1:11: He came unto his own, and his own received him not. 12 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: 13 Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.

Note some words in this passage that are in the past tense, received, gave and were. Just one word is in the present tense: *believe.* Those who have received Jesus, been given the power to become the sons of God and were born of the will of God are those who now believe on His name. No one believes properly who has not in the past received Jesus, been given the power to become the son of God and been born of the will of God. *As many as received Him* is a very precise number. We do not know what that number is but God knows. The word *received* confines the number to the past and the number grows by one at the exact moment someone receives Jesus and only then.

The word *power* in the passage has several definitions: *ability, privilege, (subjectively) force, capacity, competency, freedom, or (objectively) mastery (concretely, magistrate, superhuman, potentate, token of control), delegated influence:--authority, jurisdiction, liberty, power, right, strength.*

However one understands the word *power,* because Jesus is Diety, He is the source of it. He is God the Son and He is the Son of God. He wants to make us new creatures. He wants to be our Master. He wants to rule over us. He wants to guide us. He wants to bless us. Receiving Him is surrendering, yielding, submitting, committing and humbling yourself. It is needing Him and His power. It is depending upon Him and His power. Some use different words like these: *I gave myself to Him* or *I gave my life to Him.* It is a conversion. It is an adoption. It is called salvation. It is a gift. It is a change of direction. It is a change of purpose. It is a change of mind. It is a change of attitude. It is a change of relationship. It is passing from death unto life. It is receiving eternal life. It is a change of our eternal destiny. It is being born again. It is being regenerated. It is a correction. It is being given newness of life. It is being given a more abundant life. It is becoming alive unto God. It is getting peace with God. It is getting the peace of God. It is becoming a child of God. It is being washed in the blood of Christ. It is the forgiveness of God applied to a person. It is the power of Almighty God applied to the heart and life (and eternity) of a person. Has it happened to you?

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