1 John 5:1? What does it mean, regaring baptism making us children of God?

[LoveGod102]

“Every one who believes that Jesus is the Christ is a child of God, and every one who loves the parent loves the child.”

Read more: ewtn.com/ewtn/bible/search_bible.asp#ixzz2cNelWjjM

I thought that God teaches through the Church that baptism makes us children of God.
I know this verse can’t truly contradict this teaching, so can someone explain what it really means? I’m very confused here.

Also, is this the reason that many non-Catholic Christians believe that Jesus was talking about making an act of faith when He said that one must be born of the water and The Spirit to be saved?

 

[Zekariya]

“Every one who believes that Jesus is the Christ is a child of God, and every one who loves the parent loves the child.”

Read more: ewtn.com/ewtn/bible/search_bible.asp#ixzz2cNelWjjM

I thought that God teaches through the Church that baptism makes us children of God.
I know this verse can’t truly contradict this teaching, so can someone explain what it really means? I’m very confused here.

Also, is this the reason that many non-Catholic Christians believe that Jesus was talking about making an act of faith when He said that one must be born of the water and The Spirit to be saved?

St John wrote that letter to the Church which made up baptized people. He is saying (reading from the context), “Every one [of you baptized Christians] who believes that Jesus is the Christ is a child of God, and every one who loves the parent loves the child.”

 

[LoveGod102]

St John wrote that letter to the Church which made up baptized people. He is saying (reading from the context), “Every one [of you baptized Christians] who believes that Jesus is the Christ is a child of God, and every one who loves the parent loves the child.”

But baptism cannot be undone. So even if they later rejected Jesus as the Christ, wouldn’t they still be children of God by virtue of their baptism?
Is he referring to the fact that they are in one sense justified (past tense) by baptism forever, (because baptism makes an indelible mark on one’s soul I’m presuming), rather than to the fact that there salvation is also ongoing because they could choose to later reject God?
(I don’t totally understand the previous paragraph, I am mostly paraphrasing what I just read in an article on this site.)
Thanks for explaining somewhat though, I kind of understand now, just not completely.

 

[Zekariya]

But baptism cannot be undone. So even if they later rejected Jesus as the Christ, wouldn’t they still be children of God by virtue of their baptism?
Is he referring to the fact that they are in one sense justified (past tense) by baptism forever, (because baptism makes an indelible mark on one’s soul I’m presuming), rather than to the fact that there salvation is also ongoing because they could choose to later reject God?
(I don’t totally understand the previous paragraph, I am mostly paraphrasing what I just read in an article on this site.)
Thanks for explaining somewhat though, I kind of understand now, just not completely.

Verse two says, “By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and keep His commandments.” St John seems to associate faith in Christ as a determining factor. He goes on to speak about a sin that leads to death. Perhaps he is saying that the baptized who forsake faith in Christ and refuse to repent are no longer counted as children of God?

1 John 5:16-18 If anyone sees his brother sinning a sin which does not lead to death, he will ask, and He will give him life for those who commit sin not leading to death. There is sin leading to death. I do not say that he should pray about that. All unrighteousness is sin, and there is sin not leading to death. We know that whoever is born of God does not sin; but he who has been born of God keeps himself, and the wicked one does not touch him. verse 21 Little children, keep yourselves from idols. Amen.

 

[anruari]

“Every one who believes that Jesus is the Christ is a child of God, and every one who loves the parent loves the child.”

Read more: ewtn.com/ewtn/bible/search_bible.asp#ixzz2cNelWjjM

I thought that God teaches through the Church that baptism makes us children of God.
I know this verse can’t truly contradict this teaching, so can someone explain what it really means? I’m very confused here.

Also, is this the reason that many non-Catholic Christians believe that Jesus was talking about making an act of faith when He said that one must be born of the water and The Spirit to be saved?

I think your fundamental problem comes from trying to develop theology from a single quote without reference to context or to the broader scripture.
THis is a technique beloved of some of the “Evangelical” and “Bible Christian” groups.
It is NOT how catholic theology is developed.

If you read the bible - OK just the New Testament - and look for what is needed to be “Saved” the list is long.
It cannot be derived from a single verse about believing in Jusus, or confessing that He is Lord.

rather:
We must be born again by water and by Spirit (We must be baptised)
We must eat His Flesh and drink His Blood
We must believe in Him
We must have Faith in Him
We must express our Faith through “good works” of Love and Charity - or our faith is not real.(these are totally different from the "Works of the Law)
We must confess with our Tongues that Jesus Christ is Lord.
We must Repent.
We must Love the Lord our God with all our Hearts, all our Minds, all our strength, and all our souls. We must Love our Neighbour as ourselves.
We must forgive others - or our own sins will not be forgiven. (this is part of the “Good Works”)

The list is longer than this… but I hope you see the point. This is derived from multiple parts of the Gospels and Epistles. - It draws a lot of corroboration from the Old Testament - No Part of it is derived from a single verse. all parts have corroborating verses in other parts of scripture - even if the secondary verses are more cryptic.

 

[LoveGod102]

I think your fundamental problem comes from trying to develop theology from a single quote without reference to context or to the broader scripture.
THis is a technique beloved of some of the “Evangelical” and “Bible Christian” groups.
It is NOT how catholic theology is developed.

If you read the bible - OK just the New Testament - and look for what is needed to be “Saved” the list is long.
It cannot be derived from a single verse about believing in Jusus, or confessing that He is Lord.

rather:
We must be born again by water and by Spirit (We must be baptised)
We must eat His Flesh and drink His Blood
We must believe in Him
We must have Faith in Him
We must express our Faith through “good works” of Love and Charity - or our faith is not real.(these are totally different from the "Works of the Law)
We must confess with our Tongues that Jesus Christ is Lord.
We must Repent.
We must Love the Lord our God with all our Hearts, all our Minds, all our strength, and all our souls. We must Love our Neighbour as ourselves.
We must forgive others - or our own sins will not be forgiven. (this is part of the “Good Works”)

The list is longer than this… but I hope you see the point. This is derived from multiple parts of the Gospels and Epistles. - It draws a lot of corroboration from the Old Testament - No Part of it is derived from a single verse. all parts have corroborating verses in other parts of scripture - even if the secondary verses are more cryptic.

I understand that we have to look at the context of the verse to understand, which I did. However, reading the the verses after the first one did not help me understand, which is why I posted this thread, hoping that someone more knowledgeable could explain.
Also, I was asking about the being saved part, only out of curiosity as to whether a misunderstanding of that verse is what the led to the heresy of baptism being only a symbol. Mostly, I want to know about the Children of God part. I understand that we are saved by grace, through faith and works; and also that we shouldn’t take one or a few verses out of context to make them seem to say something they don’t. That’s not what I’m trying to do.
I never knew why some protestant Christians believe that, and then I read that verse, and I thought “maybe that’s why”. So I wanted to understand what it really meant, partly so that I can better understand why that heresy is not true, and partly because it confused me regarding our believe that baptism is what makes us children of God.