MONDAY – 1 John 5:1-5, “Whoever believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God, and everyone who loves Him who begot also loves him who is begotten of Him. By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and keep His commandments. For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments. And His commandments are not burdensome. For whatever is born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith. Who is he who overcomes the world, but he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?” As we return to our study of 1 John, we begin this final chapter with Part 1 of Victorious Faith. All of Johns letter has been written so the readers may “know they have eternal life” (1 John 5:13). He will illustrate for us in these verses that genuine Christians are people who have victory, who overcome the world, and he will explain the how, why, and who of this fact. Scripture calls believers many things; from children of God, sheep, believers, saints, vessels, light, branches, chosen, called, living stones, temples and many more. Here we are called victors, conquerors, and winners. It is one of John’s favorite terms; twenty-four of its twenty-eight occurrences in the New Testament are in his writings. The word here for overcomes, is nika? in the Greek, it means to conquer, overcome, prevail, to win, to defeat, to gain victory. The noun from nika? is nik? from which we get the word Nike. The Greeks had a goddess by the name of Nik?, and this was the goddess of victory, the goddess of triumph who aided Zues in his battle against the Titans. Interesting is the fact the Greeks actually believed that ultimate victory could not be achieved by mortals, but only by the gods. It is against this kind of thinking of the ancient times, that John assigns to Christians the kind of unconquerability that belonged only to the gods in that culture. We still like this word and concept as Americans. The U.S. Military has Nike missiles, and of course we have Nike shoes that will aid in leading you to victory in whatever sport you’re engaged in. We will look at more by way of introduction to this beautiful concept tomorrow.
(Meditate, Apply & Pray) Would you say you live a life of victory? Why or why not? Do you believe that victory is possible? Why or why not? Father, thank You for the truth of Your Word which tells me that I can indeed achieve victory.
TUESDAY – 1 John 5:4-5, “For whatever is born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith. Who is he who overcomes the world, but he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?” Jesus used this word nika? in John 16:33 when he spoke of His victory over the satanic world system. It is His victory that forms the basis of our victory as believers. Paul speaks to this in Romans 8:37: “Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us.” “More than conquerors” translates an intensified, compound form of nika? (hupernika?), which refers to being absolutely, completely victorious. In Jesus, believers are invincible and unconquerable. Paul finishes, “For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Romans 8:38–39). We are overcomers Beloved, and although Satan is dangerous (1 Peter 5:8), his defeat is certain. Romans 16:20; “The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet.” In the meantime we fight by resisting, James 4:7, “Resist the devil and he will flee from you”. Being aware of his schemes (2 Corinthians 2:11), and putting on the “whole armor of God” (Ephesians 6:11). We also overcome death as Paul writes in 1 Corinthians 15:54–57. And as our passage reminds us, John says we Christians have overcome the world, the invisible spiritual system of evil, which is hostile to God and ruled by Satan. It is marked by pride, greed, selfishness, and sinful pleasure, “the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the boastful pride of life” (1 John 2:16). So through our relationship with the Lord Jesus and in and through His power we are victorious overcomers. Take heart beloved, we still lose some of the battles and fall to temptation, corruption and sin but as we will see here, John will point us to the characteristics of an overcomer which God has placed within us as His children.
(Meditate, Apply & Pray) Meditate on the fact that In & through Jesus you are victorious and can live as such. His power and life are what enable you to live in victory. Ask the Lord to help you cultivate the truths of this text in your life.
WEDNESDAY – 1 John 5:1, “Whoever believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God, and everyone who loves Him who begot also loves him who is begotten of Him.” John here goes back to the basic things he has been saying throughout his letter. True faith is evidenced in true love. He frequently uses the verb believes. Here he says “whoever” and informs us that true Christianity excludes no one. Anyone who sincerely puts his faith in Jesus is a child of God. The main verb in this sentence is born and the phrase whoever believes is the subject. This means that the believer is the child of God the Father, for God causes the spiritual birth of His child. The believer’s faith in God is irrefutable evidence of his spiritual birth. True Christians know that Jesus is the Christ because they have been born of God. Furthermore we read that faith in Jesus is linked to love for God’s other children. The one cannot exist without the other. John Calvin comments, “Since God regenerates us by faith, he must necessarily be loved by us as a Father; and this love embraces all his children.” In God’s family, faith in God and love for Him and his children are intertwined. Isn’t this what Jesus taught when He spoke of the greatest commandment and the second which is like it? He taught we must love the Lord our God….and our neighbor as ourselves (Matthew 22:37-39). John echoes again these truths which he has already stated in 1 John 3:23, “And this is His commandment: that we should believe on the name of His Son Jesus Christ and love one another, as He gave us commandment.” Spurgeon summarizes; “Do you love God? Do you love his children? Listen to another word from the same apostle: “We know that we have passed over from death to life because we love the brothers” (1 John 3:14). That may appear to be a very small evidence, but I can assure you it has often been a great comfort to my soul. I know I love the brothers; I can say to my Lord, “Is there a lamb among your flock I would disdain to feed?” I would gladly cheer and comfort the least of His people. Well, then, if I love the brothers, I love the Elder Brother. If I love the babies, I love the Father, and I know that I have passed over from death to life.”
(Meditate, Apply & Pray) Can you see evidence of love for God and love for your brothers and sisters in your life? Ask God to help you love His family.
THURSDAY – 1 John 5:2: “By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and keep His commandments.” As we move on John tells us genuine love for God is linked to love for God’s children and love for God can be true only if we keep His commandments. Notice that John gives the reader a statement that consists of three parts: love for the children of God; love for God; and obedience to His commands. These three are linked and inseparable. If any part of the statement is to be valid, it has to be linked to the other two parts. Here John reiterates the teachings of Jesus on this particular subject. Jesus said, “If you obey my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have obeyed my Father’s commands and remain in his love” (John 15:10). Spurgeon gives us further application when he says, “Love is a practical thing; love without obedience is a mere pretense. True love shows itself by seeking to please the one who is loved. May God the Holy Ghost work in us perfect obedience to the commands of God, that we may prove that we really do love Him!”
(Meditate, Apply & Pray) What practical and specific evidence do I have in my life that I seek to please the one I claim to love? Father, help me to seek to please You by obedience to Your Word and serving those You put in my life.
FRIDAY– 1 John 5:3: “For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments. And His commandments are not burdensome.” If we feel God’s commandments to be a burden, we are not walking with Him in obedience but rather rebellion. Only the rebellious sinner finds God’s law a burden. It is when we come to Jesus in genuine faith, trust and love Him and take His yoke upon us that we earn from Him and find rest for our souls (Matthew 11:28-29). Kistemaker; “For the person who refuses to acknowledge Jesus as the Son of God, the commands are a threat to man’s self-proclaimed freedom. They are a hindrance to his lifestyle and a constant source of irritation. The child of God, however, knows that God has given him laws for his own protection. As long as he stays within the area delineated by these laws he is safe, for in it he has his own spiritual environment. Therefore, the believer can do anything he pleases within the confines of God’s commands (Deut. 30:11–14). Augustine aptly remarks, “Love and do what you please.” The Christian desires to obey God’s precepts (Ps. 119:47, Romans 7:22).”
(Meditate, Apply & Pray) Father, forgive me when I wander from You and feel Your law a burden. Help me to delight in You and always seek to obey for it is then that I have true peace and lasting Joy and am assured that I am Your child.
