THE VICTORY OF FAITH

1 JOHN 5:1-5

Faith is the victory! Faith is the victory!
O glorious victory, that overcomes the world. (John H. Yates)

  I. Who really is born from God? (5:1; Jn. 1:13, 3:3-5-6-7-8; 1 Jn. 2:29, 3:9, 4:7, 5:1-4-18)

Jn. 3:3 [CEV]. Jesus replied, “I tell you for certain that you must be born from above before you can see God’s kingdom!”

      A. Faith in the person of Jesus (Jn. 6:69, 11:27; humanity and deity in one person)

Gal. 2:16 [NIV]. Know that a man is not justified by observing the law, but by faith in Jesus Christ. So we, too, have put our faith in Christ Jesus that we may be justified by faith in Christ and not by observing the law, because by observing the law no one will be justified.

      Commenting on this verse, Martin Luther wrote, “First a person must learn to know himself from the Law. With the prophet he will then confess: ‘All have sinned, and come short of the glory of God.’”

“At this state a person begins to lament: ‘Who is going to help me?’ In due time comes the Word of the Gospel, and says: ‘Son, thy sins are forgiven thee. Believe in Jesus Christ who was crucified for your sins. Remember, your sins have been imposed upon Christ.’ In this way are we delivered from sin. In this way are we justified and made heirs of everlasting life.”

      B. Love for the people of God

1 Jn. 4:7 [GNB]. Dear friends, let us love one another, because love comes from God. Whoever loves is a child of God and knows God.

 II. Who really is beloved of God? (5:2-3)

      A. Do the commands of God (2; Mt. 5:19, 19:17; Jn. 14:21; 1 Jn. 2:3, 3:22-24, 5:2-3; Rev. 14:12)

Jn. 14:15 [HCSB]. If you love Me, you will keep My commandments.

Jn. 15:10 [GW]. If you obey my commandments, you will live in my love. I have obeyed my Father’s commandments, and in that way I live in his love.

      B. Delight in the commands of God (3)

      Those truly born again do not consider obedience to Jesus as a burden (grievous–Mt. 23:4-23; Acts 20:29, 25:7; 2 Cor. 10:10; heavy in weight, burdensome, severe, stern; cf. Acts 15:28; 2 Cor. 4:17; Gal. 6:2).

Jn. 14:23 [GW]. Jesus answered him, “Those who love me will do what I say. My Father will love them, and we will go to them and make our home with them.”

      God values obedience.

•          Dt. 30:16 [ESV]. If you obey the commandments of the LORD your God that I command you today, by loving the LORD your God, by walking in his ways, and by keeping his commandments and his statutes and his rules, then you shall live and multiply, and the LORD your God will bless you in the land that you are entering to take possession of it.

•          Prov. 4:4 [ESV]. He taught me and said to me, "Let your heart hold fast my words; keep my commandments, and live.

•          Mal. 4:4 [GNB]. Remember the teachings of my servant Moses, the laws and commands which I gave him at Mount Sinai for all the people of Israel to obey.

III. Who really is believing in God? (5:4-5)

      A. Triumph over the world (1 Jn. 2:13-14, 4:4, 5:4-4; Rev. 12:11)

O how the world to evil allures me!
O how my heart is tempted to sin!
I must tell Jesus, and He will help me
Over the world the victory to win. (Elisha A. Hoffman)

Jn. 16:33 [WNT]. “I have spoken all this to you in order that in me you may have peace. In the world you have affliction. But keep up your courage: I have won the victory over the world.”

1 Cor. 15:57 [ESV]. But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

      These verses explain victorious Christian living.

1.         Victory is a possession. Victory rests in a Christian’s position or standing in Jesus Christ.

Is. 54:17 [CEV]. Weapons made to attack you won't be successful; words spoken against you won't hurt at all. My servants, Jerusalem is yours! I, the LORD, promise to bless you with victory.

2.         Victory is against opposition. Victory does not mean the absence of temptation but obedience to God in the moment of trial.

Rev. 12:11 [WNT]. But they have gained the victory over him because of the blood of the Lamb and of the testimony which they have borne, and because they held their lives cheap and did not shrink even from death.

3.         Victory is after completion. Christians do not fight for victory but from victory.

Col. 2:15 [CEV]. There Christ defeated all powers and forces. He let the whole world see them being led away as prisoners when he celebrated his victory.

Dt. 20:4 [HCSB]. For the LORD your God is the One who goes with you to fight for you against your enemies to give you victory.

Ps. 44:6-7 [NIV]. I do not trust in my bow, my sword does not bring me victory; but you give us victory over our enemies, you put our adversaries to shame.

Prov. 21:31 [HCSB]. A horse is prepared for the day of battle, but victory comes from the LORD.

4.         Victory is an appropriation. Victory comes in believing God.

Ex. 17:15 [CEV]. Moses built an altar and named it "The LORD Gives Me Victory."

5.         Victory is a Person. Victory does not depend upon our performance but on trust in a Person.

Mt. 12:20 [NIV]. A bruised reed he will not break, and a smoldering wick he will not snuff out, till he leads justice to victory.

2 Cor. 2:14a [CEV]. I am grateful that God always makes it possible for Christ to lead us to victory.

There is a place, praise God, I have found it!
There is a place where we may be free;
Free from defeat, with power surrounded;
Yes, there is victory, Jesus, in Thee.

I take the life of victory,
Not I, but Christ Himself in me;
He conquers now, He sets me free;
I take, He gives—the victory. (Paul Rader)

Ps. 118:24 [GNB]. This is the day of the LORD's victory; let us be happy, let us celebrate!

      B. Trust in the witness

Jn. 3:36 [NIV]. Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for God’s wrath remains on him.

Jn. 20:31 [NIV]. But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.