Day 571: Love's victory - 1 John 5 vs 1 - 10

1 Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ (Messiah) has been born of God, and  everyone who loves the Father loves whoever has been born of him. 2-3 By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and obey his commandments. For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments. And his commandments are not burdensome. 4-5 For everyone who has been born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world - our faith. Who is it that overcomes the world except the one who believes  that Jesus is the Son of God?

6-8 This is he who came by water and blood - Jesus Christ; not by the water only but by the water and the blood. And the Spirit is the one who testifies, because the Spirit is the truth. For there are three that testify: the Spirit and the water and the blood; and these three agree. 9 If we receive the testimony of men, the testimony of God is greater, for this is the testimony of God that he has borne concerning his Son.10 Whoever believes in the Son of God has the testimony in himself. Whoever does not believe God has made him a liar, because he has not believed in the testimony that God has borne concerning his Son. 1 John 5:1-10 (English Standard Version)

I mentioned in the last chapter of this letter that John uses the word 'overcome' five times. And now, in vs 4-5, he also uses the word 'victory'. What is it in vs 4-5 that results in Christians overcoming the opposition they meet up with in this world?

He says that it's our faith. Those who truly believe that Jesus is none other than the Son of God will have victory over the world. This Jesus, as the four gospels tell us, is the one who was born of a virgin in Bethlehem, grew up in Nazareth, did amazing miracles throughout His short life on earth before being crucified outside Jerusalem, but then rose victoriously from the tomb three days later. And John says in vs 1 that those who truly believe these things, and who conclude therefore that Jesus is the long awaited Messiah, have been 'born of God'. They have experienced a new birth, or a second birth. What does John say will always be the evidence of this new birth? (vs 2-3)

Those who believe that Jesus is the Messiah will obey the command Jesus gave that we love one another in the manner He has loved us. It doesn't matter from which nation or race our fellow believers came, or to which part of societies many levels they were part of, if they have embraced Jesus Christ as Saviour and Lord they are part of God's worldwide family. We, with them, will share in the victory over the opposition we face in the world from those who don't have faith in who Jesus is. But John goes on to say that ours is not a 'blind faith'. We don't believe something for which there is no evidence or facts to back it up. Who and what does John say also testifies to who Jesus is?

The Holy Spirit of God has backed up the message of how the man baptized in the Jordan river when a voice came from heaven saying “this is my beloved Son with whom I am well pleased” (Matthew 3:17), and who was later crucified for sinners - is the Son of the living God. Jesus told the disciples that when the Holy Spirit came He would “guide them into all the truth” (John 16:13).

In other words, God Himself testified to the world that Jesus is His Son. He did so at Jesus' baptism, and again when His appearance was wonderfully changed before His disciples eyes on a mountain. God also demonstrated it by raising Jesus from the dead and taking Him up to heaven. John says that when men and women reject the testimony God gave concerning Jesus they are calling God a liar! (vs 10). But those believe what God said, and what the Holy Spirit affirmed and caused to be written in the gospels, that Jesus is God's Son, the Messiah, these are the people whose faith enables them to have victory in the world. They see through the deceptions that false teachers spread, and they resist the temptations in the world that lead people into sin. God's love for them and in them through Christ, gives them victory.