“For whatever is born of God overcomes the world; and this is the victory that has overcome the world – our faith”
– 1 John 5:4
One of the most beautiful and heart-warming books of the Bible is the epistle of 1st John. Nestled between 2nd Peter and 2nd John, this mini-epistle is loaded with encouraging news about God the Father and His love towards His creation.
The apostle John wrote the epistle, but what makes it so beautiful is the reason for which he wrote it. John was the last of the apostles to die and in his old age he was either imprisoned on the island of Patmos or lived in exile in Ephesus when he penned these words. In either circumstance, he was surrounded by naysayers who proclaimed that Jesus was a great prophet, but certainly not God. This is the reason for his opening stanza proclaiming himself to be an eyewitness to the astounding power demonstrated by Jesus. John saw first-hand what God looked like encapsulated in flesh. He witnessed the miracles of Christ, the powerful words of Christ, but most of all, the death, burial and resurrection of Christ. You see, John was the disciple who lay his head on Jesus’ bosom at the Lord’s Supper. He was the only apostle at the cross during Jesus’ crucifixion. He was the one entrusted with the task of caring for Jesus’ blessed mother Mary. Yes, he truly was the disciple that Jesus loved.
And it’s that love that he experienced from Christ that he is trying to convey to his readers in our featured verse and throughout the epistle. In verse 3:1 John says, “See how great a love the Father has bestowed on us, that we would be called children of God …” We who believe Christ is the Son of God, and proclaim His resurrected power to the world, are loved by God and adopted by God to be part of His family. It is because of this love that we as children of God can overcome whatever the evil one throws at us. Through the power of Christ, we can overcome our circumstances, challenges, and problems.
Notice what John says is the underlying element that allows us to overcome these things. Our faith! Our faith, the very hope that our Lord will return one day and take us back to His home in the heavens is what gives us the strength to overcome the world.
I want to encourage you to strengthen your faith in Christ in 2019. Make a commitment now to follow Christ in ALL that you say and do.
In Christ,
Dave
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