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ALL BELIEVERS ARE OVER COMERS 1 John 5:4-13 |
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ALL BELIEVERS ARE OVER COMERS 1 John 5:4-13 |
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Introduction: There is in many circles today the idea that because we live in a evil world Christians cannot really live godly lives. Because of rampant worldliness all around us the philosophy is that we must compromise because a believer cannot overcome the great influence the world has on us. There is a new breed of churches that hold the opinion that in order to reach the world churches must join with it in its music, philosophy and bent toward entertainment. These churches are in gross error and God is not having a part in what they doing because God cannot be a party to error and heresy. These churches outwardly look good and are rich yet they are like the church in Pergamos that were holding to the name of Christ, but were compromising with the world. (see Rev. 2:12-17). Jesus warned them to "Repent; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will fight against them with the sword of my mouth. He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the hidden manna, and will give him a white stone, and in the stone a new name written, which no man knoweth saving he that receiveth it" (Rev. 2:16-17)
The Lord promised a special blessing of "hidden manna and a new name" to those who listened to Him.
I. A STATEMENT OF FACT: WHATSOEVER IS BORN OF GOD OVERCOMETH THE WORLD. 1 John 5:4-5
A. Jesus on the Cross said, "It is finished" John 19:30.
1. The work of salvation was completed and was complete!
a. Rom. 5:12 "Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin, and so death passed upon all men, for that all men have sinned:"
b. V18 "Therefore as by the offense of one, judgment came upon all men to condemnation; even so by the righteousness of one the free gift come upon all men unto justification of life."
c. Heb. 2:14-15, Christ conquered Satan, and sin and death.
2. I John. 5:4, states the person "born of God" has absolutely overcome the world!
a. This is the victory! A person who by simple faith, trusts in Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior overcomes the world.
b. He or she that believes in Jesus Christ obtains eternal life and PRESENTLY also obtains the benefit of living the most full and abundant life possible.
B. Those that die without Christ, are those who are overcome by Satan and will spend and eternity in hell even as will Satan.
1. However, no one, NOT even ONE person need to live any longer under the condemnation of sin and judgment.
2. Christ died and was resurrected and paid the sin debt of the world, everyone. Those who by simple faith, believe and trust Him are saved. It is really very simple!!
3. Yet it is life changing! It is miraculous thing.
B. The Christian does not labor for victory! The victory is already won.
1. The victory is in Christ's accomplished atonement on the cross.
2. The fact is we are victorious.
3. Martin Luther said, "The conflict and suffering which we now have is not the real war, but only the celebration, a part of the glory, of the victory."
C. In Rev. 2-3, The Lord gives special promises to the overcomers. (see Rev. 2:7, 11, 17, 26-28; 3:5, 12, 21).
1. These promises are not to "super-saints" or for a small select few. But they are for all who have an ear to hear and a heart to believe what God has said.
2. All who believe are overcomers...period.
II. CHRIST'S CREDENTIALS ARE VERIFIED. 1 John. 5:6-12.
A. Cerinthus, a Gnostic who was the enemy of John and head of a cult in John's day, taught the heresy that Jesus was the natural son of Joseph and Mary.
B. John calls three witnesses to attest to the fact that Jesus was the Son of God. Please note! The title Son of God, in the Bible denotes the deity of Christ. It means that Christ is God.
The "Water and Blood" are the two witnesses.
Water: At Jesus's baptism (Matt. 3:16-17) when God stated the truth: "This is my beloved son in whom I am well pleased."
"Blood: On the cross.
"The Holy Spirit: The work of the Holy Spirit is to illuminate the Word of God. 1 John 2:20 "ye have an unction from the Holy Spirit."
The verse is better ended at the word "record".
C. If we receive the witness or testimony from a man then so much more ought we to receive the testimony of God Himself as He reveals truth. Verse 10
1. The witness of God, Himself. God himself at Christ's baptism, and at the Transfiguration. (Moses and Elijah)
2. The witness on the inside. "he hath the witness in himself" In other words the person who believes in Christ has this testimony in his heart.
3. If a person denies the truth of God's revealed Word, then they are in fact calling God a liar, because they refuse to believe what God has said.
4. Some then would say,I believe my way and you yours, mine's good as yours, right? Wrong, what we sincerely believe must be true for it to be valid. That is where the record comes in or the Bible.
C. V11. The fact is stated: God has given to man eternal life and that life is in His Son.
1. V12 If a person has trusted in Jesus Christ as their Savior, then they have Jesus and are saved. If not, then they are not saved!
2. The victory is won when a person believes.
A. The Bible does not present a "hope so" salvation. One is saved or not and God gives full assurance of salvation to those that receive it.
1. John states the conclusion of all he has previously stated....Verse 13 "these things have I written unto that believe".
2. "these" or ~this~ Demonstrative pronoun and points back to what generally has preceded.
3. "That you may know..." In Greek this phase follows "this I write to you".
4. "that" = means "in proper order , "you have" is in present tense..a present reality.
5. "to know" ...to be sure or have no doubt of
6. "have eternal life." means living in the age to come.
7. "you who believe". In Greek. "eternal" is an adjective. It is separated from its noun by a verb, it is emphatic by its position. It says, "you have life - yes! eternal life!
It literally translates: "This I write to you, that you may know that you have eternal life now, you who believe on the name of the name of the Son of God."
B. The question we did to ask today it simply this: Whom do you believe??? God or Man; some church, some prophet, some pope, or who? The question is not really what you believe, but in whom do you believe? There are those who sincerely believe a person can lost their salvation or that one cannot know they are truly saved until the judgment. One common bond of all these false religions and churches is that they all preach and teaches some form of "works for salvation." Each of them tries to add man's filthy righteousness to the Lord Jesus' and seek to in some why merit forgiveness. There is only one way ant that way in not through any man or any man and Christ, but only through the shed blood of Jesus Christ.
Acts 4:10-12 "Be it known unto you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom ye crucified, whom God raised from the dead, even by him doth this man stand here before you whole. This is the stone which was set at nought of you builders, which is become the head of the corner. Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved."
Acts 4:10-12 absolutely rules out any possibility that a man came be saved in his own name. It is all of Christ...or none of Christ.
1. If a man believes God, they he will naturally believe the revealed Word of God and what he believes will be right.
2. If a man chooses to believe a man, a denomination, group or anything but God then he is rejecting the only source of truth and is headed for a fall.
C. Scriptural evidence of eternal security:
1. John. 3:16 ...double positive..not perish/have everlasting life.
2. John. 10:27-30..Jesus said that his sheep hear his voice and will not follow another. I give unto them eternal life, and they shall never perish.
3. Rom. 8:35, 38-39, Who shall separate us from the love of God?...v37 we are more than conquerors.
4. Phil. 1:6, "Christ who began the work will see it to the end...you are perfect! There are certainly no "ifs" here!
5. II Tim. 1:12, "I know in whom I have believed I am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day."
6. II Cor. 5:17, " If a man is in Christ he IS a new creature." It is not like riding a roller coaster.
7. Heb. 6:1-6, It is impossible to renew the lost to Christ. Every church that denies eternal security..teaches you can lose it and get it back.
D. We may know folks you professed to know Christ and yet fell away. I John. 2:19...says they were never saved to start with.
1. I John. 3:7-8... ...be not deceived, he that doth righteousness is righteous, even as he is righteous. Verse 8 He that commits sin (on a continual basis is of the Devil.
2. It is a doctrinal fact that believers are in Christ, in the eyes of God have no sin because of the righteousness of Christ has been imputed to them. (See V 9 and 10b.) Romans 15:5-6...Scripture was given to us to learn by...to be of one mind and unity on the things of God.
E. Doubting is not always evidence of a lack of salvation, many times it is the working of a sincere desire to know Christ.
1. Doubting can come from a carnal heart..and from sin in a persons life.
2. Doubting is good if it leads us closer to Christ and to full assurance of our salvation.
Conclusion:
If you have believed in Jesus Christ alone for your salvation you have eternal life and God wants you to know that and to be assured of it.
What a terrible why to live, with a "hope so religion" never knowing if you have been forgiven or not. John says God's plan of salvation is a "Know so".
There is no Glory to God in working for salvation and keeping yourself saved by good works. There is no peace, outside of truly trusting to the Lord Jesus.
So many want peace, yet are deeply troubled and some are saved people who have no really understood this truth. Some maybe have not really trusted in Christ and therefore there doubts are grounded in their lack of faith. However, if you believe in Jesus Christ, have repented of your sins you have God's word on it that you are forgiven and on your way to heaven.
