1 John 5:1-4 says...

Today's verses are 1 John 5:1-4, which read,

"Whoever believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God, and whoever loves the Father loves the child born of Him.  By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and observe 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."

"Whoever believes.." means that John is going to describe someone in this passage.  The person who believes "that Jesus is the Christ is born of God."  The person John is starting to describe is someone who has been persuaded to a conviction of a truth (the truth is that Jesus is the Christ) and holding onto it with confidence.

"...whoever loves the Father love the child born of Him..." is another descriptor of this person that John is painting for us.  The person not only believes in God but loves God and loves God's people.  

"...and observe His commandments...we keep His commandments;..."  John further describes this person as someone who sees the commandments of God as orders that we obey and that we cherish and that we guard.  This person is not just obeying out of duty but because they are starting to see the depth of why God gave the command.  

"...overcomes the world;..." is the title that John gives to this person he has been describing.  The person who believes (persuaded, conviction of the truth, holding in confidence) in God and loves God and His people and obeys (holds, cherishes, guards) His commands are "overcomers" of this world.  

Do you see the action of our faith that John ends this passage with?  Our faith includes all the above in the passage.  That faith has depth that will allow us to stand up to anything that the world throws at us just as it did for the persecuted Christians throughout the world throughout the centuries.  

"Lord, may the faith I have in You deepen.  May the faith I have in You grow by my continued belief in You and my love for You and Your children and my obedience to Your loving commands.  'Oh, victory in Jesus, my Savior forever....' is so true.  Amen."

Pastor Adam
A simple man serving a great God and the local pastor of Stillwater Community Chapel (stillwater-chapel.org). We are in our 38th year of full time ministry. God directed us to this local body of believers on the Western Range of the Rockies to grow with them in mission and mindedness of Christ.

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