The one who overcomes, believes; the one who believes, LOVES - part 3

John links loving our brother and sisters in Christ to “carrying out His commands.” Look again at 1 John 5:3: “For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments. And His commandments are not burdensome.” 

John is distinguishing between the emotional feelings of love for God by defining one who truly loves God as one who “keep(s) His commandments.” The true lover of God is the obedient one. This person not only has an emotional love but also has a praise of physical response to that love. True love (agape) requires action. 
 

This kind of love displayed in humanity would be to “lay down your life for another.” This kind of love directed to God would be a life that is living out an active love for God. A life that is eager and never tired of obedience. This will be a life that is marked by a defining relationship as a “Child of God.” This child will be defined and known for their absolute obedience and service to God, their ultimate source of Love. A child of the king, who has been shown relentless love, will, in turn, choose to love unquestionably. 
 

Moving on to verse 4: “For everyone who has been born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world — our faith.” “It is not the man but his birth from God, which conquers” (Alfred Plummer, Commentary on the Epistles of St. John, CGT [Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1894], in loc.).
 

It was on our behalf that Jesus has made us born of Him. It is with this new supernatural birth that God is transplanting humanity, by the blood of Jesus, from the kingdom of death into the Kingdom of Life. It is through this new life and through the byproduct of this new relationship, Faith, that we overcome the world’s darkness. The victory has already been won on our behalf. We are to now continue to have faith in the One who is victorious, Jesus. Through our faith we too are victorious. It is by faith we now have access to what was once accomplished by and through the life, death and resurrection of Jesus the Messiah. 
 

Now to verse 5: “Who is it that overcomes the world except the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?” John is asking a simple question, isn’t he? But could it really be that simple?  Yes! Faith In Jesus is where we get the ability to overcome. Verse 1 tells us, “Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ has been born of God….” It begins with the new birth, the begetting act of God. It is when this new birth is experienced that the believer moves into faith and faith into action. It all boils down to the believer’s confession of faith in the Jesus. That Jesus is the Son of God and He is the victory of God.

Continued tomorrow