The Faith That Overcomes the World is Founded on Jesus Christ, the Son of God
Truth Taught- Our God-given-faith is founded upon Jesus Christ, the Son of God. God’s Word gives us proof, truth and eyewitnesses that declare to us the fact that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God.
However strong your faith is, it can always be strengthened and made even more firm. As we read and study God’s Word and listen to the witness of the Holy Spirit affirming what we read, our faith grows.
Today in our text, John is going to look back at an event that changed his life forever. He refers to what he saw in his letter, 1 John.
We saw last time the absolute necessity of saving faith for salvation. We saw that saving faith comes to us only as a gift of God and that with man, this is impossible. We further looked together at man’s attempts to stir up faith and that they all fail.
We finally saw that saving faith has an object…Jesus Christ, the Son of God. So, faith must be fixed on Christ and all the Bible reveals about our Lord.
Saving faith is not empty belief but it is belief fixed upon its treasure.
We also saw that this is the type of faith that overcomes the world. Belief and trust is Christ and all the various truths revealed in the Bible concerning Him, is the focus of our faith. Everything revealed to us in the Bible find their pinnacle in this truth…Jesus is the Son of God.
1 John 5:4–5 (ESV)
4 For everyone who has been born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith. 5 Who is it that overcomes the world except the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?
Those John continually brings into his epistle are the successionists, those who had left the Church due to their desire to promote false teaching and to wrongly influence those who were still in the Church. Those who left did not believe Jesus was the Son of God, so, according to God, they did not possess saving faith and so were not Christians.
Belief that Jesus is the Son of God is a doctrine on which the Church lives or dies. It is a vital doctrine. So, John as pastor, desires to spend a little more time here to show his Church, or what was left, these truths.
This section of 1 John is massively important for us. I pray our faith is focused even more on what we need to be focused upon…our Lord Jesus Christ.
Please Stand
1 John 5:4–12 (ESV)
4 For everyone who has been born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith. 5 Who is it that overcomes the world except the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?
6 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. 7 For there are three that testify: 8 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. 11 And this is the testimony, that God gave us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. 12 Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life.
1. Who is it That Overcomes the World? (5:4-5)
4 For everyone who has been born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith. 5 Who is it that overcomes the world except the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?
Here, John defines for us who it is that overcomes the world. What enables Christians to overcome the world? What is it that gets us from A to B or from the very beginning of our Christian life to completing it with victory and great glory the Christian life? What is it that is the fuel for our perseverance and what is it that when we lie on our death bed, we can have confidence that our salvation is genuine? John tells us—our faith.
So, to overcome the world, Christians must continue in their faith in Christ as the Son of God in the face of all the false teaching that surrounds us. For the Church John pastored they had to persevere in the faith in spite of the successionists who were pulling at them with their heresy.
I’d like to show you something very important and I pray this will add even more godly assurance to your faith: There is a past tense and a future tense to our overcoming the world.
Past action that continues into the future…
4 For everyone who has been born of God overcomes the world-
The fact that you have been born of God somewhere in your past is the catalyst that carries you through to future overcoming. We have the Holy Spirit and Faith both given by God. All who are born again will in every case and without exception overcome the world.
The past event, the new birth, carries us on to completion in Christ.
Future promise…
5 Who is it that overcomes the world except the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?
Now John shows us that current and continued belief, which is promised by God, will carry us through to the end.
2. Proof that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God (5:6-8)
6 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. 7 For there are three that testify: 8 the Spirit and the water and the blood; and these three agree. 8 the Spirit and the water and the blood; and these three agree.
Here what John is telling us is that you have facts to base your faith on. Faith is a greater and more secure and consistent faith when it is absolutely based on facts. Belief to be real and true must be based on facts. Christianity while much of it being supernatural is still grounded in fact and on eyewitness accounts.
John gives us his testimony that Jesus, the Son of God came to us as Savior by water and blood. John was there, at the cross when all the others fled.
John 19:26–27 (ESV)
26 When Jesus saw his mother and the disciple whom he loved standing nearby, he said to his mother, “Woman, behold, your son!” 27 Then he said to the disciple, “Behold, your mother!” And from that hour the disciple took her to his own home.
John was the eyewitness to the cross and saw things that no other disciple saw. His love for Jesus kept him there.
The Apostle gives us three proofs that Jesus is the Son of God.
6 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.
John was there and saw the death of Jesus. John witnessed Jesus cry out and give up His spirit. He also witnessed an event that John tells us bears witness or testifies that Jesus is the Son of God.
John standing at the cross seeking meaning for all these things that were taking place and yet not fully knowing all that would later be revealed saw something that caused him to wonder what all this meant? What was the meaning of the cross?
John 19:31–37 (ESV)
31 Since it was the day of Preparation, and so that the bodies would not remain on the cross on the Sabbath (for that Sabbath was a high day), the Jews asked Pilate that their legs might be broken and that they might be taken away. 32 So the soldiers came and broke the legs of the first, and of the other who had been crucified with him. 33 But when they came to Jesus and saw that he was already dead, they did not break his legs. 34 But one of the soldiers pierced his side with a spear, and at once there came out blood and water. 35 He who saw it has borne witness—his testimony is true, and he knows that he is telling the truth—that you also may believe. 36 For these things took place that the Scripture might be fulfilled: “Not one of his bones will be broken.” 37 And again another Scripture says, “They will look on him whom they have pierced.”
John watched as the legs of the other two were broken to quicken their deaths but as the soldiers came to Jesus, they saw He was already dead. Just to make sure, one thrust a spear up into His side.
When the solder pulled the spear out, something very supernatural took place. Blood and water began to flow. The blood and the water flowed. This is likened to a stream pouring forth from the very heart of Jesus.
Back to 1 John 5:6,
6 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.
Water is the first witness. John saw the water come forth as a pure stream for the cleansing of God’s people. God’s people beneath that flood are cleansed by the water that came forth.
John being inspired by the Holy Spirit writes that when the spear was thrust into Jesus’ side…
John also tells us there is a second witness to the fact that Jesus Christ is the Son of God. The Blood bore witness that Jesus as the Son of God is also the Savior of His people. The Blood is for redemption and justification. John saw the blood also flow like a stream for our Lord’s side.
34 But one of the soldiers pierced his side with a spear, and at once there came out blood and water.
John, himself saw this act by the soldier. It was by the Holy Spirit that John received the meaning of it all. What was the cross? How was he to interpret these events. Jesus is the Christ, the Messiah and the Son of God. All these titles find their fullest meaning as Jesus is also Savior.
35 He who saw it has borne witness—his testimony is true, and he knows that he is telling the truth—that you also may believe.
There was to be found in this precious flow the meaning of the cross. All who believe will be cleansed and redeemed.
The third witness is the Holy Spirit who bears these truths to us and saves us.
Oh precious is the flow that makes me white as snow, not other fount I know, nothing but the blood of Jesus.
John here is guarding us from a heresy that Satan would love to use to keep us from heaven. By the shedding of the blood, God is showing us that Jesus is man. Also by the meaning John gives this event, God is showing us that Jesus is the Son of God. Only God can pay a debt to the Father.
All this is shown to be true when the Holy Spirit brings life to us and we believe.
3. God’s Testimony is Greater Than Man’s (5:9-12)
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. 11 And this is the testimony, that God gave us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. 12 Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life.
John saw this event and recorded it in his Gospel…
John 19:35 (ESV)
35 He who saw it has borne witness—his testimony is true, and he knows that he is telling the truth—that you also may believe.
John is telling us, that what he saw that day at the cross and what it meant is all true. He recorded it for us so that we would believe. As great as this testimony is, God’s is even greater.
John is not seeking to diminish his authority as an Apostle the write Scripture but his point is that everything he has to write came from God. God is the source.
So, we see that there are multiple witnesses to the fact that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God. All the witnesses agree.
One of the most striking proofs appears at Jesus’ baptism. We read, “And a voice came from heaven: ‘You are My beloved Son; in You I am well pleased’” (Mark 1:11). This is a direct statement from God Himself, identifying Jesus with unmistakable clarity. It not only shows divine approval but also sets the tone for Jesus’ earthly ministry as the One who fulfills all righteousness.
Centuries before Jesus’ earthly life, prophecies foretold a coming Savior. Isaiah wrote, “Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, the virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and will call Him Immanuel” (Isaiah 7:14). Matthew 1:22–23 confirms this fulfillment in Jesus, showing us that the Scriptures pointed directly to Him as God’s chosen Son who would dwell among us.
Matthew 1:21–25 (ESV)
21 She will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.” 22 All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet:
23 “Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son,
and they shall call his name Immanuel”
(which means, God with us). 24 When Joseph woke from sleep, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded him: he took his wife, 25 but knew her not until she had given birth to a son. And he called his name Jesus.
John makes a very important statement here. That to not believe what God has declared to be true is to call God a liar.
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.
To disbelieve this about Jesus is to reject the very Gospel that has been preached by the Apostles.
Listen, unbelief is not neutral. It is an affront against God’s holiness. God cannot lie and yet man’s disbelief is calling Him a liar.
God the Father has sent His Son to save you. He died on the cross the most violent death to make the way for you to come to the Father and for your sins to be forgiven. To reject this has great and eternal consequences.
Believe the witnesses…
Believe the Gospel and be saved.
Resources Used:
Studies in John’s Epistles Findlay
1 John Pierce
1 John Kruse
1 John Candish
1 John Beeke
1 John MacArthur
The Gospel According to John Morris
Words of Blessing
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