GOD IS LIFE - I JOHN 5

OVERCOMING THE WORLD BY:

The evidence of our love for God – v. 1-4

1) Our Belief that Jesus is the Son of God and our love for Him and Father God –

• Jesus said: All people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another. (John 13:35)

2) We keep/obey His commandments – The service of God brings freedom while the service of the

world brings bondage.

• His Commandments are not grievous/burdensome = weighty, severe, stern, cruel,

• root word that gives picture of going down under a weight.)

• God’s laws are for our practical benefit; contribute to our good.

• They fulfill us as we learn to apply them appropriately.

• His laws are NOT unreasonable!! – It is easy to obey God when our hearts are right before

• They are easily complied with when we are motivated by love for Him.

3) We overcome the world.

• ‘The world’ defined in the Parable of the Sower (Mk. 4:19) as cares, anxieties, deceitfulness of riches, lusts/cravings – all that consumes our affections/thoughts & drives motivation.

o I Tim. 6:17 – tells us riches can cause us to be highminded by trusting wealth, not Christ (idolatry).

o Tit. 2:12 – We should deny ungodliness and worldliness to live soberly, righteously, and godly. – ‘Soberly’ indicates a sound mind!

o Mt. 16:21 – Jesus overcame offenses, accusations from leaders/people even death by love.

o Col. 2:8 – Be careful not to let anyone captivate you through an empty, deceitful philosophy that is according to human traditions and the elemental spirits of the world, and not according to Christ.

o Phrases that promote the world’s thinking - “Look out for #1.” “If it feels good, do it.” “Follow your heart/dream.” “It’s not the Father, Son, and Holy Bible.”

4) Evidence that we have overcome the world – v.4-5 (READ)

• Our faith – v. 4 – provides us w/a weapon that defeats temptations & persecutions.

• Believing that Jesus is the Son of God – v 5 – provides us w/His divine abilities.

• VICTORY in our lives – delivers us from evil.

Three-Fold Witness or Evidence in Heaven and on earth that we walk in the Victory – v. 6-13

1) In Heaven – Father God, The Word (Jesus, the Son), and the Holy Spirit – v. 7

• Triune Godhead witnesses that we are His people; this witness in heaven is the far stronger evidence, giving us eternal life.

2) On Earth – v. 6, 8 = The Spirit, the water (baptism) in which the Spirit bore witness as Jesus was baptized and does w/believers; and the blood

o Jn 5:31-32, 36-37– If I testify about myself, my testimony is not true. There is another who testifies about me, and I know the testimony He testifies about me is true…I have a testimony greater than that from John…the deeds [my Father] assigned me…testify that He sent me. And the Father who sent me has himself testified about me.

3) Internal witness – v. 10-13 – the Spirit bears witness within us

o Ro. 8:16 – The Spirit Himself bears witness to our spirit that we are God’s children.

• External witness – v. 9 – the witness of men; & the greater witness of God & His Son

o Our personal testimonies of being translated from the Kingdom of Darkenss (death) into the Kingdom of Light (Life) does battle against all accusations and condemnations.

Pro. 14:25 – A true witness delivers/saves lives; but a deceitful witness speaks lies.

CONFIDENT IN OUR ETERNAL LIFE IN GOD THROUGH CHRIST – I Jn. 5:14-21

1) The effect of these witnesses produces a confidence within us that God not only hears our prayers but moves in answer to those prayers.

• boldness/confidence (v. 14) parrhesia from pas = individually & collectively; and rheo (through the idea of pouring forth meaning to utter or speak =

o We speak with assurance, boldness, unreserved freedom to be frank w/cheerful courage.

o It is the Opposite of: cowardice, timidity, & fear.

• This confident boldness founded upon ( v. 14-15) - relationship with the Triune God

o I Jn. 5:14-15 – we know His will in the situation or for the person prayed for.

2) To pray or not to pray – v. 16-17?

• Sin – Forgiveable vs Unforgiveable sin – Mt. 12:31- For this reason I tell you, people will be forgiven for every sin and blasphemy, but the blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven. (Context: Jesus was speaking about Satan in the previous verses.)

o Mk. 3:28-30 – I tell you the truth, people will be forgiven for all sins, even all the blasphemies they utter. But whoever blasphemes against the HS will never be forgiven, but is guilty of an eternal sin. (Again, Jesus had been speaking about Satan dividing himself against himself.)

o Blasphemy of the Holy Spirit is vilification of or evil speaking, railing against, i.e., attributing the HS’s work to the devil via willful rejection of the truth concerning Jesus.

o It is a settled, prolonged attitude, not impulse or ignorant. (Pharaoh comes to mind.)

3) Our relationship with and Knowledge of God gives us Understanding of Truth (v. 19-21)

• WE KNOW the TRUTH, live in the TRUTH, have the Truth within us, and

• WE KNOW that the TRUE GOD has given us eternal life.

• We keep yourselves from idols (i.e., images, shades of departed spirits, apparitions, specters, phantoms of the mind; OR a view, appearance, fashion, shape that leads us away from the TRUTH of God.

• Idolatry is not an option for overcomers who bears have this 3-fold witness of Heaven and earth.

• The mark of the Holy Spirit’s seal is upon their lives.

• Mature love opens our understanding to how truly amazing, all-encompassing, and forever consistent is the love of God towards us.

LET’S WALK IN THE Life of God having CONFIDENCE IN CHRIST JESUS to OVERCOME AS HE HAS.