1 John 5:1 (LSB) Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ has been born of God, and everyone who loves the One who gives new birth loves also the one who has been born of Him. 2 By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and do His commandments. 3 For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments; and His commandments are not burdensome. 4 For everything that has been born of God overcomes the world; and this is the overcoming that has overcome the world—our faith. 5 Who is the one who overcomes the world, but he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?

Faith. Obedience. Commandments. Love. Overcoming the world. Salvation. The ontology of God. The depravity of man. Grace. Mercy. Glory. The order between new birth (regeneration) and faith.

All of these (and more) are addressed in this passage.

Everyone who believes Jesus is the Christ has been born of God. This is saving faith. But what is it to believe? Who is Jesus? What is the Christ?

People at ball games will yell Jesus !#$^ Christ. I know. I sat next to one once. Does that mean that such people believe Jesus is the Christ and so are saved? Is saving faith simply a knowledge of the facts? No. James tells us that the demons know and believe that God exists, that He has done all that is necessary to save His people. They know this world is under judgment and that they are out of perdition on borrowed time. They know, and they tremble!!

Saving faith believes all the truth, especially about Jesus as God's anointed one (Messiah in Hebrew, Christ in Greek) Who has come to live a perfect life, to die a substitutionary death, to be raised never to die again and all for the sake of the people whom the Father has chosen, the Son has purchased, and the Spirit will make alive and is making holy (or has already made holy in the case of departed saints). Saving faith believes in / relies upon / submits to God Who has accomplished all these things for the sake of His Own glory.

And it is God Who brings this about. We are born and then we believe. Not the other way around.

Further, John tells us that we know that we are saved when we love God and when we do His commandments. How is he so confident of this? Because he knows that a sinful, rebellious human heart has no inkling of desire to follow God unless God first gives life that kindles that desire. The first command we obey upon the new birth God gives is the command to believe. We repent of believing lies that we are in charge, that we know good and evil, that we are basically good. We acknowledge that God alone is truly good and that we are utterly dead and rebellious before Him. The ONLY way that comes about is by the Holy Spirit's regenerative work in us through hearing the Word of God proclaimed.

Any obedience we give back to God has been wrought in us by God. Any faith we have in Him, any love we have for Him is from Him and through Him and to Him. Our sinful nature has been crucified, but it still rears its ugly head, but we who believe in and love God and neighbor are those whom He has chosen and so made alive and so saved. There is nothing left to fear. God has accomplished it all.

In this way, we overcome the world. What is it to overcome the world? It is to overcome evil with good. Not with a superhero complex. Not with a look what I did attitude. Not with a don't tread on me independence. But with a heart of love for God and neighbor, heaping coals of judgment upon our neighbor's head by giving them water to drink, leaving vengeance in God's hands, all the while hoping and praying that He gives life and repentance and faith instead of giving them over to their evil ways. We who have been saved by grace through faith have been freed to love our neighbors as ourselves. We overcome by the blood of the lamb and by the word of our testimony that He has saved us by His grace and for His glory. O sinner, repent and believe! O saint, see His glory!

#comeandseeJesus

#comeandlivebyfaith

#comeandworshipHim

#SoliDeoGloria