IS FAITH SOMETHING I HAVE OR SOMETHING I DO?
1 JOHN 5:1-5
July 3, 2016
Keith Gove
1 John 5:1-5 ESV: [1] Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ has been born of God, and everyone who loves the Father loves whoever has been born of him. [2] By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and obey his commandments. [3] For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments. And his commandments are not burdensome. [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? 1 John 5:1-5 ESV:
In this text, John tells us that faith, and only faith, overcomes the world. It is both the gift of God and the resulting love for God. We simply cannot live God-honoring, world-overcoming, lie-destroying lives without it.
- When we see who Jesus is and treasure Him: We have been born of God, We love God
- When we love God: We love His children
- When we love God: We love His commands
- What love for God feels like: His commands are not a burden
- When we love His commands: We destroy the lies of the world
- Who loves God like this: The one who treasures Jesus above everything else – who has been born of God