Being Overcomers Series

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1 John 5:1-12

“Being Overcomers”

Through his Epistle John has gone to great lengths to ensure the readers understand who Jesus is … and the eternal security we can have when we put our faith in Jesus.

John continues to have that same focus in our text this morning which is 1 John 5:1-12.

1 John 5:1-12

1 Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God, and everyone who loves the father loves His child as well. 2 This is how we know that we love the children of God: by loving God and carrying out His commands. 3 In fact, this is love for God: to keep His commands. And His commands are not burdensome, 4 for everyone born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith. 5 Who is it that overcomes the world? Only the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God.

6 This is the One who came by water and blood – Jesus Christ. He did not come by water only, but by water and blood. And it is the Spirit who testifies, because the Spirit is the truth. 7 For there are three that testify: 8 the Spirit, the water and the blood; and the three are in agreement. 9 We accept human testimony, but God’s testimony is greater because it is the testimony of God, which He has given about His Son. 10 Whoever believes in the Son of God accepts this testimony. Whoever does not believe God has made Him out to be a liar, because they have not believed the testimony God has given about His Son. 11 And this is the testimony: God has given 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.

Reading through these verses should cause us to say, “Yes. Yes. Yes.”

We say “Yes” because we know that Jesus has come in water and blood.

The water represents the Baptism of Jesus which, in turn, signalled the beginning of a three year ministry of preaching about the need to repent.

The blood represents the crucifixion of Jesus where Jesus makes the blood atonement so that those who do repent can be forgiven and have eternal life.

Effectively the phrase “water and the blood” is a way to summarize the whole ministry of Jesus.

In response to this saving ministry of Jesus … we say “Yes”.

We also say “Yes” to the greater testimony that God has given us about His Son.

The testimony of a human being can carry great weight. The greater testimony of God carries eternal weight.

When Jesus was baptised God made the testimony … this is my Son in whom I am well-pleased. Even before the ministry of Jesus started God knew the ministry of Jesus would accomplish all that God would require.

On the third day after Jesus was crucified the empty tomb becomes a visual testimony from God that the sacrifice given on the cross had fulfilled all the requirements of the law, now the way of salvation is open to all who call upon the name of Jesus.

We say “Yes” to this testimony which is the very foundation of our eternal hope and security.

We also say “Yes” to the eternal life that God has given us.

When we confess our sin and put our faith and trust in Jesus we are given the Spirit as a deposit guaranteeing our place in eternity. This deposit means that, the next time we see Jesus face to face, we know He is going to say to us “your place in the new heaven and new earth is prepared and ready to receive you.”

When we have Jesus we have life. We say “Yes” to such a life.

Yes to the saving work.

Yes to standing secure on the foundation built by Jesus.

Yes to the sure and certain hope of eternal life.

When we say “Yes” to such an extensive saving work we would expect that our “Yes” to will lead to a life of spiritual transformation and obedience. Indeed, through this letter, John has been teaching us what that life of obedience will look like.

4 Whoever says, ‘I know Him (Jesus),’ but does not do what He commands is a liar.

1 John 2:4

15 If anyone loves the world, love for the Father is not in them.

1 John 2:15

9 No one who is born of God will continue to sin, because God’s seed remains in them; they cannot go on sinning, because they have been born of God.

1 John 3:9