1 John 5:4-10a. October, 1927. Vol. 1. Page 47.
Shortly before our Lord departed this earth, He said to His disciples: “In the world ye shall have tribulation, but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.” A little child sometimes takes courage to cross a seemingly dangerous place by seeing its father go before. More than such encouragement is given us in Christ, who as a man passed through all trials and temptations that we pass through and overcame them all. He not only shows us the way, but has made a way and carries us over the path through all trials and temptations to overcome the world, as He overcame - “I live and ye shall live also.”Of this overcoming the world John speaks here when he asks the question:
Who is He that Overcometh the World?
The inspired Apostle answers the question himself by saying, “Whoever is born of God overcometh the world. He who is born into this world is not to find rest and peace and joy and an everlasting home in it, but something that he must fight with and overcome. He enters (the lists?) For a pitched battle and if he does not win this battle, he might with real cause curse the day he was born, for they who do not overcome the world, shall not stand in judgment, but fear the dreadful sentence: Depart ye cursed etc. They may ask them for mercy, but hear only: Depart. They may ask for blessing and receive a curse. They may ask to be sent to a good place and be sent to fire. They may ask for a short sentence and receive an everlasting one. They may ask for a good company and have only devils to torment them. Surely it were better for such a one that he had never been born, as Jesus said of Judas.
Neither does natural birth fit you out for such a battle, but rather does this word of John condemn all naturally born man and woman not fit to enter life eternal when they be born again, as Jesus said to Nicodemus. People are often unduly proud of their birth and prate much of their glorious ancestors and the blue blood that flows in their veins. Surely we have nothing to boast of by birth, but sin, whether born high or low. David was a king, yet not proud of his birth, for he says: Behold I was shapen in iniquity, etc. With these words God condemns all man’s achievements: Ye must be born again.
The world with all its wisdom, science, and inventions can give us nothing to assist us in the battle that lies before us. The world presents to us only such things as we must overcome, that we must (put?) aside as worthless to our salvation, as Jesus says, Let a man deny himself, etc. The godless are burdened and held fast to this world by it’s riches, cares, trials, etc. The man who overcomes sits on top. He rules his possessions and is not ruled by them. He rules over wealth and is not ruled by it. With Paul he counts all things for dross that he may gain Christ.
But how can we become such conquerors? The hands, feet, eyes, wisdom etc. given by my mother in birth were of no avail. We must be born of God. We may ask with Nicodemus: How can these things be? To which Jesus answers, “Except ye be born of water and the spirit etc.” Nothing that you have done or can do can give you this birth. To be born of God must come of the will of Him who gives us birth and not of our own. It is something that no man can buy, nor earn. It is given by of God.
Therefore John does not tell us how to be born of God, but points only to the manifestation of this birth, our faith. He that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God is born of God, as Jesus also says to Nicodemus when he asks: How can these things be: as Moses lifted up etc. We see and know the means by which God gives faith, namely the Word of God, as Paul says, “Faith cometh by hearing and hearing by the Word of God.” The gospel is the power of God. Baptism is a washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Ghost. Now I may know that I live and have the new birth, because I believe in it, but I do not know how I came by this birth, as little as we know where the wind comes from, or a child knows how it was born. It only knows it lives, as St. Paul says: I live, yet not I, but Christ dwelleth in me.
By this faith we overcome all temptations, trials, cares, riches, passions, the devil himself, as Peter says, “whom resist steadfast in faith.” Our faith is therefore called, a fight of faith and by faith we overcome and obtain the victory and by faith only.
Our text urges us to dwell a little more on the means by which this new birth, and faith, and victory are given to us, for he urges all men to receive and accept the witness that God has given to the world of His son.
Jesus gave witness that He is our Savior by his blood and by the command that all the world should be baptized in His name. He says by water and blood, for baptism would be a useless, powerless, trifling act, if Christ had not laid the foundation for its effectiveness in His blood. The forgiveness of sin, the washing of sins that is promised to us in baptism was purchased by Christ for us on Calvary by His blood. And the gospel of Christ our Savior would have no effect on the souls that are dead through trespass and sins, if the Spirit of God did not bear witness of its truth in our hearts. I never grow tired therefore of preaching this gospel, though I be often ashamed of our own stammering efforts, because I know and believe this word of God, that the Spirit of God bears witness through this Word to the heart of each and every listener with a power that no human’s words or language can convey.
These means of grace and salvation are so closely bound together, that he says, “these three agree in me, namely the Spirit, the water, and the blood.” Where baptism is, there is also the power of His blood to cleanse of sins, there is also the witness of the Spirit to give new birth. Again where the blood of Jesus Christ has cleansed a heart through faith in Christ, there the spirit has wrought that faith and there baptism is gladly and immediately desired and received, as we see on the day of Pentecost and with the Ethiopian. Again where the spirit bears witness in the heart of the truth of the gospel, that heart cannot and will not deny and reject Christ’s blood and baptism. These three agree in one.
And so close is this union that he compares it to the blessed union between Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. Where the oneness of God is so manifest, that no man can honor the Father without honoring the Son and Holy Spirit and no man can reject the Son without also rejecting the Father who sent Him and the Comforter who gives power to His gospel, for these Three are one.
Even the witness of men is sometimes strong and able to convince the gainsayer of politics, but hte witness of God is greater, which the witness is of His Son. Hebrews compares it to a two edged sword that pierces to the very soul, as it did at Pentecost. This witness abides with us and does not leave us. He who believeth on the Son hath such witness of God and this witness follows him and guides him, both (admires?) guard and rearguard. It upholds him in all the walks of life, exhorting, admonishing, comforting, strengthening, establishing.
May the Spirit of God bear witness in your hearts also this day and every day to help you to overcome the world to make you the partaker of it’s victory in His glorious resurrection. Amen.
