1 John 5:1-5 Part 2 - A Test That Get's To The Heart Of The Worship
Our text this morning is 1 John 5:1-5,
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. By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and obey his commandments. For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments. And his commandments are not burdensome. For everyone who has been born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith. Who is it that overcomes the world except the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?
Last week as we looked at this text we focused on two things. First we looked at the fact that everyone is to use this test to determine if they are born again. There are many tests that people may try to use but they only provide a false hope.
Some hope in the fact that they have prayed a prayer one time,
or that they have been baptized,
or that they attend church, or they trust that they are a ‘good person’.
To keep people from trusting in such things John gives a test that everyone should use.
Secondly, we looked at what this test was. John says that ‘everyone who is born-again will consistently reflect a proper love, a proper belief and a proper obedience which overcomes this world’.
As we begin today I would like to consider the words of Dr. Douglas O’Donnell. He says, “Christian faith has Christ as its object, God as its author, and Spirit empowered love and obedience as its effects.” Dr. Peter Barnes says it in a similar way, “The biblical message is that true, Spirit-given faith has life, and so it works.”
If we can appreciate the fact that the LORD is at work in those who pass this test we will also be able to say with David in Psalm 9:1-2, “I will give thanks to the LORD with my whole heart; I will recount all of your wonderful deeds. I will be glad and exult in you; I will sing praise to your name, O Most High.”
The person who can take this test and then declare words such as these is profoundly different than the person who would use a different test and then confidently says, “I am saved because I attend church, because I was baptized, because I am a good person.”
Community Church, may we never say that our hope is in what we have done. Rather, we ought to say with David, “I will give thanks to the LORD with my whole heart; I will recount all of His wonderful deeds. I will be glad and exult in Him; and I will sing praise to your name, O Most High.”
Let me make one more observation about David’s words. In a sense, David speaks of loving God with all of his heart, mind, soul and strength.
He gives thanks with his whole heart.
He recounts (considers and remembers) all His wonderful deeds
He is glad, exults, and sings praise to the LORD Most High
David loves God because of who God is and because of His wonderful deeds. David has no room in his heart to boast of his own works or worthiness. As a result of this, David expresses His love for God in thanksgiving, by the fact that he meditates on God’s wonderful deeds, in his exultation of God, and in his praises to God. Finally we see that David’s love is expressed in his high view of God – He is the God who is Most High! There is no other King that we should love and obey!
In our text we find a test that should bring about similar praise to God in the heart, mind and soul of every believer. Those who have a proper faith, a proper love, and a proper obedience that overcomes the world will be passionate worshipers of God. They will be able to proclaim with Luke in Acts 3:19-20, “I know that I am saved because I have repented and turned to the LORD so that my sins have been blotted out and times of refreshing have come from the presence of the LORD.”
Those who pass this test will be able to declare, “I know that I have been born-again because I have repented, turned to the LORD and now see the fruit of my relationship with the LORD in a proper faith, a proper love and a proper obedience that overcomes the world.”
A Proper Faith Has The Right View Of Jesus Christ – the Son of God
Our text begins and ends by showing that a proper faith remains focused upon Jesus. Verse one says, “Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ has been born of God…”. Our text ends with these words in verse 5, “Who is it that overcomes the world except the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?”
False teachers had come into these churches and distorted the apostles teaching about Jesus. They taught that Jesus was just a man who had the Spirit come upon him at his baptism and then left him before his suffering. As a result of this, John has been relentless in this letter to correct this false teaching and he continues to do so even as he approaches the end of this letter. This is crucial because there is salvation in no one else but Jesus Christ the Son of God (Acts 4:12).
John says that Jesus is the Christ, the promised Messiah. Jesus is the only one who was sent and authorized by God to be His anointed one. Jesus is God’s Messiah who fulfills three important old testament offices: prophet, priest and king (John 6:14, Heb. 9:11, Rev. 19:16). Dr. Ian Hamilton says it this way, “Jesus is God’s final prophet; God’s ultimate priest; and God’s transcendent king. In the new birth, God implants new life in us, giving us eyes that see the truth and hearts that embrace it.”
Notice also that John uses a definite article before the word ‘Christ’. John says that Jesus is “the Christ”. Jesus is the one that was promised to come and after Him there is no need to search for another.
The other day I went to the Gregory’s and played hide-and-seek with the kids in the back yard. When they found me the game continued as they looked for someone else. In a similar way, there will be a day when those young kids will come to Christ and their search will be over. They will see Jesus and from that day on they will have a proper faith, love and obedience and the search for the Savior will be over. Christ is the Messiah.
In verse five John emphasizes that Jesus is the Son of God. We read, “Who is it that overcomes the world except the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?” Again, because of the false teachings in these churches John also emphasizes the fact that Jesus is the second person in the Trinity and He is the eternal Son of God. Jesus was fully God in eternity and then He added to that nature a human nature. He is fully God and fully man and He now sits at the right hand of the Father.
Because John speaks about faith in Jesus at the beginning and at the end of our text we see that our faith begins and remains continually upon Christ. In this way, we have and overcome the world. Our victory is assured from the first day that we believed upon Christ. We experience this more and more as we mature in our faith.
When John writes, “Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ has been born of God”, he is writing important theology for us to consider. The word ‘born’ is in the perfect passive form and by using the perfect tense John is saying that there was a moment in the past when a believer was saved, and it continues right now at the present time.
The passive form of this verb indicates that the person who is born again is acted upon by God and they receive it passively. God saves a person not because they earned it, or deserved it, or because something in that person caught the attention of God. They are saved by the mercy of God. They were dead in their trespasses and sins and at war with God. They were without God and without hope in this world. “But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ – by grace you have been saved – and raised up with Him and seated us with Him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus…” (Eph. 2:4-6)
Those Who Are Born-Again Will Have A Proper Love For The Father And They Will Obey His Commandments
We read in 1 John 5:1b-3 these words, “...and everyone who loves the Father loves whoever has been born of Him. By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and obey His commandments. For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments. And His commandments are not burdensome.”
When Mindy and I were first married we discovered that one of the hardest thing to do was to enjoy mutual friends together. Sometimes she would like someone but I did not connect well with the husband. And some times when I would get along well with someone Mindy did not connect well with his wife.
John tells us in our text today that everyone who believes in the Son will love the Father. No one who loves the Son will not love the Father also. Similarly, all that come to the Son will also be received by the Father.
Jesus said, “All that the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never cast out. For I have come down from heaven, not to do my own will but the will of him who sent me. And this is the will of him who sent me, that I should lose nothing of all that he has given me, but raise it up on the last day. For this is the will of my Father, that everyone who looks on the Son and believes in him should have eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day.” (John 6:37-40)
Those who come to the Son will never dread coming to the Father. Dr. Michael Reeves says, “Let us then be rid of that horrid, sly idea that behind Jesus, the friend of sinners, there is some more sinister being, one thinner on compassion and grace. There cannot be!... If God is like Jesus, then, though I am sinful like the dying thief, I can dare to cry, ‘Remember me’. I know that He will respond. Though I am so spiritually lame and leprous, I can call out to him. For I know just what He is like toward the weak and sick...There is no God in heaven who is unlike Jesus”.
T.F. Torrance says, “There is in fact no God behind the back of Jesus, no act of God other than the act of Jesus, no God but the God we see and meet in Him. Jesus Christ is the open heart of God, the very love and life of God poured out to redeem humankind, the mighty hand and power of God stretched out to heal and save sinners.” Because of this, we come now to the next part of our text.
John’s Surprising Words (2)
John’s words in verse two are perhaps surprising to our modern ears. He says, “By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and obey His commandments.”
Some think it is loving to compromise the truth contained in the Scriptures. Others think that they are being loving when they ignore or twist the commands that God has given. John, however, says that proper love has two essential characteristics. First, we demonstrate our love for others when we love God. Secondly, we demonstrate our love for others when we obey God’s commands.
We love others when we love God.
God’s concept of love is that you put Him first above all other things. When we do this we love others in the proper way. We see this sort of language in Luke 14:26, “If anyone comes to me and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be my disciple.” Similarly, God confronted Eli because he loved his sons more than God. He said to Eli, “Why then do you scorn my sacrifices and my offerings that I commanded for my dwelling, and honor your sons above me by fattening yourselves on the choicest parts of every offering of my people Israel.” (1 Sam. 2:29)
We love others when we obey God’s commandments
The best way to show people that you love them is to obey God and His Word. We don’t love people when we tolerate sin and compromise God’s Word and His commands. The highest level of love that we can express to one another is when we obey God and his commands.
Jesus says it this way in John 14:15, “If you love me, you will obey what I command.” I like what Dr. Stott says when he writes, “Love for God is not an emotional experience so much as a moral commitment.” We are so prone to think of the emotions connected with love but these things remind us of how true biblical love is expressed in obeying God’s commands.
Luke describes this concept in another teaching of Jesus when He says, “Whoever does not not bear his own cross and come after me cannot be my disciple. For which of you, desiring to build a tower, does not first sit down and count the cost, whether he has enough to complete it?” (Luke 14:27-28) If our discipleship is all about some type of emotional experience then we are going to be bewildered when our moral commitment is tested.
It does not always seem like this is easy for us to do, so John reminds us in 1 John 5:3 that God’s commands are not burdensome. He says, For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments. And His commandments are not burdensome.
God’s commands are demanding, but they are not oppressive. They are weighty and heavy but they are not crushing. Jesus said that the weary and heavy laden should come to Him and that He would give them rest for His yoke is easy and His burden is light.
God’s commands are not a burden for those who have been born-again. Those who have the life of God in them will desire to the commands of God and find pleasure in doing it.
Jerome once wrote about the apostle John and said that as he was nearing the day of his death, his voice grew weak and he could no longer preach to the congregation in Ephesus. Every time he would gather with the believers he would say, “Little children, love one another.” The congregation grew tired of of the same remarks by John and they asked him why he so frequently repeated this. John responded, “I say what I say because it is the Lord’s command, and if this is all you do, it is enough.” These are the words of an old saint who did not find the commands of God burdensome.
For those who love gardening, it is not a burden.
For those who love their spouse, it is no burden to give themselves to them.
For those who love to exercise, it is no burden to get up early and do it every day.
Those who love God will love others and obey God’s commands
Finally, in verses 4-5 we read these words, “For everyone who has been born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world – our faith. Who is it that overcomes the world except the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God.”
In what ways does a Christian overcome the world? In the context of this letter John may be referring to three different aspects in which the believer is victorious.
Because of Christ the believer is victorious over Satan, indwelling sin and the world.
Because of Christ the believer has victory over the false teachers and their teaching.
Because of Christ the believer has become victorious immediately upon conversion (Luke 23:40-43).
Dr. Akin covers everything when he says, “The ground of our victory is Christ’s death and resurrection. From that work believers will have victory over all that is in opposition to God. Daily victory is also granted to the individual believer, but he must exercise faith in Christ and be active in pursuit of God.”
What does it look like to overcome with faith? Let me use two examples. First, We began this morning by considering David in Psalm 9. What was going on in David’s life when he declared such astonishing praise and trust in God? He did this when the nations rose up against him (5-6, 15,19).
Through the eyes of faith David knew that the LORD was the Most High and his enemies were but men. (1,20).
By faith David could see the enemies being made to turn back and stumbling before the presence of God (3).
By faith David could hear God rebuke the nations as they perished and their names were blotted out (5).
By faith David could see the LORD sitting enthroned forever administering justice and judging in righteousness(7-8).
By faith David knew that God was His stronghold so he put his trust in the LORD (9-10).
Though David was at the gates of death he knew that God would deliver him to the gates of Zion (13-14).
By faith David knew that the needy would not always be forgotten and the poor would not perish forever (17-18).
By faith David was assured that he would be saved and the nations would be judged (19-20)
Second example of what it looks like to overcome the world by faith…
John Hooper, who was a Bishop in England during the reign of bloody Marry, was sentenced to be burned at the stake. His friend, Sir Anthony Kingston, urged him to recant and go back to the Roman Catholic faith. Kingston pleaded with him with many tears saying, ‘Consider that life is sweet, and death is bitter.’ To which Hooper replied, ‘The life to come is more sweet, and the death to come is more bitter.’ As a result, on February 9, 1555 Hooper was burned at the stake while maintaining his confession of Jesus Christ. Hooper had a faith that conquered the world.
Consider these words of Dr. Peter Barnes, “What can touch the Christian? Sin? Yes, but Christ has paid the penalty for sin. Sickness? Yes, but Christ has the power to heal if He so chooses. Death? Yes, but Christ has overcome death. Satan? Yes, but he is a defeated foe for ‘He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world’. Hell? No, for Christ has endured the equivalent of hell on behalf of His people. In all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us…”
1 John 5:5 ends with these words, “Who is it that overcomes the world except the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God.”
What does it look like for you to overcome the world by faith? Perhaps as we come to communion this morning we could look at it in this way.
Those who have faith in Christ overcome the world when they approach Jesus in confidence through a new and living way.
They overcome when they draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water.
We overcome when we hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful.
This is what we read in Hebrews 10:19-25,
Therefore, brothers and sisters, since we have confidence to enter the holy place by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way which He inaugurated for us through the veil, that is, through His flesh, and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let’s approach God with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. Let’s hold firmly to the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful; and let’s consider how to encourage one another in love and good deeds, not abandoning our own meeting together, as is the habit of some people, but encouraging one another; and all the more as you see the day drawing near.
The author of Hebrews challenges us that as we draw near to God we are also to consider how we can encourage one another in love and good deeds. We are encouraged, as we see the day drawing near, to not abandon meeting together as some do.
We overcome as we draw near to God.
We overcome as we draw near to each other.
We overcome as we encourage each other in love and good deeds.
I said earlier that those who have a proper faith, a proper love, and a proper obedience that overcomes the world will be passionate worshipers of God. Let’s worship God as we take communion together.
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