“5Who is it that overcomes the world except the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?1Everyone 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. 2By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and obey his commandments. 3For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments. And his commandments are not burdensome. 4For everyone who has been born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith.” – 1 John 5:5 & 1-4 (ESV)
I know, I quoted the above out of order from what John wrote. Forgive me. I am in need of understanding. As I read the passage, and studied, to me the question helped me to gain the understanding of the passage.
I am one “who believes that Jesus is the Son of God” and “who believe that Jesus is the Christ”. Jesus is the Son of God and the Christ. I have that part licked and therefore am well on my way to overcoming the world. But there is more to it than that.
As I do believe, I must act on that belief and that is where the obedience comes. Obedience begins with loving of God and that extends to those that are also believers that Jesus is the Son of God and the Christ. And when I have acted on that love, I will obey the commandments of God and as such will also love everyone. And that is the example of Christ in the world.
By obeying the commandments of God, loving everyone, and loving God, I am fully vesting in the family of God and by extension have been born of God. Now that I have found myself to be born of God, I have and will overcome the world.
I am not a theologian, and certainly not someone who knows everything. But, as noted in my NIV bible commentary for verse 4: “Genuine Christians are not defeated by the world’s hostility or compelled by it to turn from Christ.” I believe I am a “Genuine Christian” and as such my obedience to God’s Commandments allows me to overcome this world.
What is your picture of overcoming the world? Are you living the life of someone in the family of God? What if you were to put all of your obedience in God, how would it feel knowing that you would be able to overcome the world?
Trevor's Thoughts 