"For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith." (1 John 5:4).
Hello To All:
We began this series of postings titled - "Faith Is A Noun" - in July of 2019. It has become very apparent to me, that our Lord Jesus Christ, wants to take us deeper into our understanding of our faith; as well as taking us deeper into our application of our faith; as well as taking us deeper into our dependency upon this great gift of our faith. Let us be reminded that we are called to: "walk by faith and not by sight."
The primary purpose of this forum is too: Promote and encourage "Victorious Discipleship In Jesus Christ." Please note that our opening text references: "The VICTORY that overcometh the world, even our FAITH. Victory and faith have been capitalized for emphasis; and hopefully this emphasis will help to get our attention focused on who we are in Christ Jesus. In Christ Jesus, we can have victory!
How often have we sought victory; only, seemingly, to be denied? How often have we wondered why victory seems, seemingly, to be so difficult to achieve? How often, in the midst of our difficulties, have we wondered if God has abandoned us? The truth is that Jesus Christ has not abandoned us nor has He forsaken us. The problem is not with God; rather, the problem is with us and our limited understanding of the "victory" that we can have in and through Jesus Christ.
All who look to Jesus Christ for salvation, are also the ones who are "born of God," (please see series of letters titled: "Am I Born Again" - with a beginning date of 5/17/2012). And, as our opening text clearly states: "For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world." Can we say thank you Jesus? Amen and Amen and Amen!
"For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world." This is an absolute proclamation of the absolute victory, that is the potential for everyone who is born of God. If we as believers in Jesus Christ, fall short of this promise of victory, then we need to examine ourselves to find the reason for the deficiency. The deficiency is not with our Lord Jesus Christ; rather, we who are born of God, are falling short of the fullness of the potential that Jesus Christ offers us; and is very willing to provide for us - so that we might have the victory that He has won for us! In Christ Jesus we can have victory!
All too often we are trapped into focusing on our apparent deficiencies. Because we have fallen short of the victory that we seek, we become convinced that there is something wrong with ourselves. And, the truth is, is that there is something wrong; but, the wrongness is not because we are lacking something; the wrongness is because we fall short of understanding the fullness of our identity in Christ Jesus. And, in this sense, we do lack something! The something that we lack is the absolute understanding of who we are in Christ Jesus!
Our opening text reminds us that: "whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world." The next verse (1 John 5:5), presents us with a question with the included answer:
"Who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God?"
Verse 4 tells us that "our faith" - "is the victory that overcometh the world." Verse 5 tells us that "he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God" - "is he that overcometh the world." Are we seeing the connection between believing that Jesus is the Son of God and "our faith." The one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God, has a faith that is sufficient to "overcometh the world." This sufficient faith that is the result of believing that Jesus is the Son of God, has the potential, in Christ Jesus, to give us the victory, in all of life's circumstances! This is an essential part of our understanding of our identity in Christ Jesus. In Christ Jesus we have a faith that is sufficient to bring us the "victory."
Until next time, my beloved brethren, in Christ Jesus, I continue to be:
Your servant and your fellow pilgrim,
Elder Theophilus
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