Another look at 1st John 5:4-5.......Overcoming the world.

We are told here, in 1st John 5:4-5, that those who have faith in Jesus Christ, have overcome the world. The world is something that John described in very specific detail in the 2nd chapter of this letter. See 1st John 2:15-17

We are told "not to love world, or the things in the world" And, then we are given a reason to not love the world. It's because "If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him"

So, loving the world means that person will not have the love of the Father in them. What does it mean to "not love the world?"
The word love as used here, means, to be fond of, to love dearly, to be contented with it.........Or to have the world as that which you live for, i.e the passion of your life.

Now John explains what's in the world, what it's made up of. There are three things. The lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life. These are not of the Father, but are of the world.

Let's look at each of them one by one.

The lust of the flesh. This is speaking of those desire, those cravings that come from our fallen, or sinful human nature. These cravings can include many things. It's not just limited to sexual sins as it were. Some have called this, living for passion, and passions, or pleasure and pleasures.  The point is, that these cravings make up a major part of what life is like for those who do not have the love of the Father in them.

Secondly, the lust of the eyes. Or as it's been said, the lust for things. Or living for materialism. The desire to have things, to get more and more things. This also is part of how people can live, strictly for things. The lust for possessions.

Thirdly and finally, he talks about the pride of life. Or the desire to do your own thing, and be your own God, rather then letting God be God in your life, and living to accomplish His will and desires for your life.

John tells us that these things are not of the Father, but of the world. In other words, living for pleasure, living for possessions, and living in pride are not of God. These are not the things God has created us for.

The last thing God tells us here, is that the world is passing away, and the lust of it. It's all going to be gone. It's in the process of passing away. It will come to an end. Eventually, it will be gone entirely. See Rev 20-22.

The good news is, that those who do the will of God abide forever. What great, great news.
By trusting in Christ now, we move from being in the world, to being in the kingdom of God, and we have the promise of eternal life.
Additionally, there is a satisfaction that comes into our lives when we walk with the Lord.
But the most important is, that we have the promise of being with the Lord forever, and ever.

Pastor Bob Grenier
Calvary Chapel Visalia

Overcoming the world

Having talked about what happens to the person who believes in Jesus Christ, and the fact that God's commandments are not burdensome, ( see 1st John 5:1-3 ) He now talks about believers in Jesus Christ overcoming the world. 


See 1st John 5:4-5


First of all, we are told that whatever is born of God overcomes the world. The world was described as something we are not to love, and is explained in detail in chapter 2, and mentioned again in the fourth chapter in relationship to the spirit of anti-christ. The world is what we were in, but have been taken into the light and life of Jesus Christ, through faith in Jesus Christ. 


And, we are said to not only have overcome the world, but, it's explained to us, that "this is the victory that has overcome the world--our faith. Thus faith, or trust in God's Son Jesus Christ as Savior of the World, brings us into this overcoming of the world. 


So, faith in Christ is what brings us into victory over the world. Our faith, our trust in, reliance upon, etc, that's the key to the victory. 


John, then in typical John fashion, repeats his thought, only with a slight difference. Who is the person who overcomes the world? But, he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God? 


It's helpful to remember that John was standing against the many false teachers of his day, who were constantly undermining the truth that the man Jesus  of Nazareth was indeed also the Messiah who had existed eternally, and had now come to the earth and taken on a human body. 


The man Jesus Christ, is in fact, the Son of God. He is God. He is the Savior of the World. And by coming to Him for salvation, we are changed, born again, redeemed, set apart, justified, adopted into His family made joint heirs with Christ, called saints, pilgrims etc, etc.


Mostly, John's point is that we move from being in the world, to being born of Him. We are no longer citizens of the world, but are now children of God in the family and kingdom of God. 

 Pastor Bob Grenier

Calvary Chapel Visalia 

What happens to the person who believes in Jesus Christ?

See 1st John 5:1-3

The person who believes ( puts their faith in ) that Jesus is the Christ ( the promised Messiah of the Bible ) is born of God.

When a person believes in Jesus Christ, they become as Jesus said, "born again"
Here John calls it, "born of God"

It's called the new birth, regeneration, being a new creature, a child of God, etc, etc.
But, through faith in Christ.....that is, believing that He is the savior, that He died for your sins, that He rose from the dead, that you are a sinner, and receiving Him, you become born of God.
The short version is, "believes" and in that believes, are the understanding of the gospel, ( in it's simplest form, and the understanding that you are a sinner, and then placing your faith in Christ ) then you are saved. It's been made simple by God, so that even a small child can understand it.

At any rate, here's what's said about the person who is born of God. He adds, that everyone who loves Him, ( God ) who begot, or saved them, also loves him who is begotten of Him, or other believers.

Put another way, Christians love other Christians. There is a love between them, and for them.

Furthermore, John says, here's how we know that we love the children of God, it's when we "keep His commandments"  So, our obedience to the Lord's commandments, is also evidence of our love for other believers. All through this short 5 chapter letter, John talks about "commandments ", and it's a ref to the command to love one another, it's at least that and more.

But, you can see why our loving others is so important to our own personal assurance. If you stop and think about it, it's not uncommon to see those who do not believe express their lack of love towards believers. Ranging from out and out mockery, to ridicule, to hatred, to harassment, to persecution etc, etc. But, Jesus said that all men would know that we are His disciples, by the love that we have one for another.

Lastly, here, John says, "For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments. And His commandments are not burdensome" God's love is explained to us, in our keeping His commandments. We are to guard them, and do them. And he adds, that His commandments are not burdensome. It's not a terrible burden to keep them.
That's not to say that it's always easy to love someone, but it is to say that it's not a great burden to love people in general. In fact, it's a blessing to them, and to our souls and to our Father in heaven.

Pastor Bob Grenier

Calvary Chapel Visalia

A re-cap of 1st John 4..........

The first concern John had, was to protect the sheep from false teaching. See 4:1-6.

The apostle encourages the people to do two things. One, not to believe every spirit, or teacher, but to ( secondly ) test or try or examine the teaching. 

The reason for this concern was that there were indeed many false prophets that had gone out into the world spreading their false doctrine concerning Jesus Christ. 

In their testing, here's how they would know truth from error. Those who confessed or taught that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is of God. Or, that the Messiah had come in the flesh, and that man was Jesus Christ. He was both God and man. The Messiah come to the earth, and taking on a human body, in the person of Jesus Christ. 

Those who denied this truth were not of God, but were the spirit of Anti-christ. He closes up this section by affirming that his readers, were "of God", and that they had "overcome them", and their victory was due to the fact that " He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world" 

Those who would hear them were of God, and those who would not hear them were not of God. That's how they would know the spirit of truth from the spirit of error. 

( Note, the false prophets were influenced by demon spirit's ) 

The second matter that John deals with has to do with our "loving one another". 

The call is "love one another, for love is of God: and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. He who does not love does not know God, for God is love" 

This could not be any plainer, or more simply put. Loving one another is proof of relationship, lack of love is proof of no relationship. 

John also explains that here's the love of God manifested toward us. "That God sent His only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through Him" This is love John says. It's the Father sending, giving the Son into the world, that we might live, have salvation, be born again, come to know the Lord and become possessors of eternal life, through faith in Jesus Christ. 

Thirdly, John then returns to the matter of our loving one another. We ought to he says. Because, God has loves us, and we then ought to love one another. A simple logic and explanation. Additionally, he tells us what no man has seen, and that is God. No one has seen Him. But, if we are loving one another, God is abiding in us, and His love has been perfected in us, or realized God's purpose in our lives. To love one another.

Fourthly, "by this we know that we abide in Him, and He in us, because He has given us of His Spirit' One of the main reasons why we know that we know Him, and why we know that we are in Him, and He is in us, is because of the Holy Spirit having come into our lives when we became saved. Rom 8, tells us that the Holy Spirit is bearing witness to our spirit that we are the children of God. He speaks to us, He ministers to us, He enlightens us, all having to do with Christ, and with the Father, much like a parent who is raising a child does. That parent is in the child's life as it were, and is explaining to the child things that he or she ought to know, and tells the child things that are important in the child's development.

Fifthly, and finally, John tells us what he and the others have seen, and what they are testifying to. Namely, that the Father has sent the Son as Savior of the world. And, that whoever will confess that Jesus is the Son of God, then, God abides in him, and he in God. Because, that's what happens when a person is saved. There is a union and communion with God. The person goes from darkness to light, from death to life, to being dead to being alive, to being without God, to now being with God.

John adds, he and others have known and believed the love that God has for us. ( Question, isn't it good to believe this for yourself, and about yourself? That God has love for you. ? )
God is love John says. And, the person who is abiding in love, abides in God and He in him. Again, this matter of love is a central hinge point on which we hang our knowing where we stand with God, and where God stands with us. Having this love in our lives means we are with Him, and He is with us. Not having this love in our lives means we have no right to call ourselves christians.

What God's love has done for those who have believed, is they now have boldness in the coming day of Judgement. In other words we do not have to fear that great white throne judgement. For we have passed from death to life, and will not come into the judgement. And, even now here in this world, we can rest peacefully, because as He is, so are we down here. How is He? He, a ref to Christ no doubt, or to the Father, both of whom we are in, and both of whom are in us. we are one, and nothing will separate us from the love of God. We are His children, and can face the future with hope and confidence at His coming,

This chapter concludes with the fact, that our love for Him, is because He first loved us. He was the first one to act, to move, to sacrifice for us, to give for us, to devise the way of our salvation, to give us faith, to convict us, to die on the cross for us, to do everything first that relates to our being saved. Our love is the result of His love for us first.

If someone says they love the Lord, but they hate their brother, that person is a liar, plain and simple. Because the person who does not love his brother whom he as seen, how can he love God whom he has not seen. If there is no love in that person it means so much, regardless of what they may claim about themselves and their profession of faith. Love is the proof that you know the Lord, that you are in Him, and that He is in you, period.

This is the commandment that we have from Him. This is what He has given us to do . That the person who loves God must love his brother also. There you have it. If you love God, you must love your brother. You cannot love God and not love your brother. It would be a lie to say you were loving God. You cannot hate your brother and be loving God. They just don't go together in reality.

Pastor Bob Grenier
Calvary Chapel Visalia

Love, judgement, fear, perfect love.

The words in the title are covered in the text here in 1st John 4:17-21
Let's take a look at them one by one. 


First of all, there is love and judgement. John tells us that Love has been perfected among us in this: Or, love has had it's purpose accomplished in that, we will have boldness, or confidence in the day of judgement. Further, it's told us that as He is, so are we in this world. How is He? He is with the Father, He is of course accepted by the Father, and we are with the Father as has been stated in this chapter, and because we are in Christ, we also are accepted by the Father. 


We will have boldness, or freedom, a cheerful confidence, and assurance because we have been saved, and we belong to God, we have been forgiven, we have been made His. We have passed from death to life, from darkness to light, from error to truth, etc. Thus in the day of Judgement, i.e the Great White Throne Judgement, while we will be there, we will not be being judged. We have passed from judgement to life. 




Secondly, John tells us that there is no fear in love. That is, because God has loved us, and we have received His love, His salvation, His Savior, His forgiveness, His gift of eternal life, we live our lives without fear ( of the day of judgement ) seems to be the context and meaning. Christians are not living in fear of the future judgment of God. Because, they know they have come to faith, and are forgiven. Saved people are not tormented about the future judgement, but, in all reality, looking forward to being with the Lord when He comes for them, or they go to Him through death. His love is what has cast out that fear. 


Thirdly, here's why we love Him. It's because He first loved us. He started it. He gave us Christ, and then drew us to Christ, making us aware of our need for a Savior. Then, He gave us faith and we have received Christ. We know love Him. But, it's because He first loved us. He gets all the credit, because He manifested His love towards us first. Then, or now, we love Him as a result of His grace. 




Fourthly, and here John is repeating himself about professions of faith. ....1st John 4:20 If someone says, “I love God,” and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen, how can he love God whom he has not seen?


The person who says one thing, but does another is a liar. They say they love God, but they hate their brother, they are not telling the truth, they are telling a lie. They do not really love God. John says it this way..........( for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen, how can he love God whom he has not seen? ) it's hard to argue with that simple fact, and logic. 


Finally, this section ends with 1st John 4:21, "And this is the commandment we have from Him: that he who loves God must love his brother also"


What a great and powerful God we serve. He commands what He wants in His kingdom. It's love. Lord, thank You. 


Pastor Bob Grenier
Calvary Chapel Visalia 

More about God's love, and our loving one another

See 1st John 4:12-16

John begins here, by telling us that "no one has seen God at any time" This is generally true with some exceptions that are given to us in the Bible. 

But, he goes on to say, that "if we love one another, God abides in us, and His love has been perfected in us. "

So, while we may not have ( and we have not ) seen Him, if we love one another, the God whom we have not seen is abiding in us, and His love has been perfected, or realized in a practical way, runs it's full course, in practice in our lives. 

This is how we know that we are in Him, and abiding in Him, and He is abiding in us, because He has given us of His Spirit. The Holy Spirit started to live inside of you the very instant you were born again and saved. He became resident within you. And, He bears witness to your spirit that you are God's child, and He also bears in your life the fruit of the Holy Spirit. So, He has much to do with your knowing that you know God.

Here's something else said by John. Here we are told as to what John had seen and was testifying to .....this was their word about what God had done........God had sent the Son as Savior of the world. This is what God has given to the world a Savior. And, it says, of "the world", that is for any and all who want to be saved, anywhere in the world can be. The word Savior, means, deliverer, preserver.

Going on, John says that "whoever confesses etc, etc.......God abides in Him, and he in God. So, whoever will confess, which means to agree with God about His Son, then God will be abiding with you, and you will be abiding in God.

Lastly, in 4:16, John says, "And we have known and believed the love that God has for us. So, they both knew and believed the love that God has, that is, in sending Jesus, the expression of God's love.....And, then John adds, "God is love, and he who abides in love, abides in God and God in him."

What a blessing to know that we are in Him, and He is in us. There is no better place to be then in the Lord.

Pastor Bob Grenier
Calvary Chapel Visalia

In this is love........

Please see 1st John 4:10


1st John 4:10 In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins.


This has been a favorite verse of mine over the years. It does describe for us, what love is. That is, what is this love that John talks about in his epistle. 


This love that was demonstrated in Jesus Christ's coming from heaven to this world. He took upon Himself a human body, and lived with the single focus of going to the cross, and there dying for our sins. He came to take away our sins, and to bring us to God.


What John does in this verse, and of course, it's really the Lord speaking through John, but what is said here, is that this love, is not that we loved God, but, that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins. 


This underscores the truth and the fact, that salvation is something that God gets the credit for rather then us. It leaves out any chance for us to boast. God gets all the credit. 


It's clear that it was the Lord who loves us, and it was the Lord who sent His Son for us. We did not have a natural love for God. We did not produce Jesus Christ, we did not make Him come about, or put the idea into God's mind to send Jesus. In fact, we did not even truly know that we were sinners. Normally, it's just the opposite. We think others are sinners, and that we ourselves are very righteous in ourselves.


But, He loved us. This is the motivation behind God sending Jesus to the earth. It was not because of anything great within us, that somehow made God love us, no, in fact, we are sinners. Born that way, and living that way. So, there was nothing within us that somehow caused God's love. He simply loved us. And, he does love us. And, it's His love that brought about the coming of Christ to the earth. 


His love sent Jesus to be the propitiation for our sins. That word means, satisfaction. Jesus Christ's sacrifice on the cross, is the only offering that satisfied God concerning sin. 


If it was possible for the blood of bulls and of goats to save us, then there would not have been any need to send Jesus. But, those animals could not save us. 


If it was somehow possible to offset our current and past sins by our living good lives, and our doing good deeds, then there would have been no need to send Jesus. But, we could not do those things so as to satisfy God. 


No, it too, Christ coming to the earth, and dying on the cross to take care of sin as far as God was concerned. And, that is exactly what Jesus did. 


So, when you look at Jesus Christ, and when you think about Him, you can know that because you are in Christ, because He is your savior, God is satisfied with you, because of Christ. 


Pastor Bob Grenier
Calvary Chapel Visalia