REAL CHRISTIANITY
1 JOHN 5:1-5 - PAGE 1
WALKING OR RIDING – A.M.
REAL CHRISTIANITY
#16
Ecclesiastes
10:7 - I have seen servants upon horses,
and princes walking as servants upon the earth.
Solomon
evidently saw those who were servants, or who acted like servants, taking the
place of royalty and riding on horses, when they should have been walking.
He
also saw royalty, or those who acted like royalty, princes, walking next to the
horse, just as servants would.
The
ones who should be ruling were serving.
The
ones who should be serving were ruling.
You
may be asking, So what’s the point?
God
has made the born-again Christian so he would act like royalty. All too often, we act like servants.
For
instance, God has given us our human bodies.
They
are to be under the control of our spirits.
But
so often we find our body in control, so that we give into its cravings and
desires.
The
spirit, which should be in control is forced to walk,
while the body, which should be our servant, is riding.
The
same principle is true for some in the area of wealth and material things. God
made money and the things that money can buy to be our servants so we can have
our needs met and help meet the needs of others. They should be our servants.
But, in all too many cases wealth and material things control the person,
instead of the person controlling the wealth and material things.
And
one needn’t be rich to have this problem. Remember, Paul told Timothy that it
is “the love of money” that is the root of all evil, and not money itself. The
desire for wealth and riches can control and ride, while the human spirit ends
up walking as a servant.
And
what about our thought lives?
The
born-again Christian is to control his thoughts. The thoughts are to be servants and not
rulers.
Philippians
4:8 - Finally, brethren, whatsoever
things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just,
whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are
of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on
these things.
But
all too often, the Christian is a slave instead of a prince in his though life.
Immoral thoughts, dirty thoughts, thoughts of bitterness and unforgiveness, thoughts of pride and arrogance, thoughts of
worry, doubt and fear, thoughts of lust and other unclean thoughts control the
mind. Instead of our minds riding in victory, they walk as servants to wrong
thoughts.
I
have seen servants upon horses, and princes walking as servants upon the earth.
The
question is, are you walking or riding?
Are
you riding as a ruler, a prince in control of your body, your mind, and your
desires? Or are you walking as a servant or slave to these things?
If
you are a born again Christian, you are a child of God. God is the king of the
universe. So, the moment you were born-again you became a prince! Romans 8:17
We
are heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ.
One day when Christ reigns, we will reign with Him. We are royalty!
Romans 5:17
It
says in this verse that the Christian shall reign in life.
When
is life? Life is right now! Because you are royalty, a child of God, a
joint heir with Christ, God has given you all you need to live a victorious
life, a life of victory, a life of walking in control
of your lusts, your body, your thoughts, and your actions right now!
You
should be riding in victory as a prince, and not walking as a servant in
defeat.
How do
we learn to ride in victory and not walk in defeat?
Here
the Apostle John is talking about love.
In this conversation about love he shows us how we can act like the
royalty we are, and not walk as servants in slavery.
We see three aspects of love in this passage that will
lead us to victory:
BELIEVING LOVE
– Vs. 1
1 John 5:1 - Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ
is born of God:
If you are a child of God there was a specific time that
you were born into God’s family, whether you can remember the exact time of
not.
John 1:12 - But as many as received him, to them gave he
power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:
The moment you received Jesus Christ as your Savior by
believing on His name is the moment you became a child of God.
Our text tells us that the one who is born of God is a
“believer”. He or she believes that
Jesus is the “Christ” or the anointed one, or the Messiah.
Vs. 5 elaborates by telling us that the believer believes
that Jesus is the Son of God.
1 John 5:5 - Who is he that overcometh
the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God?
Not
only are we to believe what He did, die for our sins, be buried and rise again,
but we are to believe who He is, that He is the Christ, the Son of God.
When
a person is born into his or her family it is the beginning of a love
affair. The parents love the child and
the child loves the parents when all is normal.
1
John 5:1 - Whosoever believeth that Jesus is
the Christ is born of God: and every one that loveth him that begat loveth him
also that is begotten of him.
and
every one that loveth him that begat
John
is making an assumption. He is assuming that every person who has truly been
born again, and become a child of God will love God who has given him or her
life. 1 John 4:19
He
first loved us. If we have truly believed, we will have at least some idea of
what He has done for us, and we will love him.
Most
of us will concede that we need to love Him more.
The
Christian should have as one of his goals, the command found in Deuteronomy
6:4-5
and
every one that loveth him that begat loveth him also that is begotten of him.
Please
note that believing love does not only love God but loves the other children
who have been born into the Family of God.
Sometimes
when I look at our attitudes towards other Christians, what we say about other
Christians, and what we do to other Christians, I wonder how much we really
love other Christians.
Believing
love, love that comes with being born again, loves God, and also loves brothers
and sisters in Christ, other Christians.
Believing
love leads to:
OBEYING LOVE – Vss. 2-3
1
John 5:2 - By this we know that we love the
children of God, when we love God, and keep his commandments.
Now
John tells us how we can know that we love God’s children, our brothers and
sisters, the way we should. He tells us that the one who loves his brother and
sister in Christ is the one who loves God and keeps His commandments.
This
makes sense. So many of God’s commands tell us how to go
about loving our brothers and sisters. If we obey these commands we will
love them.
An
example is found in Ephesians
1
John 5:3 - For this is the love of God, that
we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous.
You
say that you love God, your Father.
You
say that you love God, your Heavenly Parent?
Let
me tell you, my friend, my children could say they loved me all they wanted
when they lived at home, but it was when they obeyed me that they proved their
love.
Your
goal as a believer should be to show your love for God by your obedience to
God.
Now,
don’t get bent out of shape, thinking, “How in the world can I keep every
command from God?”
The
end of verse 3 says and his commandments are not grievous. That
is, they are not burdensome. They are not a burden designed to weigh you down.
Jesus
said, My yoke is easy and my burden is
light.
We
need to remember that God is merciful and patient with us. He doesn’t expect us to mature over night,
but He does expect us to grow into that maturity.
2
Peter
As
God’s Word is preached to us, and as we study on our own, we will discover
God’s commands for Christians. As we discover them, we then strive with God’s
help to obey them. As God reveals areas of weakness and disobedience in our
lives, we deal with them. Thank God, He doesn’t show them to us all at once.
WINNING LOVE – Vss. 4-5
Winning
love is what makes obeying love easier.
God
now shows us the main reason why keeping his commandments is not burdensome or
grievous.
God
has already made us victorious. He has already made us winners.
1
John 5:4 - For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith.
Beloved
either the world, this old world system with all its sin and degradation is
going to conquer you, or you are going to conquer the world. Either the world
will serve you, or you will serve the world. You will either walk as a servant
or ride as a prince!
Now
here’s the great truth For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world:
It
means “Whatsoever is born of God has overcome the world. It’s an accomplished
fact! It’s been done! It’s complete!
Please
turn to Romans 6.
Where
was the greatest victory of all the ages won?
It
was won at the cross, when Jesus died for sin. It was won at the tomb, when
Jesus rose from the dead.
Satan
is a defeated enemy. Christ won the victory at the cross.
Who
died at
But
I died at Calvary, you died at
Who rose
from the tomb?
Jesus
did, of course! But you rose from the tomb. Because you died with Him, you were
buried with Him, you arose with Him! Believers’ baptism is a picture of these
truths.
Romans
6:3-4 - Know ye
not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into
his death? [4] Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that
like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so
we also should walk in newness of life.
So,
if this is all true, why does Satan, our defeated foe give us so much
trouble? It is simply because we have
not appropriated the victory! and this
is the victory that overcometh the world, even our
faith.
We
simply need to trust the Lord by faith that we have the victory and start
taking charge of sin in our lives. We
can start saying, “In Jesus name, I died to that sin. I will not do it.”
Romans
the
dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God. [14] For sin
shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under
grace.
Let’s
claim the victory by faith!
Romans
”In
his book Forever Triumphant, F. J. Huegel told a
story that came out of World War II. After General Jonathan Wainwright was
captured by the Japanese, he was held prisoner in a Manchurian concentration
camp. Cruelly treated, he became ‘a broken, crushed, hopeless starving man.”
Finally the Japanese surrendered and the war ended. A United States Army
Colonel was sent to the camp to announce personally to the general that
“After
Wainright heard the news, he returned to his quarters
and was confronted by some guards who began to mistreat him as they had done in
the past. Wainwright, however with the news of the allied victory still fresh
in his mind, declared with authority, ‘No, I am in command here! These are my
orders.” Huegel observed that from that moment on,
General Wainwright was in control.
Let
me inform you my friend, the greatest victory has been won. Jesus Christ
defeated the world, the flesh and the devil at the cross. Because you died with
him, were buried with him, and rose with Him, as he is in charge, so are you.
Claim the victory in the name of Jesus Christ. That is Winning
love.
I
have seen servants upon horses, and princes walking as servants upon the earth.
Are you walking as a servant or riding
as a prince?
BELIEVING LOVE
OBEYING LOVE
WINNING LOVE