Authentic Christians Overcome
Light, love and the love of God series • Sermon • Submitted • Presented • 51:57
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Authentic
Authentic
Let this sink in a minute, You are God’s letter of authenticity, that is stamped by His love and sealed by your faith. It is God’s authentic love that makes the Christian an overcomer.
Authentic: Simple definition-real or genuine : not copied or false. : true and accurate. : made to be or look just like an original
Question for personal contemplation: Am I an authentic person?
Question: Are there marks of authenticity in my life?
Question: What can I do to become more authentic?
Do not need to read below, it is only for the outline
(Scriptures used/referenced in this introduction; Jn20:30-31, 1Jn5:13, 1Jn5:1-5)
John wrote the gospel so that you may “have” eternal life in Jesus name (Jn20:30-31)
John wrote the epistles so that you may “know” you have eternal life in Jesus name. (1Jn5:13)
John in the epistle gives some proof tests of having eternal life in Jesus name. So evidence of authenticity (1Jn3:10)
10 By this the children of God and the children of the devil are obvious: anyone who does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor the one who does not love his brother.
and tonight we pick up on more marks of the authentic christian (1Jn5:1-5)
So, here is where we are at tonight.
Glean from the text (1Jn5:1-5)
Authentic Christian and joyful obedience (1Jn5:1-3)
Authentic Christian’s overcome (1Jn5:4-5)
Glean from the text
Glean from the text
Let’s look, glean from the text before us so we can see application along the way. So, open your bible, or bible app and let’s look together.
1 Whoever believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God, and whoever loves the Father loves the child born of Him. 2 By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and observe His commandments.
3 For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments; and His commandments are not burdensome. 4 For whatever is born of God overcomes the world; and this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith.
5 Who is the one who overcomes the world, but he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?
OK, what sticks out to you?
What are the requirements noted to be born of god, and be a child born of Him (v.1)?
It is belief and love.
What is the proof of our love as children of God (v.2)?
We love God and keep (obey) His commands.
What is the proof of love of God (v.3)?
Keeping the commandments, and that they are not burdensome
What is it that overcomes the world for the one who is born of God (v.4)?
It is our faith.
We know how there is overcoming (v.4) but who is the overcomer (v.5)?
The one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God.
(Transition) Authentic Christians have marks of authenticity and here it is love, faith that overcomes. This is obedience. This is obedience that is not in spite of things, just to be obedient, but obedience that is joyful because of things (God’s love) and the results are His commandments are not burdensome.
Loving, joyful obedience
Loving, joyful obedience
God loves a cheerful giver, and that is including joyful obedience as proof of your love of God and love for God.
All of creation, with exception of humans, except for man (no I did not say men) obeys the will of God.
ps148:8
8 Fire and hail, snow and clouds; Stormy wind, fulfilling His word;
If you doubt that, you can read Jonah, God used waves, sea, a worm and a plant, but the prophet still was disobedient, and when was obedient it was not with the right heart.
God wants our heart, not just our obedience.
7 Each one must do just as he has purposed in his heart, not grudgingly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.
We sing “we’re part of a family, that’s been born again” and that is what we are family. So we learn to be joyfully obedient by loving and serving one another as a child of God, born of God and demonstrating God’s love.
D.L. Moody often said “Every Bible should be bound in shoe leather.” - We show our love to God, not by empty words but by willing works. We are not slaves obeying a master, we are children obeying a Father.
Authentic Christian overcome by Bible (1Jn5:2-3; 1cor2:14, Ps119)
Ones person attitude toward the bible matters. To the non-believer than the bible is like
14 But a natural man does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually appraised.
The unregenerate person thinks the bible is burdensome and controlling
The authentic christian who experiences God’s love grows in His love for God through the love for the Word.
Consider these verses
97 O how I love Your law! It is my meditation all the day.
Love the word, meditate on the word, how about rejoicing in the word
162 I rejoice at Your word, As one who finds great spoil.
It has great value and the authentic Christian delights in it
24 Your testimonies also are my delight; They are my counselors.
Delight and gain wisdom through the counsel of the bible. It is sweet as honey
103 How sweet are Your words to my taste! Yes, sweeter than honey to my mouth!
and can bring a song to your lips
54 Your statutes are my songs In the house of my pilgrimage.
just as a loving son or daughter obeys a fathers commands, the authentic Christian joyfully obeys the Fathers commands and they are not burdensome.
Remember started with humans, man is the only part of creation that does not obey the will of the Father.
When we are disobedient to the will of the Father we may not turn to him and confess sin for forgiveness (1Jn1:9) and we start lying, deceiving ourselves and this can lead to turning away from the joy of God’s word to neglecting or forgetting God’s word. Or are burdened by obligation to read it and not have the heart for it and read it in routine way vs. intentional.
Religion is man trying to please God by his own strength and it is a heavy burden (Mt23:1-4)
The point is found in (v.4) but to keep in context for better understanding I need to back up
1 Then Jesus spoke to the crowds and to His disciples, 2 saying: “The scribes and the Pharisees have seated themselves in the chair of Moses;
Matthew 23:3–4 (NASB95)
3 therefore all that they tell you, do and observe, but do not do according to their deeds; for they say things and do not do them. 4 “They tie up heavy burdens and lay them on men’s shoulders, but they themselves are unwilling to move them with so much as a finger. (Emphasis mine)
The authentic Christian who overcomes is yoked to Christ and it is not burdensome (Mt11:28-30)
28 “Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest. 29 “Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 “For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.”
(Transition) - Authentic Christian’s mark here is joyful obedience that is not burdensome. That leads to our next point tonight.
Authentic Christians overcome
Authentic Christians overcome
Easy to become a Christian, but to be an authentic maturing Christian takes the divine nature of God (2Pt1:3) working in you. It is that nature that gives victory and overcomes the world.
A reminder of our verses since it is has been awhile (1Jn5:4-5)
4 For whatever is born of God overcomes the world; and this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith. 5 Who is the one who overcomes the world, but he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?
Oh, can you remember what overcomes the world? - - - - OUR FAITH!
In this world we have many trials, tribulations and tests that try to create obstacles in our obedience to God and to drift away from the faith that saved us in the first place.
God’s divine nature overcomes the world (1Jn2:13-17)
Our old nature in the flesh, is contrary to the divine nature of God that dwells in the authentic Christian. We know the world appeals to our old nature (see 1Jn2:15-17; remember the love that God hates).
Our new nature, those who are born of God have victory as a result of our faith. And as our faith grows, we grow in love for God and love for others and the love of God is perfected in us (more on that next week).
Overcome, you have to love that word, for sure enough you have seen that before, John loves that word too.
13 I am writing to you, fathers, because you know Him who has been from the beginning. I am writing to you, young men, because you have overcome the evil one. I have written to you, children, because you know the Father.
14 I have written to you, fathers, because you know Him who has been from the beginning. I have written to you, young men, because you are strong, and the word of God abides in you, and you have overcome the evil one.
and maybe note down the times used in Rev2:7, 11, 17, 26 and then 3:5, 12 and 21). He uses the word overcomer as I’m using the word authentic tonight; one who is born of God.
OK, story time: There was a soldier in Alexander the Great’s army who was not acting bravely in battle. He lingered vs. pressing on. Alexander came to him and asked his name and the young soldier replied “Alexander” and Alexander the greet told him “get in there and fight or change your name.” -
What is our name? We are child of God, Children of God, ones born of God. That name carries with it the assurance of victory. We share the same victory as Jesus (over death). Victory that comes by faith in Jesus Christ as the Son of God. Victory over the tribulations of this world
Victory in overcoming the world as promised by Jesus (Jn16:33)
33 “These things I have spoken to you, so that in Me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world.”
Victory that gives us peace and courage!
Victorious / Overcomer as “He is” so are we. (1Jn4:17; 1Jn1:7; 1Jn2:6; Gal2:20; Rom6:4; Eph2:6 and Col3:4)
As he is, we too are in the world
17 By this, love is perfected with us, so that we may have confidence in the day of judgment; because as He is, so also are we in this world.
As He is in the light, so are we
7 but if we walk in the Light as He Himself is in the Light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin.
So as he walked, we are to walk
6 the one who says he abides in Him ought himself to walk in the same manner as He walked.
So as he was crucified, we were with Him
20 “I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me.
As he was buried and raised us, so are we
4 Therefore we have been buried with Him through baptism into death, so that as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, so we too might walk in newness of life.
So as He ascended and is now seated in heaven, so are we, spiritually speaking for us
6 and raised us up with Him, and seated us with Him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus,
So as Christ was exalted, when He returns we will share in exaltation too
4 When Christ, who is our life, is revealed, then you also will be revealed with Him in glory.
Did you get all that?
In this world, but not of this world
Walking in the light of the Father w/Jesus
Walking as Jesus walked
Crucified to self, raised in Him
Seated in the heavenlies and when he returns will share in glory with Him!
Giving credit where credit is due, Warren Wiersbe in his commentary on these verses says
“All these verses describe our spiritual position in Christ. When we claim this position of faith, we share His victory. When God raised jesus from the dead, He “seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places, far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and every name that is named. . . and He put all things in subjection under His feet” (eph1:20-22). This means that, positionally, each child of God is privileged to sit far above all his enemies!”
A child of God, born of God who overcomes the world has his position in Christ and is identified by the Holy Spirit as being in Christ .
12 For even as the body is one and yet has many members, and all the members of the body, though they are many, are one body, so also is Christ. 13 For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body, whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free, and we were all made to drink of one Spirit.
We have a great position with great authority in Christ Jesus by faith, faith in the Son of God. Faith is acting on what you believe not just saying you believe. Faith is more than believing when there in no evidence, but faith is acting in in spite of the consequences!
So, how do we grow in this overcoming, victorious authentic faith? Good question, let’s look at some application.
Overcoming faith must be cultivated
Cultivated by a friendship with Christ (Jm2:23)
23 and the Scripture was fulfilled which says, “And Abraham believed God, and it was reckoned to him as righteousness,” and he was called the friend of God.
Friendship with Christ will impact and influence our actions in this life. (2Pt1:5-7)
Such things as adding God’s graces to our lives, diligence, virtue, knowledge, perseverance, godliness, brotherly kindness and love.
This will change our thoughts, our conversations, our desires. As we grow, it is over time not over night.
Our impacting, influencing friendship will transform us to be more like Him and will lead us to a deeper love and understanding of and for Christ. (Rom8:29; 1Jn4:19; 1Jn3:1-3)
a deeper love
19 We love, because He first loved us.
because he loved us first
A conformation
29 For those whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brethren;
one day we will be like Him, but are in the process now (think of 1Jn3:1-3)
May we as authentic overcoming Christians live that way each and every day in joyful obedience to Christ. Overcoming this world and not being overcome by this world.
So, remember, walk in the victory Christ purchased for you on the cross and you accepted when you were baptized because of your faith and God’s grace and mercy were applied and the Holy Spirit given!
Live today as a child of God!
(Prayer) (Exit)