I'm a Beleiver

Belief can mean several things. It can mean that a person is hopeful and optimistic. It can also mean that a person fully accepts what another has said. In our world today, the first definition of belief is usually what is meant. But John has the second definition in mind when he describes the belief of a Christian. Today we will look at what belief in Christ is. Biblical belief includes: Correctly receiving Jesus as Christ, Obedience to God’s commands, and loving those in the body of Christ.

What must I believe?

You will encounter many people who say they believe in God. That is a good start, but Biblical belief is more than that. The term "believe" includes the following concepts:

to accept - take something to be true

to trust - to place one’s trust in another

to entrust - to put oneself into the care and protection of another

Often when someone says they believe in God, they mean the first idea of accepting something to be true. They believe that God is a reality. He exists and is not a make-believe character like the Tooth Fairy or Easter Bunny. But biblical belief builds on more than believing that there is a God. It involves accepting what God has declared to be true. John’s concern is about what people believe about Jesus. Is Jesus the Christ? The term “Christ” is the name of a promised concept from the Old Testament. It means “the Anointed One”, appointed by God to serve as King over all things. And the New Testament tells us an amazing story. The Anointed One becomes king not through military war or economic success but through suffering for the sins of the world on a cross. The work of the suffering Savior for our sins is an important part of believing that Jesus is Christ. Never forget that the name “Christian” contains the root “Christ”. Believers in Christ are given the blessing of being the children of God.

John reminds us that belief is followed by love. What should cause us to love God? God’s grace and actions toward us ought to cause our hearts to respond in love. God first showed us love by removing the barrier of sin and death from our relationship with him. He has forgiven our sins. Some of us may look at our lives and wonder what horrible thing we did that would cause us to be sinners. And others may have a long list of shameful actions that they long to be forgotten. The truth is that both the nice person and the scandalous person are equally sinners before the sight of God. And both are given the opportunity to respond to the Gospel message and receive His forgiveness. Our love for God is evidence that we have come to know God’s love and believe in Jesus Christ.

The Importance of Obedience

In addition to loving God, belief should also develop into a desire to obey God. Loving God involves knowing and doing what God has willed, planned, and desires for us. Obedience will accompany biblical faith in Jesus Christ. Obedience always follows belief. Our initial act of obedience is to believe in Jesus Christ. But obedience is more than just a one-time event. It is a characteristic of our life in Christ. John knew the words of Jesus well. John 14:15

John 14:15 ESV

15 “If you love me, you will keep my commandments.

The commands that God gives are not burdensome. This refers to the nature of God’s grace. We can never pay the price for the debt of our sin. But God gives us grace and cancels our debt and gives us the responsibility that belongs to children of grace. We live according to the pattern that God gives. We do so because we are loved, not in order to be loved. And once again, John reminds us that biblical obedience includes loving those who are God’s children. If we love the Father, we will also love the Father’s children.

Faith that overcomes the world

John mentions that those who believe, who are born of God, who obey His commands, overcome the world. What does this mean? Does it mean that our preferred political candidate will be in office, that we will never have a problem with another person, or be free from the stress of life? If we recall, the term “world” can refer to a few things, such as the physical world, but in John’s letter, he uses the term to describe the system and nature of life without God. It is the world characterized and controlled by sinful passions. It is the system of lies and false teaching of the world. Those who believe in Christ have a victory because Jesus conquered sin and death. 1 Corinthians 15:55-57

1 Corinthians 15:55–57 ESV

55 “O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?” 56 The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. 57 But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

1–3 John God Commands Us to Love (4:21–5:5)

Faith is not the means to the goal of victory, nor something that enables us to gain victory: faith is the victory, and not because of what faith is in itself but because it is directed to the Son, through whom God wins the victory for us (5:6–12).

We should remember that believing in Christ includes all three aspects of belief: accepting, trusting, and entrusting. Our faith is in the one who has all the victory. And even when our belief in a suffering savior seems the least likely of solutions for our world, we must continue to believe, not because our belief overcomes but because the One in whom we believe is faithful.

The Testimony of God concerning Jesus

John next turns his attention to discuss what we believe and what Christ has done for us. The false teachers denied that Jesus was the Christ, but John reminds the believers that the testimony Jesus being the Christ, the Savior is valid. He mentions two testimonies, water, and blood. This may seem odd, but if we consider the symbolic meaning and the text of Jesus' crucifixion, we discover the cleansing and purifying acts of Jesus Christ the Savior. Water is a symbol of cleansing, both for personal hygiene and ritual washing in preparation to be in God’s presence. (priests, lepers, repentance) Blood carries the same idea but is applied in the sacrifices of the Old Testament. The blood of a sacrifice was a primary part of the forgiveness and covering of sins. Jesus was crucified on a cross. Roman soldiers were experts at keeping a body alive long enough with torture and pain to prolong a shameful crucifixion. To ensure the death of a victim, they would often break the legs of the person on the cross to cause them to die from an inability to raise their torso enough to catch a breath. Look at John’s gospel to see what happened. John 19:31-37

John 19:31–37 ESV

31 Since it was the day of Preparation, and so that the bodies would not remain on the cross on the Sabbath (for that Sabbath was a high day), the Jews asked Pilate that their legs might be broken and that they might be taken away. 32 So the soldiers came and broke the legs of the first, and of the other who had been crucified with him. 33 But when they came to Jesus and saw that he was already dead, they did not break his legs. 34 But one of the soldiers pierced his side with a spear, and at once there came out blood and water. 35 He who saw it has borne witness—his testimony is true, and he knows that he is telling the truth—that you also may believe. 36 For these things took place that the Scripture might be fulfilled: “Not one of his bones will be broken.” 37 And again another Scripture says, “They will look on him whom they have pierced.”

John uses this testimony to assure the believers that Jesus the Christ had died on the cross as a willing sacrifice to cleanse, purify, and bring them to God’s grace and forgiveness. John adds a third witness, the Holy Spirit. The three witnesses affirm that the gospel message is God’s plan. No other option is available for us to know, love, and obey God except through Jesus Christ. When we believe the gospel, we agree with these that Jesus is the Only Way.

God gives eternal life

Our section today includes a discussion of eternal life. What is eternal life? I grew up thinking that eternal life simply meant “going to heaven when I die .”While that understanding is not incorrect, it is neither complete. And if we think of it as only life after death in eternity, we are missing out on the big picture of what eternal life encompasses. We see from Jesus that eternal life includes knowing the Only True God and Jesus Christ. Let’s look at a statement from Jesus in John 17:3.

John 17:3 ESV

3 And this is eternal life, that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent.

Eternal life is a quality of spiritual life supplied by Christ. John 4:14

John 4:14 ESV

14 but whoever drinks of the water that I will give him will never be thirsty again. The water that I will give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.”

Eternal life is the hope of the resurrection of Christ and our life eternally with him. John 6:40

John 6:40 ESV

40 For this is the will of my Father, that everyone who looks on the Son and believes in him should have eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day.”

Eternal life is the opposite of life separated from God in judgement. John 3:36

John 3:36 ESV

36 Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life; whoever does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God remains on him.

All these characteristics of eternal life are not available anywhere else or through anyone else except Jesus Christ. John reminds us that there is only one option for eternal life: Christ.

Application

Belief is an important topic in John’s letter. He does not refer to a generic belief but a believing something specific. And that is about Jesus. Is He the Christ? And if you believe He is the Christ, what are the results of that? Scripture teaches us that Jesus is the Christ and that God’s grace gives us forgiveness, eternal life, and a relationship with God. This belief includes a responsibility to love God and obey His commands. Belief may begin with accepting certain things to be true, but it continues into trusting and entrusting ourselves to God. It is our motivation to allow God to transform and guide us into something He desires. Belief is more than a thought of the mind. It is a response of our whole being to God. What do you believe?

What about victory? As you look at your life, you may see a lot more defeat than a victory that John says we have in Jesus. We must recognize that our lack of victory or some degree of success in making good life choices is a result of stubborn living and sinful choices to reject God’s ways. We can not assume that all choices and roads lead to God’s victory. We must choose God’s way. May we learn to let the Holy Spirit and God’s Word shape our lives and choices.

But victory is more than just having success and a good life. Victory has our present and future in the hands of a God who is for us and not against us. In Christ, our victory is the power of God to overcome sinful desires and have the Holy Spirit mature us. Victory is to have the power and presence of God in the midst of challenging times. Victory is knowing that God supplies all our needs. Victory is being able to thank God even when things look impossible. Victory is knowing that I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. Victory is knowing and walking with God. Victory is only in Jesus. When you are tempted to focus on the mess, don’t forget that God has promised victory in the midst of your mess. God is able.