God’s Love and Our Spiritual Battle – 1 John 5:4-6

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The foundation, ye saints of the Lord, is laid for your faith in his excellence.

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Few things are more frustrating and humbling than to realize that someone wants you to fail, that someone really is out to get you. Wow, you know, that’s even hard to say. Well, the Bible tells us that Christians have three enemies like that, the world, our own flesh, and the evil one. And we need to face each of them differently. Welcome to Through the Bible with Dr. J. Vernon McGee. Our study in 1 John 5 beginning with verse 4 is a sobering one, as the Holy Spirit teaches us how to have victory in our most challenging battles. But first, Dr. McGee recorded several introductions that explain who God is, like God is light, God is love, and God is life. We begin now with the second one, God is love. Here’s Dr. McGee.

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Now, before we bid goodbye to this dynamic and exciting brief book of 1 John, we must add a word about love and life as we promised when we considered light last time. God is light. God is love. God is life. Now, love was not emphasized when I began my ministry. In fact, the matter is it was during the Depression and there was serious doubts whether God cared very much about us at all. Now it’s overemphasized today in this affluent age. In fact, we have a great deal of sloppy agape going around. Love has become another Christian cliché. It has become as common as pig tracks. It should be reserved for special occasions and special people. It’s an axiom of our faith that God loves every person on this earth. There are no exceptions. Not just the nice and the beautiful people. God loved Joe Stalin. I seriously question whether I did. God loves you. And God loves me. And I don’t understand just how, but the poet has put it like this. How thou canst think so well of us, and be the God thou art, is darkness to my intellect, but sunshine to my heart. How wonderful. Love is not the way or the method of God’s salvation. God does not save by love. He saves by grace. By grace are ye saved, and it’s by faith. Love is the motive, not the method. For God so loved the world. Now, do not see love of God in creation. At least I don’t. We live in a universe that seems to be vacant. We have seen the desolation of the moon. No one’s there. And have you noticed since we made the trip up there a couple of times, nobody’s been going back. That is just not a place where you’re going to meet your neighbors. The love of God is focused on the cross of Christ. God so loved the world. That he saved the world? Well, if God could save by love, then he could save the whole world. But it says God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son. The love of God prompted him to give him his son, that you might not perish, but have eternal life, because he died on the cross and paid the penalty for your sin and mine, rose again, that you and I might stand before God someday in him. the living Christ.

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In our next study, Dr. McGee continues this insight into the love of God. We’ll hear about man’s free will, the providence of God, and surprisingly, the fact that God is searching for man and not the other way around. Don’t miss it. Let’s pray. Our loving Heavenly Father, would you show us your truth so that we’re better equipped to battle our enemies by your Spirit and in your power. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen. We’re off to 1 John 5 on Through the Bible with Dr. J. Vernon McGee.

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Now, today our text begins with the fourth verse here of the fifth chapter of 1 John, and I hope you have our notes and outlines. And we see here in the first section, victory over the world in the first five verses. Now, we got down here to verse 4, and I’m going to begin by reading it. For whatever is born of God overcometh the world, and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith. Now, I feel like that this is a very important verse that we have here. And he mentions victory. This may seem strange to you since we hear so much about that word in the Christian life today. This is the only time that this word occurs in the New Testament. And what is the victory here that overcometh the world? Well, it’s our faith. And it is faith that saves us, and it is faith that keeps us. We are saved by faith. We walk by faith. We are born children of God by faith in Jesus Christ. Now, we have an enemy. We’ve talked about this enemy before. Love not the world, the things that are in the world. And there is in the world that which is of the flesh, that which is the worldly things, and that which is of the devil. All of these are in this big bad world that you and I live in. Now, there is an illustration of this back in the Old Testament that I think might be helpful to us at this point. You remember when Joshua entered the Promised Land. Now, the Promised Land is not a figure of heaven. These songs that talk about Canaan being heaven and the place that believers are going, that just doesn’t fit in to the way God has given it to us. Actually, Canaan represents the place where believers ought to be living down here. Now, we can live out in the wilderness, and there are a lot of wilderness believers today. And they don’t have any fun at all. They think they do at times, but they generally find out they don’t. There’s no fun out in the wilderness. The wilderness march wasn’t easy. But in the land of Canaan, that’s where we are blessed with all spiritual blessings. Now, when Joshua entered the land, it wasn’t handed to him on a silver platter. And if you and I today are to enjoy the spiritual blessings that are ours, we’ve got to recognize that we have a battle to fight, that the enemy holds the territory, and he’s just not going to let us have any kind of a deliverance or victory. Now, when Joshua entered the promised land, There were three enemies that stood before him. And until he overcame them, he was not able to take the land. The first enemy was Jericho. That was the first place that he struck. It was obvious what he was trying to do is to split the land into two divisions and then take one at a time, which he attempted to do. Then the second enemy was little Aiya. And I should say that Jericho represents the world. Little Ai represents the flesh. Joshua just sent a small contingent up there, thinking it’d be easy to take. And that’s the one place he received a telling defeat. And the great many Christians today overcome the world, but they always get overcome by the flesh. In other words, there are many saints today that don’t engage in worldly practices, but they sure go to church and gossip. They indulge the flesh. And they can blow the trumpet around Jericho, but they don’t blow the trumpet around Ai. And then there were the Gibeonites. They represent the devil. They deceived. They worked wildly. They deceived Joshua. And the devil was a liar from the beginning. Now let’s come back here to verse 4. And look at that in reference to Jericho. For whatever is born of God overcometh the world. You’re a child of God while you’re going to overcome the world. And how will you get it? This is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith. Now, it’s not by fighting, but by faith. Now, let’s look again at Jericho. How in the world… Did this man, Joshua, overcome Jericho? Jericho was the enemy that was out in front of him. And he had to take that city. And how is he going to take this city? By fighting it? He did not fight at all. God told him what to do. And God told him, he said, now, I don’t want you to make an assault upon the city. I don’t want you to use a battering ram to try to get through the gate. The thing that I want you to do is to march around the city. And instead of putting your elite army up in front, the Marines or the special guards, you put the priests up there with the ark. They will also carry the shofar, the horns, and they’ll blow the horns. The trumpets will be blown as they go around the city. And you’re not to make an attack upon it. Well, that was the most unusual method. And I’m sure that the city of Jericho braced itself for the onslaught of these people who’d crossed the Jordan River at flood stage, which seemed to them an impossibility. And it was a foreboding of things to come. But they were going to defend themselves. And the city of Jericho was shut up. And I think the guard up on the gate gave the signal. It says, here they come, the whole army of Israel. And they marched up to the gate. And there was an army, you must remember, on the inside waiting for them. And they had them there ready. But when the children of Israel got up there, it was right face. And they kept marching. And they marched around the walls of the city. And when they did that, they went back into camp. Well, you could be sure of one thing. There was a meeting of the general staff in the city of Jericho that night to try to figure out the strategy that these people were using against them. And so they got ready for the next day and the guard on the gate yelled down. He said, here they come. And they braced themselves for the battle if they tried to break through the gates. And there were soldiers on top. ready to pour boiling oil or boiling water down on them and shoot arrows if they attempted to come. But they didn’t attempt to come. They went around the city again. Now, they did that six days. And by that time, the staff, the army staff inside of the city of Jericho was just about crazy. They didn’t know what in the world was taking place. But on the seventh day, when they went around one time, the general staff heaved a sigh of relief and says, it just looks like they’re not going to take the city. They’re just doing something very crazy. And from the world’s viewpoint, it was very crazy. But must say, that’s an unusual strategy. But this time, the guard says, wait a minute. They’re not returning to camp. They’re marching around again. And they did that seven times. And then what happened? Well, they blew the trumpets, children of Israel did, and the walls of Jericho fell down. And when the walls of Jericho fell down, then the children of Israel, you must remember, they probably completely encircled the city. And the army on the inside had just about given up to try to follow them around. And they were certainly taken by surprise. Now, how did the children of Israel take the city of Jericho? By fighting? No, they did not fight at all. They were marching around according to the orders not given by Joshua, but of that unseen captain of the hosts of the Lord. And frankly, I’ve always had a problem with that until a few years ago. And it wasn’t that the walls of Jericho fell down. I think they pretty well established that. But the thing that has disturbed me in the past, doesn’t today, is the fact why would a man of Joshua’s ability, evidently a proven ability as a military leader, why in the world would he use tactics like that? Somebody says, well, God commanded it. Yes, but I think that he might have disagreed with the tactics. But you remember that incident when Joshua saw the man with the drawn sword at the edge of the camp and he went out and he said to the man, if you want it in good old Americana, it would be, what’s the big idea? Who told you to draw a sword? And the question was, are you for us or our adversaries? That’s the way our translation gives it to us. And it’s a good one. But it means, what’s the big idea? Who gave you an order to draw a sword? Because Joshua thought he was in charge. But when that one turned, he saw that it was a supernatural person. Now, I personally believe that was none other than the incarnate Christ. And so when he turned and saw him, Joshua fell at his feet. So this man Joshua now learned a lesson. He was not really in charge. And GHQ was not in his tent, but it was in heaven. and the captain of the hosts of the Lord. And that’s what this one said. Nay, but as the captain of the hosts of the Lord am I now come. In other words, this battle you are fighting, it’s a spiritual battle as well as a physical one. And I’m the captain. And so General Joshua now is going to take his orders from the captain of the hosts of the Lord. And this captain says, march around the city. Now I don’t have any trouble with Joshua. If you’d have met him and said, why in the world are you doing this crazy thing? Now, I think he would have agreed with you and said, say it is crazy, isn’t it? But he says, after all, I’m just taking orders. And if you’ve ever had any army experience, you know that actually that a buck private never talks to a captain. That is, when the captain says, you go do this. He doesn’t stop and say, the private doesn’t say, well, Captain, I’ve been thinking this over myself, and I think there’s a better way of doing it. Did you ever hear of a buck private say that to the captain? No, sir. He says, yes, sir, I’ll go do it. And he goes and does it, whatever the captain’s commanded. Some fellow’s got in trouble in a camp. It was National Guard camp where I was, and they slipped out during the night. And so the next day, the captain gave them an order to dig a hole. And he says, and I want this hole, I want it six feet long, I want it three feet wide. And I want it five feet deep. These fellas did it, went in and reported to the captain. The captain came out and looked at the hole. He says, now I want you to fill it back up with the dirt. And they had to fill it back up. That’s sort of crazy. But they’re obeying orders. Joshua is obeying orders. He’s being obedient. He believes the captain, and we read in the New Testament in Hebrews 11, by faith the walls of Jericho fell down. It was by faith they fell down, you see. It wasn’t by fighting, but by faith the walls of Jericho fell down. Now, what’s the lesson for us today? Do you think that you can overcome the world by fighting it? That’s one reason that as a pastor, I never engaged in any reform movement, no matter how worthwhile it was, and even many of them that I agreed that were good. but I never would be on the committee nor would I have part in it as a pastor of a church because I don’t think I was called to get in that at all. You don’t overcome the world by fighting it. I know an ex-movie star many years ago, 20 some odd years ago, called me when I was a pastor in downtown Los Angeles and asked would I serve on a committee. It was a committee to help reform Downtown Los Angeles. Now, downtown Los Angeles needed reform, and then it still does. But I never felt I was called to do that. And I refused to serve on the committee. She couldn’t believe it. She said, you mean to tell me that you won’t serve on the committee? And I said, that’s exactly what I’m trying to say. She says, aren’t you the pastor of the church? I said, yes. And as a preacher, you’re not interested in that? I said, I didn’t say that. I just won’t serve on the committee. And she said, why? And I told her this little story. I said, the reason I won’t serve is this. The Lord called me to fish in the fish pond, but he never told me to clean up the fish pond. So my business is fishing, giving out the Word of God. And I let the Spirit of God do any cleaning up that’s to be done. That’s the department he’s in. And I’m not in that department by any means. Well, she didn’t like it, but… She had to accept it, of course. But I felt that today I don’t fight the world. I’m not in this great reformation movement they talk about today. I’m not trying to straighten up our government. I think it needs straightening up. I think both Democrats and Republicans are in a shambles today. And we are without, as a nation, we are without leadership throughout the world. And I recognize all of that. But that’s not my business. My business is to give out the Word of God. And Joshua’s business, though he had the army, his business was not to fight. His business was to believe God. And he believed God. And the walls fell down. And friends, today we are saved by faith. And if we’re going to overcome this world, we’ll not overcome it by fighting it. We’re going to overcome it by faith. That’s the only way that you and I can deal with this world that we’re in. And I think that’s the great message that is here. Now he says in verse 5 here, “…who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God?” Now, here we have faith in the person of the Lord Jesus Christ and faith in the future that he’s going to be the one that’s going to overcome. And then we have here verse 6. This is he that came by water and blood, even Jesus Christ, not by water only, but by water and blood. And it is the Spirit that beareth witness, because the Spirit is truth. Now, here you have faith in Christ for salvation. Here and now for the world and for the one who is the believer who will trust Christ. He’s saved now. How? Well, this is he that came by water and blood. Now, I think that the reference is back in the 19th chapter, I guess it is, of John’s gospel. At verse 34, you remember John was present at the crucifixion of Christ. And he says, this is what happened. But one of the soldiers, and this is John 19, 34, and I’m reading now. But one of the soldiers with a spear pierced his side, and forthwith came there out blood and water. And he that saw it by record, and his record is true, and he knoweth that he saith true, that ye might believe. And John noted something that no one else noted. Chances are he was closer to the cross than any other of the apostles. And he noted that when that soldier pushed the spear in the sight of Christ, that there came out blood and water. And not just one element, but both elements. Now, John makes application of that. He had a great deal to say about it. He emphasized it. Now he comes back to it here, and he says here he came by water. Now, what water speaks of what? It speaks of the Word of God. And that’s what the Lord Jesus meant, that you must be born of water and of the Word. The water is the living Word applied by the Spirit of God. So that here is the one that came by water. The Word of God that the Spirit of God uses and blood is by the death of Christ. Even Jesus Christ, not by water only, but by water and blood. And it is the Spirit that beareth witness because the Spirit is true. Now, it’s the Spirit that can make these things live. And may I make this rather startling statement. The Lord Jesus told the disciples between his death and resurrection and the day of Pentecost to tarry in Jerusalem and to do nothing. They were not to witness. Why? They can’t witness without the Holy Spirit. And therefore, my friend, it is essential if anyone is to be saved today, not only that Christ died 1900 years ago, but that the Spirit of God work today in hearts and lives. That’s one of the reasons we read letters, is to show that the Word of God here that’s taken by the Spirit of God can apply the blood of Christ to hearts and lives. Christ died for our sins. But the Spirit of God has to make that real to us. That makes this a very important chapter. Only the Spirit of God can make the death of Christ real to you. And only the Spirit of God can make the resurrection of Christ real to you. So until next time, may God richly bless you, my beloved.

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Romans 10, 17 says, So then faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God. And an earlier verse says, How then shall they call upon him who they have not believed? And how shall they believe on him whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher? Well, God is using Through the Bible as that preacher so that people all over the world can hear his word and come to him in faith. You can pray to that end too. And let us know if you’d like to play an even greater part in that mission. Our number is 1-800-65-BIBLE. You can also send us an email at biblebus at ttb.org or write to Box 7100, Pasadena, California, 91109. In Canada, Box 25325, London, Ontario, N6C, 6B1. And to make a gift to the ministry, you can click on Donate at ttb.org or in our app. I’m Steve Schwetz, grateful for your company on the Bible Bus and your partnership in taking God’s whole word to the whole world.

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Jesus came in all All to Him I owe

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Through the Bible is a five-year study of God’s entire Word, and together we discover God’s purposes in history and our lives, found only when we believe in Jesus Christ. Do you know Him yet?