Born of God for Victory | 1 John 5:4-5

1 John 5:1–5 and the New Birth

Let's turn over to 1st John chapter 5. Once again there we go. 1st John chapter 5. I'm going to read from verse 1 to get a context of the passage here. 1st John chapter 5. Verse 1. Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ has been born of God.

And everyone who loves the one who gives new birth loves also the one who has been born of him. By this we know that we love the children of God when we love God and keep his commandments. For this is the love of God that we keep his commandments and his commandments are not burdensome for everything that has been born of God overcomes the world and this is the overcoming that has overcome the world our faith who is the one who overcomes the world but he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God this is God's Word.

Amen. So the focus for today's message will be primarily on verse 4 a little bit of verse 5 but primarily verse 4 and these verses especially those those verses 4 and 5 are very powerful gospel indicatives.

They indicate for us what God has done for us and what he continues to do for us that we have overcome we overcome the world and our faith has overcome the world because those who believe that Jesus is the Son of God overcome the world and that faith is also a gift of God as a result of being born of God.

And that's partly what the sermon title indicates for us today. Victorious. Yeah I think I I was thinking of revising it to actually say born of the victorious God born of the victorious God. But there's a lot of there's a lot of victory here victory overcoming conquering very emphatic in this passage and so we're gonna really draw that out seek to draw that out now we we've been seeing how in the previous messages how God's commandments are not burdensome for believers because of God's love.

Right. God's redemptive restorative regenerative reformative or renovated love. And also also verse 4 also tells us because everything that has been born of God overcomes the world overcomes the world.

Amen. So it's because of God's love but also that love of God that makes us born again overcomes the world. So it's God's love. So in other words not only are God's commandments not burdensome because of God's love for us but also because of his power God's regenerative power that makes us born-again believers and empowers us not just to love him in our neighbor which is what verse 3 talked about.

Right. This is what it means to love God to keep his commandments love God and neighbor etc but also to overcome the world as well to overcome the world. And that word overcome can be translated in in different ways victory conquest conquer overcome.

And the Greek word is actually the word Nika or Nikkei which like the company Nike that's where it comes from the Greek word for victory. And so I wanted to focus on something here beginning in verse 4 you'll notice at the beginning of verse 4 it says everything everything that because everything that has been born of God overcomes the world now why why.

The word everything instead of everyone why why why is it phrased that way. Everything in Greek is the word pan like pandemic. We don't need to go there today but you know panoramic like seeing everything a panoramic view see all-encompassing view as opposed to everyone which is pass typically pass.

And so here we actually find another parallelism which is very common both in the Old and the New Testaments. Right. A parallelism is where something is state the same basic thing is stated but in a different slightly different way.

And verse 4 is a parallel to verse 1 in this chapter as we can see here. If we read again in verse 1 you'll find that it says everyone everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ has been born of God.

Right. Everyone who believes. And that phrase everyone who believes as pass hope he still on. It's the same phrase from John 3 16 right. So that all those believing in him shall not perish but have everlasting life.

It's the same phrase possibly stone and it doesn't mean whosoever like the King James render renders that it means all the believing one specifically so that those believing in him shall not perish but have everlasting life.

Likewise those who believe that Jesus is the Christ have been born of God already. And likewise in verse 4 we see that it says for or because everything that has been born of God overcomes the world. So it's a it's a parallelism there that also adds on that extra qualifier that extra information.

Those who believe or have been born of God overcome the world now as well. That's a cause for rejoicing and celebrating. Amen. We are recipients of God's love grace and power and that power changes us for for his glory for the better.

And so this brings us back to the source of our faith. Right. The source of our faith is God's regenerating Holy Spirit and means of grace such that everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ has been born of God already.

You don't believe in order to be born again. This is what you often hear people say. But that's backwards. You don't believe in order to become born again. You become born again by God in order to believe.

Right. We have to get the order correct the order of salvation. So likewise everything that has been born of God already and he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God in verse 5 right overcomes the world.

So you see how verses 4 and 5 actually kind of collaborate with verse 1. It's a parallel every he who believed same phrase there as well. It's the hoppy still on it's a singular instead of the plural he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God.

You believe that Jesus is the Christ. You believe that Jesus is the Son of God. You are you have been born of God by God and you have you overcome the world now. However there is a difference here that we need to account for everything in verse 4 as opposed to everyone in verse 1 is a more general and abstract all encompassing reference.

It's a little more all-encompassing such that the emphasis is not so much on the individual overcomer right. It's not so much on the individual overcomer but rather on the entire collective whole everything because and and the emphasis is also on God and on his sovereign power to regenerate us and enable us therefore to overcome because we have been born of him right.

So so in other words another way to phrase this would be in verse 4 because all because all that has been born of God which is passive on our part overcomes the world overcomes the world which is active on our part.

God's Spirit and grace empowers us to overcome the world actively in this life. Amen. This is really awesome. Promises gospel indicatives. They indicate what God is doing for us already and has done for us right by his grace love and power.

The New Birth, Faith, and John 1:12–13

Now turn with me back to the gospel of John in chapter 1 and we'll see a very important correlation here in the gospel of John chapter 1 in the Apostle John's other writing here his gospel will start in verse 12 the Apostle John through the God God breathed words of the Holy Spirit has referred many times before as we've seen in this letter to being born of God being born of him and dwelt by him and all those things.

And here likewise in the gospel of John chapter 1 verse 12 we see that God God's Word says. But as many as received him received Christ that is the true light the Son to them he he gave the right to become children of God God the Father even to those who believe in his name who were born they were born not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man but of God the Father alone amen.

But of God alone. And therefore like the last soul of the Reformation says. To God alone be the glory amen. God alone gets the glory for all the good in our lives that he has done in our lives. We can't take any credit for any any of it.

And so to God alone be the glory. So then both faith and love and our other overcoming are all begotten of God. They are all sourced by the source is all God. It all belongs to him and comes from him not only our faith in the faith like verse 4 says.

This is the overcoming that overcomes the world our faith. So not only our faith in the faith of God and his Word but our true love is also born of God and comes from God who himself is love like we saw in the previous chapter right.

As well as our overcoming of the world. So God provides everything for us and beyond everything we can imagine he supplies us richly beyond all we could ever even dream of soli deo gloria amen. To God alone be the glory.

Baptism for Believers and the Regeneration It Signifies

And that being said so that being said this this has an very important consequence as to why we believe and teach and practice certain things in in the church. This is partly why we as Baptists not as opposed to Presbyterians who baptize infants of believers.

As Baptist Baptists we seek to baptize only true believers who have been born of God who have evidenced being born of God right who demonstrate fruit in their life and their faith that they have been born of God of the victorious God already right.

Because that is exactly what baptism itself signifies and represents. Baptism represents death to sin and a new born-again spirit-filled life in Christ Jesus right. Romans 6 all throughout the Bible New Testament.

That's what baptism points to. It represents that reality in the believers life. So then we cannot and should not baptize those who do not evidence the new birth or being born of God. It doesn't make sense to baptize somebody that doesn't reveal themselves to be born of God right.

That's the whole point of baptism. Baptism doesn't save you like many believe. The Roman Catholic Church teaches that baptism back wipes the stain of original sin. No it doesn't. Baptism is a means of God's grace.

But that grace is only operative through faith. It only works through faith. If you don't have faith then baptism is of no use to you. Right. So we have to understand and if you only have faith if you have been born of God already that's what first John has been telling us repeatedly.

Right. So we have to be consistent in our walk as believers and in the church to reflect these realities biblically according to God and his word. And I want to the the Baptist larger catechism that we read from earlier has very helpful question and answers for help to help us understand this subject of baptism.

Question 152 says. What is baptism and baptism. Baptism is an ordinance of positive and of the New Testament ordained and appointed by Jesus Christ to be continued in this church to the end of the world for believers.

Okay. For believers baptism is a sign that points to a present reality in the believer of our union and fellowship with Christ one of the remission of sins and death to sin to right through his blood his redemptive blood of regeneration by his spirit.

Ah there you go. Three. First John. That's what first John tells us of adoption of our adoption as sons and daughters of God that's for and resurrection from death and to everlasting life. Amen. And of giving up into God through Jesus Christ to live and walk in newness of life to now love God and neighbor and to keep his commandments and not find them burdensome anymore but a joy and a blessing in our lives.

Even see. This is interesting because even the Presbyterian Westminster larger catechism which teaches that they they Methodist similarly Lutherans they also teach that we should baptize the infants of believers.

But we're going to see that. Why that's not consistent there. There's the same question in the Westminster larger catechism. Question 165 says this. This is the modern the modern English study version.

What is baptism. Baptism is a sacrament of the New Testament in which Christ has ordained the washing with water in the name of the Father Son and Holy Spirit to be a sign and seal of engrafting into himself of remission of sins by his blood and regeneration by his spirit.

Okay of adoption and resurrection to everlasting life and by which the parties baptized are solemnly admitted into the visible church and enter into an open profess and profess engagement to be holy and only the Lord's.

So there's not much difference there right between what we hold to as how we define baptism and how they define it. However they the next question they teach that the infants of believers should also be baptized.

But is that consistent. And again how is that consistent when we were we're only supposed to baptize those who evidence the grace of God working in their life. Have you been regenerated. Because that's what it represents.

They even admit that it's supposed to mean that you have been regenerated by God and therefore you are baptized accordingly. So it's not pointing to some future thing. It's pointing to a present reality.

And so we can baptize children. Some of my children are baptized. They're 9 10 years old. They were fairly young but not all of them or indiscriminately merely because they are the children of at least one believing parent.

That's what the Presbyterians teach. They must demonstrate the evidence of faith and of God's birth new birth regeneration. Right. And because those who are baptized are also now entitled to receive the other means of grace which is the Lord's Supper the Lord's Supper.

Right so as a means of grace at work in their lives. But this means that they have to be able to examine themselves and their need for a Savior who now sanctifies them. Right. And this is the problem.

This is another inconsistency with those who teach infant baptism because they don't allow children to partake of the Lord's Supper even though they're baptized into the visible church. So how are you a member of the visible church.

And you can't partake of the means of grace that God has given to his church including the Lord's Supper. Right. Because it requires you to examine yourself. That is why we believe it is what the Bible consistently teaches to baptize believers who have demonstrated the new birth in their lives.

So faith in Jesus Christ. And that's why in our Baptist Catechism question went to 155 says who should be baptized. The answer is those who actually profess repentance towards God faith in and obedience to our Lord Jesus Christ.

They are the only proper subjects of this ordinance. The infants of believing parents are not to be baptized because there's neither command nor example in the holy scriptures nor necessary consequence from the scriptures to to baptize them.

Right. The scriptures are clear when we are seeking to consistently understand them in light of the whole counsel of God. Right including 1st John chapter 5 those who are born of God so are those who are born of God.

Therefore believe. And those who believe should be baptized are commanded to be baptized. Right. Repent and be baptized as a result of believing and being born again not as a future thing that you are expecting to happen.

So did not. And then the next question in question 157 did not baptism come to replace circumcision and thus should be administered as it was in the Old Testament because in the Old Testament they would circumcise the the the males the male children when on their eighth day after being born.

The answer is here and so they correlate because in Colossians it says that you know circumcision is there's a correlation to from circumcision to baptism and that's how Presbyterians also say. Therefore we should baptize infants.

But baptism does not replace circumcision but rather regeneration by the spirit because that's what baptism represents. It doesn't. It doesn't point to circumcision so much as regeneration. Or the circumcision made without hands also referred to as spiritual circumcision and it replaces physical circumcision as the seal the sign and the seal of the covenant of grace the new covenant.

Baptism is also mentioned with faith with faith as the means the instrumental means right not as a meritorious cause or means but instrumental means by which we are in Christ and complete in him. Thus we should not administer baptism according to the rules of administration for circumcision.

It is according to the new covenant and what it's pointing to and what the new covenant explains baptism points to right which is largely what even the Presbyterian question explain. We agree on that.

So we should be consistent in light of that teaching now hopefully that helps us to understand these differences are important. We don't necessarily say that Presbyterians are a false church because of this but they are not consistent with what Scripture teaches.

And we need to be consistent in all of our doctrine and life. Amen. So now back to going back to first John in chapter 5 we see we see that it reads in in verse 4. For everything that has been born of God overcomes the world.

This is the overcoming that has overcome the world our faith. Now you see a reference here we need to what is this world that the Apostle is referring to here. What is this world that we believing conquerors overcome the word world as I've preached on before a number of times because the Apostle has used the word world many times in his letter but he doesn't always refer to the same thing.

He doesn't always mean the same thing right. Remember we first have to define the key terms. At a minimum we have to define the keywords the key terms. Otherwise you cannot make proper sense of the passage.

We have to define the terms and understand them correctly. And John uses the word world in several different senses in his God-breathed writings in the Gospel of John in in the his letter for God so loved the world right.

That's referring to believers only. But the whole world lieth in wickedness. That's referring to something else that's referring to unbelievers. And in this sense what is it pointing to. Then we need the context right.

You may have heard the principle called context is king. Context is king. And that is yes and amen. Context is vitally important to interpret the scriptures correctly. We cannot ignore the context and rip things out of context because that becomes is a Jesus that becomes reading something into the text that's not there twisting it around.

We need to get from the text extract from the text what it means and from the context. That's exegesis right. So that is the proper way to interpret scripture. And so everything that has been born of God overcomes the world conquers the world.

And this is the overcoming that has overcome the world. Our faith who is the one who overcomes the world. But he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God. So conquering the world here conquering it as in beating it right.

Winning against it. It's a battle. So the word world here is not referring to something positive or good it. The context is showing us that it's referring to the evil world right. The evil world the society and influence of sinful unbelievers and their sins right.

A good example of that. And there are many in our society social media right. Social media is a breeding is a cesspool of wickedness not saying that it's all bad and stuff. But you you have to if you're be honest there is a lot of harm and wickedness that comes from social media and that's on purpose.

The entertainment you know Disney perverting children and homosexuality and stuff that's supposed to be for children causing little ones to stumble. That is the world. That's the world that this is referring to the temptations of the world.

Worldliness right and term. Turn to the previous chapter with me first John 4 in verse 4 we're gonna see a correlated passage here where the Apostle similarly uses the same word caught the cosmos world.

So in 1st John 4 verse 4 God's Word says. You are from God little children believers in Christ and have overcome them who overcome antichrists. Okay. Because greater is he who is he God. Amen. Who is in you believers.

Then he who is in the world. Well who is in the world. The devil right. The prince of the power of the air the devil who rules in the sons of disobedience the world. Right. They are they the Antichrist are from the world.

They are not from God. They're from the what. Again opposites contrast. They are not from God. They are front they claim to be from God but they are actually from the world of the devil and of unbelievers.

Therefore they speak as from the world. You know like Pilgrim's Progress you see the worldliness and all the worldly characters Vanity Fair that's the world. And they speak as from the world from a worldly mindset.

In other words an ungodly mindset. And the world hears them. Well which world. The world of unbelievers of the sons of disobedience that Ephesians 2 also refers to. Right. We but we believers on the other hand are from God.

The one who knows God hears us the Apostles their teeth the teaching of Christ. The one who is not from God does not hear us. But it's instead deceived by the deceiving spirits of Antichrist and the Antichrist.

From this we know the spirit of truth in the spirit of error the spirit of God and the spirit of the world the spirit of air. Right. So this is very black and white contrast here that the Apostles act is showing us by virtue of the word world.

And this is very important. But but because of our great and sovereign God and Savior who loves us regenerates us in dwells us sanctifies us preserves us keeps us to the end and will glorify us perfect us.

We will therefore overcome this world now. Amen. That's a gospel promise beloved that's guaranteed by God. You will not fall away you if you truly belong to God you will not. You will never fall away.

Amen. For I the Apostle Paul am confident of this very thing that he who began a good work in you believers who who is he who capital H he God. Amen. He God who began a good work in you believers will perfect it until the day of Jesus Christ and to his return he will perfect it.

That's a promise beloved. That's a gospel guarantee and promise. Amen. You know and I've this. This brings me to a this reminded me of certain encounters that I've had with some some younger guys. You know some younger guys have approached me in the past and they they're they think they know it all.

You know they think they know it all. And they they can be very arrogant and condescending at times but they reveal themselves to be unstuck untaught and unstable because they say very foolish things.

They think they know what they're talking about but they really don't. And they're you know this one guy he called me up and you know he starts telling me how he wants to start his own church that God let him to.

You know God they sound very. They sound pious. They try to sound pious and yeah you know we're praying and God is showing me that I want to you know we start a church and and then he's telling me how he thinks the word world.

He was trying to correct me and showing me that the word world always means everybody everybody everyone. That's what the word world always means. And it's like well what you can't even make sense of any letter of John.

If that's what you think that doesn't make any sense you're caught. That's causing the scriptures to contradict themselves. Okay. Does God redeem unbelievers. No he doesn't does God is God at enmity with the world.

He who makes himself a friend with the world makes himself what an enemy of God. So how are you an enemy of God and a believer and saved. But then John 3 says he loved the world such that those who believe in him shall not perish.

You're no longer enemies of God but friends of God through Christ. Right. So this is just utter nonsense utter nonsense. And these young guys you know and it's older guys to older guys got real. They can be real foolish too.

The foolishness is not age discriminatory right. You can be a an old fool but oftentimes you the young guys that you know they tend to be I think they think they they can be a little arrogant and condescending that way.

And you know the so this is a mess. Because if you pick up any decent Greek lexicon or dictionary and look up the word world it will give you at least at the very least eight different definitions of the word sometimes definitions with additional nuances and sub definitions.

Okay so many of which are mutually exclusive and polar opposite meanings. Like I've just it's obvious right. So and then you know he told either guy told me wanted to start a church and stuff. It's like man I start talking to him about well who ordained you who recognized you.

You can't ordain yourself. Or you just so you just said oh yeah I'm called by God to start a church. No that's not how it works. And he had no concept of this. These guys often have no concept of what it is to be in a church.

In a true church you're supposed to be recognized by the church of having the gifts of preaching and teaching and being qualified for eldership in the ministry in the in the church you can't just ordain yourself.

That's not how it works. So there's a lot of that foolishness going around. And a lot of men and women sadly which is even worse. But men who think they're called by God to do the work and to start a church when they have no qualifications whatsoever to do it because they don't even understand how to interpret the Bible even fundamentally basic words like the word world.

And this is sadly what many cults and heretics tend to do. They oversimplify key terms and they force a single meaning into every single passage of that uses the word and and failing to account for the context.

Right. Because the context often qualifies the terms and specifically gives a meaning that is not the same as in other places context is king. And this fails to account for context and the whole counsel of God and which results in unsound doctrine untaught doctrine that leads many to distort and twist the scriptures to their own description.

Destruction just like Peter warns against it leads to false teaching heresy and even false Gospels. There's a lot of there's a lot of that going around. Sadly people who are untaught and unstable but still think that they know better and refuse to submit themselves to a faithful church that can and should correct them.

So rather than submit themselves to a church to grow and and humble themselves they don't. They just want to go off and do their own thing because they think they know it all ready. And that's not how God works.

God works through his church he works through his church. He doesn't just give you something and not confirm it through the church the local church the true church. And we all need correction. At times every single one of us needs correction.

You are not perfect. I am not perfect. We all still sin and we all still need correction. We need correction from God. We need correction from his word. And we need correction from our fellow brothers and sisters.

And our elders and elders also need correction. I'm no exception to that and I'm supposed to model that for you all as well. When I'm wrong I need to correct myself and fess up repent. That's what we're all called to do.

Right. And every one of us needs a true friend that is willing to confront and correct you just as Nathan the Prophet confronted David's adultery. We all need that. And this is one of the primary. Okay.

Listen carefully. Public service announcement. This is one of the primary functions of the Church of God of the true Church of God. Right. The functions of the true church. The primary ones is to reprove rebuke and exhort with great patience and instruction 2nd Timothy 4 2.

Every one of those verbs involves correction reprove rebuke correct exhort. So if a church is not correcting it's not rebuking. It's not refuting those who contradict false teaching it's not exhorting rebuking.

Then it's probably not a true church to begin with because that's one of the primary functions. Amen. And like I said that includes me as well. I need correction and I needed lots of correction to get to where I am today.

And I ain't done yet. Amen. Ain't none of us done yet with correction. I'm still a work in progress beloved. Amen. So are all of us in the in the faith we all need and speaking of which I need to correct something now that I stated before.

So in it I need to correct and clarify and expand on something that I previously stated speaking of God and being born of God the Father for everything that has been born of God God the Father right overcomes the world.

And this is the overcoming that has overcome the world. Our faith who is the one that overcomes the world. But he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God. Right. And this is this brings me to what I stated before in previous sermons on 1st John I I asserted an interpretive principle that needs some like I said correction and clarification.

What I said was that whenever the word God is used in the Bible without any other qualification or reference to a specific person of the Godhead. Okay such as our great God and Savior Jesus Christ. So God there refers to Jesus Christ.

Obviously right Titus 2 13. But it when it doesn't specifically refer to anybody it usually refers to God the Father. That's what I said now that's what I need to correct. Because however we need to account more carefully for what both the old and especially New Testament say about Christ in the Old Testament.

Okay this is very important term with me beloved to Exodus chapter 12 in verse 50. And I this came up in 1st John as well because John often refers to God without necessarily referring or pointing to a specific person of the Godhead is it the Father the Son of the Holy Ghost.

And it could be one of the three we need to make sure we understand the context because the context will reveal that to us. And so turn you know in and the book of Exodus the second book of the Old Testament Exodus 12 verse 50.

But God's Word says in Exodus 12 50. So all the sons of Israel did as Yahweh had commanded Moses and Aaron notice Yahweh. Thus they did. And on that same day Yahweh brought the sons of Israel out of the land of Egypt by their host Yahweh.

Okay now let's turn to Jude 5. Jude 5 in the New Testament the the one of the last books of the Bible second the last book of the Bible. And that's interesting the second book of the Bible. And the second the last book of the Bible.

I'm not gonna make any more of that than it is but like some folks but the letter of Jude this is a fascinating passage. Jude 5. Jude 5 I want I want you to see this with your own eyes with me beloved Jude 5.

Now I the Apostle Jude want to remind you though you know all things that who that Jesus having one saved the people out of the land of Egypt subsequently destroyed those who did not believe. Wow. Okay so Jude 5 here boldly declares and proclaims who was the one that delivered saved a people out of the land of Egypt.

It was Jesus himself. It was Jesus Christ Yahweh God Jesus Christ who brought delivered the Israelites out of Egypt. Wow. And there is no reference specifically to Christ there. It just says Yahweh. Right.

That's why I needed to make this correction. Because there's times when Yahweh or God is used and it is referring to Christ primarily primarily Jesus having one saved the people out of Egypt also destroyed those who did not believe.

When did that happen. Beloved. When did God destroy those who did not believe in Exodus. So now I know depending on the translation you have we use the New American Standard Bible and the legacy standard Bible which says Jesus.

But there is an alternate rendering. Or there are some manuscripts use the word Lord or good eos instead Lord instead of Christ. So it's more generic. But there's very strong textual support and manuscript support for Christ for Jesus such that Yahweh specifically refers to Christ in this Old Testament passage.

Amazing stuff. But wait not just that. Remember the second part. Not only was it Christ specifically referred to as the one who saved the people out of the land of Egypt Christ is also the one who subsequently destroyed those who did not believe.

Right. Let's turn to Hebrews chapter 3. Hebrews chapter 3 verse 14. This is powerful stuff from God's Word. Now. Hebrews chapter 3 verse 14. God's Word says. For we who is we we believers have become partakers of Christ if we hold fast the beginning of our assurance firm until the end.