Let us turn again to God's word
and I want to direct you to verses that we find in the first general
epistle of John. That first epistle of John chapter
5 and verses 4 and 5. For whatsoever is born of God
overcometh the world and this is the victory that overcometh
the world even our faith who is he that overcometh the world,
but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God. Taking then
for a theme from these verses, that of the overcoming of faith,
1 John 5, 4 and 5, 4, whatsoever is born of God overcometh the
world, and this is the victory that overcometh the world. even
our faith, who is he that overcometh the world? But he that believeth
that Jesus is the Son of God." You will observe that there is
certainly an emphasis upon the nature, the overcoming nature
of that faith that is the faith of God's elect. And we read part
of Hebrews 11, that catalogue of the faithful, the men, the
women of faith from the Old Testament and we saw something of the mighty
acts of that faith in the language that we have there in verse 32
of Hebrews 11. The apostle asked, what shall
I more say? He'd spoken of so many previously. Those of faith, what shall I
more say? for the time would fail me to
tell of Gideon, and of Barak, and of Samson, and of Jester,
of David also, and Samuel, and of the prophets, who through
faith subdued kingdoms, wrought righteousness, obtained promises,
stopped the mouths of lions." And so he goes on speaking of
the mighty acts of faith. Well, I want us to consider this,
overcoming faith from two perspectives tonight. Firstly, in relation
to the Lord Jesus Christ himself, and then secondly, in relation
to the world. It is, of course, in this present
life that we are to be men and women of faith. In heaven, faith
is taken up with sight. First of all then, to say something
with regards to faith and the Saviour. Saving Faith. We have this statement here in
verse 4. For whatsoever is born of God
overcometh the world, and this is the victory that overcometh
the world, even our faith. What if we omit the italicized
word even? It's a bit more curt. This is
the victory that overcometh the world, our faith. And we need to beware, therefore,
of a misinterpretation of what John is saying. We are not to
look to faith as our saviour. We're not to make faith in that
sense some sort of work. We know from scripture that there
is an antithesis between faith and works. They are exclusive mutually exclusive
one of the other we have the language of romans 11 6 if by
grace it is no more of works otherwise grace is no more grace
if it be of works it is no more of grace otherwise work is no
more work there cannot be a a mingling of faith and works. Again, doesn't Paul say in Romans
4.16, therefore it is of faith that it might be by grace. So, we're not to imagine for
a moment that it is faith itself that actually saves. The important thing, as we've
said on other occasions, is faith's objects. And who is the object
of faith? This object is so important. We think of Abraham, who is spoken
of, of course, as the father of all them that believe. Well,
who was the object of Abraham's faith. We think of the words
of the Lord Jesus himself in the gospel there in John 8 36
he says to the Jews your father Abraham rejoiced to see my day
and he saw it and was glad he saw it and was glad how did Abraham
see the day of the Lord Jesus Christ? Well, the reference is
to the words that we have in Genesis, there in chapter 17
of Genesis, we have the promise of the son, the seed, Isaac and
then again in Genesis 22 concerning that son, very much the son of
promise out of faith that Abraham is trite in that the Lord God
does a strange thing when he commands Abraham that he is to
offer up his son. But isn't Genesis 22 a remarkable
chapter because we see Isaac very much in type there. He is
the promised seed. And yet that son that had been
born, quite miraculously really, was to be sacrificed. But he's
not sacrificed. Provision is made. There's a
substitute. There's a ram that's been caught
by its horns in the thicket and this is the provision that the
Lord has made. He is to be sacrificed, not Isaac. And so As we read in Hebrews
11 there's a sense in which Abraham receives his son Isaac back from
the dead. No wonder the Lord utters those
words then in John 8, Your father Abraham rejoiced to see my day
and he saw it and was glad. Now Romans 4 is the great chapter
concerning Abraham's faith. And it has much to say with regards
to the nature of that faith, how it's justifying faith. And
you'll recall the opening part of the chapter, verse 3, what says the scripture,
Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness. Now to him that worketh is the
reward not reckoned of grace, but of death. But to him that
worketh not, but believeth on him that justifies the ungodly,
his faith is counted for righteousness. Clearly here, there's no sense
in which Abraham's faith is a work, it's not the faith that justifies
him. The promise is to him that worketh
not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly. And his
faith, that is the object of his faith, is counted for righteousness. And then when we go to the end
of the chapter we see it more clearly. We read of Abram in
verse 19, being not weak in faith, he considered not his own body
now dead, when he was about a hundred years old, neither yet the deadness
of Sarah's womb. where Sarah will concede she's
going to have this son. And we're told in verse 20, Abraham
staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief, but
was strong in faith, giving glory to God, and being fully persuaded
that what he had promised he was able also to perform. His faith is very much centering
in the promise. And what is the promise? The
promise is this son. Isaac. And Isaac, as we know
from Galatians 3.16, is definitely a type of the Lord Jesus Christ. There in that verse in Galatians,
Paul is speaking of the seed of Abraham. Well, Isaac is the
seed, Isaac is the son, but it says also that it's Christ who
is the true seed. of seeds not as many, but as
of one, and thy seed, Abram's seed, which is Christ." Abram
then believed in the Christ who was to come and would come as
the Lord his righteousness. And so, with regards to the Savior,
we see it quite clearly here in the text. The victory that overcometh the
world, even our faith, is that faith that centers in Christ
and all that Christ has come and accomplished. How He has
been obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. O death, where is thy sting?
O grave, where is thy victory? The sting of death is sin. The
strength of sin is the law. but thanks be to God who giveth
us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. How important it is then that
if we have that overcoming faith it will be a faith that centers
in His person and in His work. How vital it is that we know
what we believe in respect to the Lord Jesus Christ. Remember
the question that the Lord himself puts to the Pharisees there at
the end of Matthew 22, what think ye of Christ? Whose son is he? He is the son of David, yes,
as he is the seed of Abram, so he is the seed of David. He's
David's son. but he's also the son of God. When we think of the language
of good John Newton in the hymn, what think you of Christ is the
test to try both your state and your scheme. You cannot be right
in the rest unless you think rightly of him. Do we have right
views concerning the Lord Jesus? Again, I remind you of the language
of John in that second epistle that we have, following this
first epistle. whosoever transgresseth and abideth
not in the doctrine of Christ hath not God, he that abideth
in the doctrine of Christ, he hath both the Father and the
Son. And he says much the same here
in the first epistle. In chapter 2, verse 22, who is
a liar, but he that denieth that Jesus is the Christ, he is antichrist,
that denieth the Father and the Son. "...whosoever denieth the
Son, the same hath not the Father, but he that acknowledgeeth the
Son hath the Father also." Why? He is the Christ, the Son of
God. As Peter says, He is the Son of the Living God. And He is equal to the Father.
Well, this is the One then who is the object. The object of
this overcoming faith. Because faith ends in Christ,
it's a looking to Him, as it's only object, so it also begins
with Him. It originates from Him. We read
the words, didn't we, there in the second verse of Hebrews 12,
looking on to Jesus, the author, or as the margin says, the beginner,
and the finisher of our faith. He is the beginner, the author
of our faith. Faith comes from Him. It finds its origin in Him. And
look at what we have here in verse 4, it says, Whatsoever
is born of God overcometh the world. And whatsoever is a neuter
pronoun. not masculine, but neuter. It
is referring to the faith, which itself, in a sense, we might
say is born of God, in that it's from God, it begins with God.
The faith that lays hold of the Lamb and brings such salvation
as this is more than mere notion or name, the work of God's Spirit,
it is. Faith is the work of God, in
Colossians 2.12. Are we not told that faith is
of the operation of God? It is the gift of God, we know
that. By grace are you saved through
faith and not of yourselves. It is the gift of God. And Peter doesn't write in that
second epistle to those who have obtained like precious faith
with us. Amongst the many precious things
that Peter speaks of, he speaks there of that precious faith.
They obtained it. And the verb that we have there,
to obtain, it's associated, as I've said on previous occasions,
with the casting of a lot. To obtain something as it would
appear by chance. The fictitious powers of chance
and fortunes we deny. the light is cast into the lap,
but the whole disposing thereof is of the Lord." And so that's
a strong statement that Peter is making. They obtained, like
precious faith, how did they obtain it? It was very much the
sovereign work of God, the author of that faith. He gave them that
faith. And of course, we know that faith
comes as a consequence of the new birth. We see that quite clearly in
the opening chapter of John's Gospel. As many as received him,
to them gave he power, it says, to be the sons of God. Power
there is the idea of authority. Those that received him, he gave
authority to them to be called the sons of God, even to them
that believed on his name. and then it goes on, which were
born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the
will of man, but of God. All that faith then comes as
the consequence of them being born again by the Spirit of God. And isn't that great work of
regeneration very much a sovereign work of God? The Lord, you remember
in John 3, likens the new birth to the various circuits of the
winds. He says, The wind bloweth where
it listeth, and thou hearest the sounds thereof, but canst
not tell whence it cometh, nor whither it goeth. So is he that
is born of the Spirit. When we think of this overcoming
faith, then we have to recognize it is very much the work of God
it's a gift of God ultimately of course those who know that
grace of regeneration they believe they come to saving faith they
exercise that faith but only when they are born again of the
Spirit of God because previous to that they are those who are
dead in trespasses and in sins all faith and the saving He is
the only object of true faith. Faith rejoices in the Lord Jesus,
in his person, in his work, but he is also that one who is the
originator of saving faith, the author, the beginner and the
finisher of our faith. But let's turn in the second
place to this faith in relation to the world. Now abideth faith, says the Apostle
Paul. As I said at the beginning, whilst
we're here in this world, it is such a vital grace, isn't
it? We walk by faith and not by sights. And what of this world
in which faith has to be continually exercised? Well, are we not told
later in this chapter Verse 19, we know that we are
of God, says John, and the whole world lieth in wickedness. The whole world lieth in wickedness. And we have those words of exhortation
previously in chapter 2. Verse 15, love not the world,
neither the things that are in the world, If any man love the
world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is
in the world, the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes,
and the pride of life is not of the Father, but is of the
world. And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof. But
he that doeth the will of God surviveth forever. Oh, the believer, you see, is
in this world, and what What is this world? It's a place of
conflict. The believer is in conflict daily
with the world, with Satan, with the flesh, in conflict with sin,
even with himself, because he has an old sinful nature. And so, there's not only walking
by faith, there's the good fight of faith. Fight the good fight
of faith, says Paul. Lay hold on eternal life. Well, what does it mean to be
fighting this good fight of faith? And this is that faith that overcomes.
It's overcoming faith. There's such an emphasis here.
Whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world. And this is the victory
that overcometh the world, even our faith. who is he that overcometh
the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God. Part of this conflict surely
involves our own experiences. There's such a thing you see
as mortification. We have an old nature, a nature
that loves the world. That's why John has to give that
exhortation, love not the world. because we're those who want
to go after the world and conform to the ways of the world. Paul
says, mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth. Members that are earthbound,
tied up to the things of this present fallen world. How can we Heed such a word of
exhortation as that mortified. It literally means put to death.
Crucified. Well, any dependence on our own
strength is likened to us simply beating the air. There in 1 Corinthians
9.26. We're not to be beating the air.
We're not to be those who are doing nothing more than shadow
boxing. Surely we have to recognize the
weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God
to the pulling down of strongholds. Saving faith is this faith that
overcomes. It overcomes. How does it overcome? Well, Paul when he writes in his epistles
to Timothy, uses that figure doesn't he of
the ancient Grecian games and the competitors have to strive
and he makes this statement 2nd Timothy 2.5 if a man also strives
for masteries yet is he not crowned except he strive lawfully what is the implication? well
in our striving with the world with Satan, with sin, with all
that is against us, all that comes out of our old nature,
it must be lawful strife. And what is that lawful strife?
Not depending on our own strengths. It is that continual looking
to the Lord Jesus Christ. We always have to be looking
to Him. How do those in the Revelation overcome? They overcame, it says,
they overcame Satan by the blood of the Lamb, by the word of their
testimony, and they loved not their lives even unto the death. Or they overcome by the blood
of the Lamb. It's in the Lord Jesus Christ,
and only in the Lord Jesus Christ that there is any overcoming, and doesn't John speak of overcoming
when he addresses his various believers, some are like fathers,
some are young men, some are little children. And he says there in verse 13
of chapter 2, I write unto you young men, because ye have overcome
the wicked one. Ye have overcome the wicked one.
And again at the end of verse 14, I have written unto you young
men, because ye are strong, and the word of God abideth in you,
and ye have overcome the wicked one. Time and again he speaks
of these believers as those who have faith and they're overcoming. Again, look at verse 4 in chapter
4, "...ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them. Because greater is he that is
in you than he that is in the world." All the believers' victory
comes from his union with the Lord Jesus Christ. His faith,
his trust in the Lord Jesus Christ. Remember, again, there in the
book of the Revelation, in chapters 2 and 3, we have the letters
to the seven churches, and each time we see that the promise
is given to those who are the overcomers. Faith overcomes. Faith has an overcoming power.
It triumphs in the dying hour. We just sang it. in that hymn
of Isaac Watts. It's all in Christ, it's all
in the accomplishments of the Lord Jesus Christ, His obedience,
His obedience in life, His obedience unto death, even the death of
the cross. And so Paul can say in the last
chapter of his letter to those at Galatia, God forbid that I
should glory save in the cross. of our Lord Jesus Christ by whom
the world is crucified unto me and I unto the world all his
strength is drawn then from the cross of Christ I am crucified
with Christ nevertheless I live he says yet not I but Christ
liveth in me and the life which I now live in the flesh I live
by the faith of the Son of God who loved me and gave himself
for me There is a complete and utter
dependence then upon Christ, but also there is that dependence
always upon the gracious ministry of the Holy Spirit. As Christ
is about to accomplish His work, make the great sin-atoning sacrifice,
you remember out there in John 14, 15 and 16, He speaks of the
coming of the Spirit, He must accomplish His work, otherwise
the Spirit will not come. But the Spirit comes, because
Christ accomplishes all that work that He had undertaken in
the eternal covenant. And having died, He rises again,
He ascends to heaven. And on the day of Pentecost,
He sheds abroad the Holy Ghost. And then we see that remarkable
ministry of God, the third person in the Godhead, the Holy Spirit
throughout the Acts of the Apostles. And he's there, of course, in
all the epistles. What does Paul say? Romans 8, 13, If ye through
the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live. Oh, how we need the Spirit. We
need to know Him as that Spirit of grace and of power that we
might overcome. But then, furthermore, remember
the words of the Lord Jesus when He says, "...in the world ye
shall have tribulation, but be of good cheer, I have overcome
the world." or faith in this world, you see. In this world,
there's going to be tribulation. It cannot be avoided. It's a
scene of continual troubles and trials to the people of God.
Doesn't the apostle echo those words of Christ when he says,
we must, through much tribulation, enter into the kingdom of God? There's much tribulation, many
troubles, many trials. And what does the Lord God do
by means of these experiences that come into the lives of His
children? Does He not teach them what faith is? Oh, in the midst
of all these bitter experiences, we have to be those who are trusting
in Him, and we have to live as pilgrims in this world, for here
we have no continuing city, but we look for one to come whose
maker is God. But what are these tribulations,
these troubles? Well, again, the language of
Paul there in 2nd Corinthians 4.17 he calls them light affliction
our light affliction which is but for a moment worketh for
us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory while we look
not at the things which are seen but at the things which are not
seen for the things which are seen are temporal and the unseen
things are eternal this is what the Lord is doing all the time
we're in this world with to anticipate heaven itself
as we said faith has an overcoming power it triumphs in the dying
hour or even in that dying hour there is that looking to heaven and all those who overcome they
have that blessed inheritance before them they look to heaven
and they pray they pray All this overcoming faith, without
faith it's impossible to please God. We're told here that cometh
to God, must believe that He is and that He is a rewarder
of all that diligently seek Him. Not easy to pray, it's hard to
pray. But the Lord helps and we overcome. We're to ask in
faith, not in wavering. Our weak faith at times, and
it's very weak, and we can scarce begin to utter a prayer sometimes
our prayers seem to be little more than breathings and sighings
but there's always that glorious object it's the Lord Jesus Christ
and He has overcome and He has entered heaven itself and there
He appears before God and there He ever intercedes On behalf of all those who would
come to God, we come by Him. He is the one who has overcome
and we can only overcome by and through Christ and by and through
His blessed Spirit. For whatsoever is born of God
overcometh the world. And this is the victory that
overcometh the world. Even our faith, who is he that
overcometh the world? But he that believeth. that Jesus
is the Son of God. May the Lord bless His words
to us and grant us believing hearts as we come to pray. Before we pray, we're going to
sing our second praise, the hymn 233, the tune Russell, 763. The
sinner that truly believes and trusts in his crucified God His justification receives redemptions
in full through His blood. Though thousands and thousands
of foes against Him in malice unite, their rage He through
Christ can oppose, led forth by the Spirit to fight. 233, June 763.