Okay, you may be seated. And turn back to 1 John, chapter
5, if you will. 1 John, chapter 5. Look again with me. We're going
to dwell on two verses, verses 4 and 5. 1 John 5, verses 4 and
5. Whatsoever is born of God overcometh
the world. 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. John the Apostle says much about
the world throughout this book. He mentions it quite often. He
says much about the world. He says nothing good about it.
nothing, not one good comment about the work. Not one. And he says here, who is he that
overcometh the work? Overcoming means to conquer,
it means to subdue, to have a victory over. as opposed to being overcome
by something or someone. Who is he that is overcoming?
Who is he that is not overcome by the world? Who is he that
is overcoming the world? Look back at chapter 2, verses
15 and following. Look at what John says about
the world. Most of the world only knows
John 3, 16. Will God so love the world? Well, that taken with the rest
of John chapter 3, that taken with this chapter, will take
on a new meaning. First John chapter 2 verse 15
says, 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. All that is in the world, here's
the world, he said, the lust of the flesh, the lust of the
eyes, the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the
world, and the world passeth away. That is, God shall destroy
the world. All right, who is he that overcometh
the world? What is the world? Well, the
world is the material world. That's part of it. The material
world, possessions. It's plain to see that most people
are completely overcome with, overcome by the accumulation
of possessions. that their whole lives are spent
in trying to accumulate things. Right? The material world, its
possessions, it can be persons also, people are absolutely overcome
with and subdued by their infatuation with people and things and places
and so forth. But the scripture says it's all
going to perish. everyone and everything in it. All right, so the world, who
is he that overcometh the material world? Who is he that overcometh
the course of this world? This is what Paul wrote in Ephesians
1. He said, you walked according
to the course of this world, talking to believers, the thoughts,
the opinions, the direction that the world is headed. what the
world believes, the religion of the world. And it can all be summed up as
John wrote there in chapter 2. The lust of the flesh, the lust
of the eyes, and the pride of life. The lust of the flesh,
the pursuit of pleasure. The lust of the eyes, covetousness,
pursuit of things. and the pride of life, wanting
to be someone, thinking we are something. That's the world. Alright, now we're born in it.
Everyone in here was born in this world. We're born worldlings. We're born worldlings. We're
born worldly. We're born loving this world. We're born pursuing this world. We're born taken up with, infatuated
with, thinking only of this world. Is that not right? If you're
honest, you'll say it is. We love it. We seek it. We want
it. We're enslaved by it. We are led captive by it, the
course of this world. All right? But who is he that
overcometh the world? This may be the most important
message you've ever heard. The world is going to be destroyed
and those that are overcome by it. But who is he that overcometh
the world? Look at the text again. Look
at verse 4. Whatsoever is born of God overcometh
the world. Whatsoever is born of God, verse
5, he that believeth, Jesus is the Son of God. He overcometh
the world. Turn back to Ephesians chapter
1. Who is he that overcometh the
world? He that is born, she that is
born of God. I just told you, everyone in
the world, including us. We're born not knowing God, not
loving God, not seeking God, not even interested in God. Right? If you're on, we don't
acknowledge God. Romans 1 says that the natural
man, 1 Corinthians 1 says that the natural man receiveth not
the things of God, the foolishness to it. Man doesn't believe what
he can't see. Man doesn't acknowledge God,
doesn't even want a God. But Ephesians 1, verse 3, tells
us that God blesses some. He says in verse 1, the saints,
the faithful in Christ, those, verse 2, whom he hath given grace
to and peace from God our Father, from the Lord Jesus Christ, all
blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who
hath blessed us. with all spiritual blessing in
heavenly places, that is, things in Christ. Heavenly things, spiritual
things, knowledge of God, the pursuit of the things of God.
A natural man doesn't pursue the things of God. A natural
man doesn't believe in the things of God. A natural man won't desire
the things of God unless God does something to them. Look
at verse 4, "...according as he had chosen us in Christ."
Before the foundation of the world, God elected, chose a people
in Christ that we should be holy and without blame before him
in love. Paul says, Bless God, and all
that have been chosen, all those who have an interest in the things
of God, know that the reason they do is that God chose them
to. They're born of God. You see
that? They're born of God. Look at
chapter 2, verse 1. Ephesians 2, verse 1. You have
to be quickened who were dead in trespasses and sin. What does
quicken mean? It means to be made alive. He
says you were dead in trespasses and sin. That is, you walked
in verse Two, according to the course
of this world. See that? You were consumed with
and all you thought about was this world. But God, blessed
be God, chose some to quicken, to give spiritual life to. New birth. That's what this is.
New birth and born of God. And it's by grace. It's by grace. That's what he said in verse
8. By grace are you saved through
faith. That's not of yourself. It's
the gift of God. A man doesn't decide to believe.
God decides for him to believe. They're born of God. All right?
No worldling will choose God by nature. A creature of this
world will not choose God. He'll choose the world. Remember
when Christ said, I'm from above, you're from beneath. He said,
I'm not of this world, you're of this world. No one in the
world loves God. No one in the world seeks after
God. No one in the world can even
know God unless God does something for them. That's as plain as
the word of God. No one wants to leave this world.
Why do men and women want to live as long as they can? Why
do they seek every means possible to stay on this planet as long
as they can? Because they love this world. But believers look for another
world. They look forward to another
world. No one will Seek God, no one
sees God, no one understands God unless God gives them eyes
and ears. OK? Look back at John chapter
1 with me. John chapter 1. Back there. John chapter 1. Who is he that
overcometh the world? He that believeth. Well, who
believes? Those that are born of God. Look at John chapter 1. You know
these verses, but I'm not going to take it for granted everyone
does. Look at verses 12 through 13. As many as received him,
that is, Christ, believed him, to them gave he power, the right,
the privilege to become sons of God. See, they're not sons
already. You see that? They're not sons already. They're
not sons by birth. But to become sons of God, even
to them that believe on his name. Why do they believe on his name?
Why did they receive him? which were born. They were born
not of blood, naturally, nor of the will of the flesh. They
didn't decide to, nor the will of man. Mom didn't decide for
them to, but of God. See that? They're born of God. God decided. God decided. Born of God. You know, the Scriptures
calls us worm. We're, we're, Job 25, 6 says
that. Man that is a worm. God says
that. Malachi 3. Worms. He calls us worms. That's appropriate. Very appropriate. Have you ever
thought about it? A worm has no eyes. I'm talking about an
earth worm. Has no eyes. Has no ears. Does
it? It has no feet. It has no hands,
a worm. What is it, what does a worm
do? It crawls around in the earth.
Does a worm love light? Dig up an earthworm and see how
quickly it'll bury itself back into the earth. What is a worm
made of? It's just dirt, it's just soil.
That's an appropriate description of man, is it not? That's why
he calls us. We're creatures of this earth. Thus we are, to
thus we shall return. We're worldlings. We are taken
up with this world. John 1 says he came into the
world, but the world received him not. Light was in the world,
but men, what? Loved darkness rather than light. Men are worms. They don't, but
God. But God, by his supernatural
power and a miracle of his grace, turns some worms, changes some
worms, transforms some worms into a butterfly. But they have
to die to do it. They have to go into a cocoon,
as if cut off from the world. What wisdom of God to use this
picture, huh? Have you ever thought about that?
A worm? That's the most accurate description of man. We love this
world. For a worm to have life, God
must lift him out of, literally, the dung heap. The earth. Give him eyes to see, ears to
hear, hands and feet, wings to fly. Why do we preach these things? God's choice, God's election,
God's sovereign power. Why do we keep preaching these
things over and over again? Born of God. Well, number one,
that's God's Word. God's Word is full of it. When
God finally reveals to you the truth, you'll see this is the
whole truth and nothing but the truth. And it'll be on every
line of every page as you read it. You'll see everything's of
God. Every one is under God's absolute
power and control, especially those that are saved. God Almighty
chose them. God Almighty elected them. God
Almighty has to operate upon them. You're born of God. If anyone gets to God someday,
God's going to get all the glory. See, that's what this is all
about. That's the reason he created this planet. That's the reason
he created the creatures on it, to give him the glory. If anybody
gets to God someday, he's going to get all the glory. He's not
going to share it. If anybody loves God, if anybody
ever loves the God of the Bible, it's because, John said, he first
loved them. If anyone is saved, God's going to save them. They
don't save themselves. If anyone is saved, God saves
them. If anyone gets any glory, it's
going to be God. God be the glory. All right,
how are we born of God? Who overcomes the world? He that
is born of God. How does he do this? Look back
at the text in verse 4 of 1 John chapter 5. It says, Whatsoever
is born of God overcometh the world. This is the victory that
overcometh the world, even our faith. Verse 5, Who is he that
overcometh the world? He that believeth that Jesus
is the Son of God. All right? Paul wrote in Romans
10, How shall they believe? How shall they call on him of
whom they have not believed? Nobody is going to call on a
God they don't believe in. How shall they believe in him
whom they have not heard? They have to hear the true God,
the true Christ, the true gospel. How shall they hear without a
preacher? And he goes on to say, so then
faith, this faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.
Now you turn with me to 1 Peter, 1 Peter chapter 1. 1 Peter 1. Very quickly. I know it's warm
in here, but hopefully God will warm your hearts. Take your jacket
off. 1 Peter 1. Now, John said, Who
is he that overcometh? He that believeth that Jesus
is the Son of God. Who overcomes the world? He that
is born of God. What is this victory? Our faith.
But Paul said, it's not of yourselves, it's a gift of God. A man doesn't
decide to believe. A man doesn't make a decision.
Free will, we just read that in John 1, verse 12. Out of the will of man. They're
born of God. Alright? Well, here's how God
operates. Here's how God gives this new
birth. 1 Peter, chapter 6. I'm in 2 Peter. 1 Peter 1, he
says in verse 2, you see, Peter says the same
things that Paul said, elect according to the foreknowledge
of God, through sanctification of the Spirit. Verse 3, the very
same verse, blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus
Christ. according to his abundant mercy,
hath begotten us. Do you see that? Has given birth
unto his people. Kept, verse 5, who are kept by
the power of God. Verse 8, who having not seen,
yet they love. In whom though now you see him
not, yet they believe and they rejoice. This is not of the flesh,
this is of God. Verse 21, "...who by him do believe
in God." By the work of God, they believe. This is the work
of God. They believe in Him that God
raised from the dead. Verse 22, "...you purified your
souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit." Through the work
of God, the Holy Spirit. Verse 23, "...being born again." You've been born again. Born
from above, our Lord said in John 3. Born from above. Nicodemus, that religious fellow
he was talking to, said, how can this be? I don't understand. He's a teacher of religion, a
leader of religion, and don't understand this, that that which
is flesh is flesh, but that which is spirit is spirit. Flesh can't
become spirit. Man can't get to God. Man can't
even see God, know God, won't speak out. He's a worm. He must
be born from a dove. God must come upon him. God must
operate on him from below. He doesn't even believe there's
a God until God gives him the faith to do that. Which comes
first, life or faith? Life. Life. why faith comes. The seed has
been planted, the incorruptible seed. Verse 23, being born again,
not of incorruptible seed, but of incorruptible seed, that is
flesh, but of incorruptible, the Word of God. Down in verse
25, the Word of the Lord endures forever. This is the Word which
by the gospel is preached unto you. Everyone in here, everyone
throughout the world who has been born of God, born from above,
who knows God, who loves God, who worships God, who seeks God,
who calls on God, who hears God's Word, who believes God's Word
in the heart, God Almighty has given them that
faith. God Almighty has operated on
them. They heard it by the Word of
God. This is the power of God. Do you see that? The gospel by
the gospel which is preached unto you. Now, Paul said in 1
Corinthians, this is foolishness to the world. That's the reason
preaching is getting out of style. Entertainment is taking over
now. But this man just standing up with a Bible in his hand,
declaring God's Word, that's not enough. That's not good enough.
Oh, yes it is. It's the power of God. And Paul
said to the world, it's foolishness. But unto us which are saved,
it's the power of God and the wisdom of God. That's how you know it's of God.
A man just stand up and declare God's word and God Almighty break
the heart. God Almighty open that eyes as
if never as if you were blind before. Open the ears to hear
what he's never heard before. believe what he wants, could
not and would not believe, love what they once hated. Every one
of you that believe the truth, this happened to you. This is
born of God. And this faith is not of yourselves. It's a gift of God. Who's he
that overcome it? He that's born of God. A worldling
won't seek God. God must seek him. A worldling
won't love God unless God first loves him. A worldling won't
hear God. He doesn't have ears until God
gives him ear. Until God gives him a heart.
Until God gives him life from above. You see that? And it comes
by this simple act of preaching. It's in the gospel. The gospel
of Christ. The gospel of his blood, his
righteousness. All right, look back at the text.
1 John 5. I've only been 20 minutes. 1
John 5. All right, who is he that overcometh? Verse 5 says, He that believeth
that Jesus is the Son of God. He that believeth Jesus is the
Son of God. Now, this is more than believing
facts. Nearly everyone in the world
believes that there was a man named Jesus of Nazareth 2,000
years ago that walked this planet. Nearly everyone believes that
he lived and he died, and most will at least accept the notion
that he rose from the grave. But believing these facts is
not what he said. He that believeth is the son,
the son of God, the Son of God. I know you've read this many
times, I have too, but listen carefully. He that believeth that Jesus
is the Son of God. What did God say about Jesus
of Nazareth from heaven? This is my well-beloved Son. The scriptures calls him the
what? begotten son, in whom God is well pleased. God Almighty
has son by nature. One son. God Almighty has one
son by birth. One begotten son. Listen to me
carefully now. He has one son who is altogether
lovely to him. One Son in whom he is well pleased,
the rest of the creation, they are not born sons of God. Romans 8, verses 28 and 29 tell
us that. Romans 9, I mean, tells us that. The children of the flesh are
not sons of God. but the children of the promise.
We're not born. Every human being is not a son
of God. Oh, no. The Word of God doesn't say that.
The Word of God says he has one son. Do you understand? He that believeth that God has
one son, the Son of God. We're not sons of God by nature.
Only Christ is. We're sons of God by choice,
and it's not ours. It's God's choice. We're sons
of God by birth. Yes, new birth, born again. Not by natural birth. No, we're
not born into this world sons of God. We're born again sons
of God. But God had one son by nature. We're not sons by human birth,
but by new birth. The children of the flesh, again
I repeat it, are not the children of God, but the children of the
promised. All right? God has one begotten son. He's
well-beloved to the Father. We're not lovely to God by nature.
We're not lovely to God. Christ alone was lovely to God.
We're not well-pleasing to God. God has but one Son who's well-pleasing. Do you believe that? Do you believe that? Who's he that overcometh? The
world has a notion that every human being is the Son of God. And that God, who is love, loves
every single one of them. Do you believe that? If you do,
you're going to perish with the world that believes that. The world believes that. Who is he that overcometh the
world? Who is he that's not going to perish with the world, but
he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God? the only begotten well-beloved
son of God, the only man approved of God. You see that? I have one daughter. I have one
daughter. I have one child. I have one
begotten son. Or child or daughter, I may.
I don't have many. The same with God Almighty. All
right, but God now, Romans 8, turn over there, Romans chapter
8, but God rich in mercy for his great love were with he loved
many, not all but many, some, not all but some. Those whom
he had chosen, not who chose him, those whom he had chosen
before the foundation of the world, God loved them and put
them in Christ. You see, the love of God is in
Christ, Romans 8, 39. Now listen, I'm going to close
with this. Who is he that overcometh the
world? Look at Romans 8, verses 28 and
29. We know that all things work
together for good to who? Them that love God. Who does? To them who are called. Why are
they called? According to his purpose. For
whom he did foreknow, that is, forelove, he did predestinate. What did he predestinate about
them? Well, everything. But this is
it. To be conformed to the image
of who? His son. He has one son. John Davis, he has one son. And
he loves him and him only. He's well pleased with him and
him only, he that is born of God, he that believeth Jesus
is the Son of God. But I'm not by nature. I'm a
trespasser. I'm an enemy by nature. The natural
man, Romans 8, 7, is enmity against God, a rebel, a worm, not born
a son, not lovely by nature. God must make him a son. God must predestinate that person
to be conformed to the image of his before the world began, God looked
at his Son. And this is the purpose of the
planet. God looked at his Son and said, I'm well pleased with
you. He loved his Son so much, he
determined, he predestined, he purposed to have a whole race,
a whole globe, a whole world full of people just like that
one. But they're not born that way.
They're born hating God. They're born don't have ears,
don't have eyes again. But God, who's rich in mercy,
for his great love where he set upon these chosen ones before
the world began, whom he gave to Christ, whom he predetermined
to be like Christ in the fullness of time, operates upon them,
gives them a heart they didn't have one before, gives them eyes
to see, ears to hear what you're hearing right now. gives them
a heart to love his son like he loves his son, and then creates
a new creature in holiness, in righteousness, who walks in the
paths of righteousness, wants to be just like Christ, and the
rest of the world is going to incinerate him. Predestinated to be conformed
to the image of his one son. Do you see that? He that believeth,
Jesus is the Son of God. Ever seen that before? The
only begotten, well-beloved Son. The whole world believes that
they're born God loving them. You don't believe that, do you?
Well, you know it's not true. You don't even love yourself. The only man God loves is those
that don't love themselves, and those that love his Son supremely. And those that are in his Son
by faith, those that appeal to his Son, those that call upon
his Son, those that are dressed in his Son's righteousness, those
that are washed in his Son's blood, those that are following
in his Son's footsteps, those that are trusting, believing,
loving, following, hoping in. wanting to be like disciples
of, followers of the Son, the Son, the Son. Now, to you that believe the
Son has arisen in your hearts with healing and is winning,
you've been born of God. You see that Christ is all, and
in all, all that God loves, all the fullness of God all the wisdom
of God, all the purpose of God, do you believe that? And in him
dwelleth all the fulness. That in Christ he is purposed together in one,
all things, even in Christ. The rest of it is going to do
away with him. It is he that overcometh the
world. And our Lord said, he said, He said in his prayer in John
17, I was going to have you turn there, but you don't have to,
but our Lord said, they are not of the world. Pray into the Father.
He said, they're not of the world, even as I'm not of the world.
I pray not that you should take them out of the world, he said,
but keep them from it. They're not of the world. The
world hates them. They hated me. They hated the truth. They
hate them because they believe the truth, but they're not of
the world. Why do they love the truth? Why? God gets all the glory,
he said. To him be the glory. And our
Lord, he said, keep them from it. Sanctify them. How? Don't
let the world overcome them with its notions, with its religion,
with its opinion, with its thoughts, with its fads, with its pursuits,
with its worries and troubles. Are you worried about the world
ending by nuclear It's going to end, but man's
not going to do it. Are you worried about your family?
Are you worried about this? You believe that he sits on the
circle of the earth, that the whole globe is in his hand, that
your God reigns and rules among the armies of heaven and the
inhabitants of the earth. God works all things after the counsel
of his own will, and everything is according to his purpose.
Do you believe that? You believe that God has purposed concerning
you that you be brought to Christ someday in glory, presented holy,
unblameable, unreprovable in God's sight, that you've been
predestinated in his image. Do you believe that? What do
you worry about? Who's in charge? Who reigns? All right, let's sing in closing number 255, 255. Here, if you'll
come up. 255, 255. Let's stand as we sing
the first and last verses. He that believeth in Jesus is
the Son of God. Blessed are sure of Jesus' mind,
O God, our porter of glory beyond. Heir of salvation, purchased
of God, Born of His Spirit, washed in
His blood. I find my glory in Him alone, making my way The second as the last. Perfect
submission, perfect peace of mind.