The Victory of Christ
May 13, 2021
The Victory of Christ
“For everyone who has been born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith. Who is it that overcomes the world except the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?” – 1 John 5:4-5
Everyone loves a winner, and everyone loves to be a winner! Consider our obsession with sports. Millions of fans watch their teams in hopeful anticipation that this might be the year they win the Superbowl or the World Series. The whole world is captivated by the Olympics, as spectators from each country hope theirathletes will bring home the gold.
John has really good news for us in this last chapter of his epistle. When we put our trust in Jesus Christ and his salvific work on our behalf, we win! We overcome this world and all of the sin, death, and evil it contains. Through faith in Jesus’ death and resurrection, we achieve victory.
What does this victory look like for us today? We overcome our sin by accepting the forgiveness for which Christ died on the cross. Our transgressions will no longer be held against us, as Jesus willingly took the full punishment upon himself. In addition to that final victory, we can also overcome sin in our daily lives. While temptations and distractions will continue to bombard us, seeking to overpower us, the Holy Spirit provides everything that we need to defeat them.
While physical death is the only guarantee in thisworld, we have the gift of eternal life through Jesus. This earthly life is not the end. As Shakespeare wrote, “Better is not good enough; the best is yet to come”. The best is yet to come because, when we see Jesus’ face to face, we shall become like him (2 Corinthians 3:18). When we depart this world and enter life with the Lord, we will experience glorification – there will be no more sin, grief, or tribulation. We will live in the full glory of our Lord and Savior.
Lastly, we achieve victory over all of the evil forces of this world. Satan won’t give up on us, but neither will the Lord. He will fight our battles with us. We can rest assured that Jesus’ victory over Satan on the cross becomes our victory. We can rest in what has been done for us. Then, through the Holy Spirit, we put on the armor of God to deal with our daily battles. No matter how much hardship we face, we will ultimately know perfect victory over Satan and the evil forces in this world.
While this is all good news, God’s children must embrace the reality of the good news. Often, we choose to live as victims of this world instead of overcomers. The Apostle John would have us move from victimhood into victory, daily victory with the full assurance of eternal victory. And remember, it is not victory based on what you have done or will do, it is victory based on what has been done for you.
Reflect & Respond:
Are you living as an overcomer and a victor? Is there more that the Lord would like you to experience through the Holy Spirit today? We would love to hear your thoughts in the comments.
Related Resources:
In our new six-week Bible study on the book of 1 John, you are invited to live and celebrate true life in Christ. Throughout his first letter, John wrestles with the assurance of salvation. How do we know that we are genuine Christians, and how can we recognize authentic faith in others? The Apostle John taught that you can enjoy full assurance through believing in the incarnate Son of God, walking in the light of obedience, and loving God and his children. Embark on this study with us today!
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