UBF Daily Bread

THE VICTORY THAT OVERCOMES THE WORLD

Passage: 1_John 5:1~12

Key verse: 4

Faith in the Incarnate Son of God

5 Everyone who believes^(A) that Jesus is the Christ^(B) is born of God,^(C) and everyone who loves the father loves his child as well.^(D) ²This is how we know^(E) that we love the children of God:^(F) by loving God and carrying out his commands. ³In fact, this is love for God: to keep his commands.^(G) And his commands are not burdensome,^(H) ⁴for everyone born of God^(I) overcomes^(J) the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith. ⁵Who is it that overcomes the world? Only the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God.^(K)

⁶This is the one who came by water and blood^(L)—Jesus Christ. He did not come by water only, but by water and blood. And it is the Spirit who testifies, because the Spirit is the truth.^(M) ⁷For there are three^(N) that testify: ⁸the^[a] Spirit, the water and the blood; and the three are in agreement. ⁹We accept human testimony,^(O) but God’s testimony is greater because it is the testimony of God,^(P) which he has given about his Son. ¹⁰Whoever believes in the Son of God accepts this testimony.^(Q) Whoever does not believe God has made him out to be a liar,^(R) because they have not believed the testimony God has given about his Son. ¹¹And this is the testimony: God has given us eternal life,^(S) and this life is in his Son.^(T) ¹²Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life.^(U)

Read full chapter

Footnotes

1 John 5:8 Late manuscripts of the Vulgate testify in heaven: the Father, the Word and the Holy Spirit, and these three are one. ⁸And there are three that testify on earth: the (not found in any Greek manuscript before the fourteenth century)

When we have faith in Jesus as the Christ, we are born of God. This faith is expressed in loving God and obeying his commands. His commands are not burdensome, because our faith in Jesus enables us to overcome the world and to have victory. Faith is the victory that overcomes the world!

Our faith in Jesus is backed by three witnesses: the water (Jesus’ baptism and John’s witness), the blood (Jesus’ death and the witnesses who saw it), and the Holy Spirit, who came on Jesus like a dove. When we believe in Jesus by faith, we have eternal life in him. This is the greatest victory! We have overcome sin and death and will receive eternal life in Jesus. Our faith in Jesus makes us the real victors in life!

People without faith in Jesus as the Son of God live under the power of death. They suffer under guilt and condemnation. They feel defeated no matter what they achieve or do. They look like victors for a moment in this fleeting world, but ultimately, they face death and then judgment. They lost the moment they rejected Jesus.

Prayer: Father, thank you for giving us eternal life through Jesus. Help me to have faith in Him and win the victory over this world.

One Word: Faith in Jesus is the victory that overcomes the world