Text; 1 John 5:4 " For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith."

1 Cor. 15:57-58 "But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.(vs58) Therefore my beloved brethren, be ye steadfast, unmovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord."

PREMISE

The Pulpit Commentary page 160 on 1 John 5:4   IN ITS CONFLICT -" Our text speaks  of overcoming, and overcoming is suggestive of struggle."Victory" implies combat. The Divine life in man and the life ungodly world are essentially antagonistic. Satan is "the prince of this world"---"the god of this world.""St. John  constantly teaches," says Canon Liddon, "that the Christian's work in this state of probation is to conquer 'the world.' it is in other words, to fight successfully against the view of life which ignores God, against that complex system of attractive moral and specious intellectual falsehood which is marshaled and organized by the great enemy of God, and which permeates and inspires non-Christian society. The world's force is seen especially in 'the lust of the flesh, in the lust of the eyes, and in the pride of life.' These three forms of concupiscence manifest the inner life of the world, and against them the Christian has to contend. It is the battle of truth against error, of light against darkness, and of love against hatred."

 IN ITS CONQUEST - Whatsoever is begotten of God overcometh the world; and this is the victory that hath overcome the world, even our faith". The Divine life in the children of God is by its nature mightier than the life and spirit of the unchristian world. There is conflict, but the conflict issues in the victory of the child of God. He is not overcome with evil, but overcomes evil with good. He is not led astray by "the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, or the vain-glory of life," but rises superior to them. In proportion as he who "is begotten of God" participates in the life of God, he vanquishes the world and its temptations, both its seductions and its tribulations. And all the evil world, of which the apostle wrote, is destined to be completely conquered by the life of God working in and through men."

IN THE SECRET OF ITS POWER- " This is the victory that hath overcometh the world, even our faith. And who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God?" Notice: 1 The nature of this faith. It is not mere intellectual acceptation of a theological proposition or propositions; " not that heartless assent which never touches the practice nor molds the affections." This faith is quite as much a moral as an intellectual act; it is of the heart as well as of the head; and it infuses courage, molds character, and directs conduct."

Subtopic: My Assurance That I Will Survive (This)!

Text:  2Tim. 1:12 "For the which cause I also suffer these things: nevertheless I am not ashamed: for I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day".

1 Cor. 15:58 " Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye steadfast, unmovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord".

PREMISE

From The 2,200 Quotations From The Writings of Charles A. Spurgeon Concerning- 2Tim.1:12 he says "Paul does not say, "I know what I have believed," though that would have been true. He does not say, "I know when I have believed," though that would have been correct. Nor does he say, "I know how much I have believed," although he had well-weighted his faith. He does not even say, "I know in whom I have believed." he says expressly, "I know whom I have believed," as much as to say, I know the person into whose hand I have committed my present condition and my eternal destiny. I know who he is, and I therefore, without any hesitation, leave myself in his hands."