September 25, 2024 • 27 mins
What sets agape love apart from worldly love? Join me, B.R.Maul, as we unpack the divine and transformative nature of love in 1 John 5:1-5. Discover how agape love, empowered by the Holy Spirit, transcends mere emotions and self-interest, forming the backbone of Christianity. We'll delve into the importance of obedience to God's commandments as a true demonstration of our love for Him and for others, and the vital role of discipleship in today's increasingly ungodly world.
In this episode, we'll also explore how faith in Jesus allows us to not just survive but thrive in life's challenges. Hear how keeping God's commandments isn't about earning salvation but naturally living out godly virtues like joy, peace, and kindness through the Holy Spirit. Plus, we'll discuss the empowering truth that through faith, we have already achieved victory over the world. Tune in to strengthen your faith, gain a deeper understanding of love in a Christian context, and learn how to effectively navigate spiritual warfare with confidence and peace.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
B.R.Maul (00:28):
Hello and good day.
I am BR Maul and this is LivingGod's Way in an Ungodly World.
Thank you so much for joiningme.
We are currently in the book of1 John.
We are starting chapter 5.
Today We'll be covering verses1 through 5.
John has been talking a lotabout love and I know for a lot
(00:53):
of guys, well, sometimes thatcan seem like a boring topic,
but that is because we'reusually thinking of the world's
kind of love.
We're usually thinking of theworld's kind of love, the kind
of love that, as long as yougive to me, I'll give to you,
and a love that's all aboutfeelings, which, of course, us
(01:13):
guys when it comes to feelings,well, that can be more of a
challenge.
But the good news about thelove of God, the agape love, is
that it's not about feelings.
In fact, contrary to that, itis about choices.
We choose to love people withagape love and that should bring
(01:37):
a refreshing thought to all men, because we don't rely on our
emotions, to all men, because wedon't rely on our emotions With
the love of the world, we relyon emotions, but not the love of
God.
So this type of love it's awhole different topic and of
course this isn't just for men,but as a man, that is something
(02:03):
that I can relate to and Iunderstand.
So I brought it up.
But the reason John talksextensively about love in the
book of John is because love isthe pillar of Christianity.
We can view the blood of Christas the foundation.
So without the foundation,there's well, there's nothing.
You can't put a building, youcan't put a strong structure on
(02:27):
just regular ground.
You need a strong foundation tokeep it in place, and that's
the blood of Christ, becausewe're not even able to love
without the blood of Christ,because we must be born again,
which means having the Spiritdwelling in us, and the only
reason we can do that is fromthe grace of God.
And as we believe on Christ andthe blood that he shed for us,
(02:53):
well then we are given thatability to love, that ability to
make that choice, to loveothers and to love God, for that
matter.
So the blood of Christ is thefoundation of Christianity, but
love is the pillar, it's whatholds everything else up.
Once we have the foundation,well, you need that strong
(03:16):
pillar, and that's what love is.
We know that because we are toldas born-again believers that we
must love the Lord, our God,with all of our heart, with all
of our soul and with all of ourmight or strength, and then we
must also love our neighbor asourself.
So there you have it.
(03:38):
Love, that is the pillar.
So, brothers and sisters in thefaith, without love we have
nothing, because we even have toquestion whether or not we are
born again Without the blood ofChrist.
Well, we already know we'reincapable of loving, at least
God's way of loving.
(03:58):
Yes, we can love people on thesurface level.
We can love people passionately, romantically, and we can even
dedicate some of our self tothat.
But that's all built fromemotions and that kind of love
is always self-centered.
(04:18):
The worldly love we will offerthat as long as we get something
in return for it.
But with agape love, it's achoice and we receive that
ability as soon as we receivethe Holy Spirit.
So that's why John talks soextensively on love, and in this
(04:40):
podcast, that's what I focus on.
I focus on what we need to doas Christians in this world, in
this world that doesn't have thelove of God.
In fact, this world hates God,and it's becoming more and more
evident with every passing week,month and year as we get closer
(05:00):
to the day, the second coming.
As usual, I'll go ahead andread the scripture, then I'll
back up and I'll break it down.
1 John 5, verse 1.
Whoever believes that Jesus isthe Christ is born of God, and
everyone who loves him, whobegot, also loves him, who is
(05:23):
begotten of him.
By this we know that we lovethe children of God when we love
God and keep His commandments.
For this is the love of Godthat we keep His commandments
and His commandments are notburdensome.
For whatever is born of Godovercomes the world, and this is
(05:48):
the victory that has overcomethe world our faith.
Who is he who overcomes theworld?
But he who believes that Jesusis the Son of God.
So we focus, brothers andsisters, on what it is to be
disciples, not just believers,but disciples of Jesus Christ.
Isn't that what Jesus told usto do before he ascended?
(06:12):
The last thing he said beforehe left earth is to go out to
all nations and make disciples.
And a disciple is somebody wholearns, and that's intentionally
.
A disciple is somebody who iseager to learn, who goes out of
his or her way to learn and togrow in whatever it is they're
(06:35):
being taught.
So, in this case, disciples ofJesus.
So we are disciples of God'sWord, we are learning God's Word
because that is how hecontinues to speak directly to
us today.
And so in this podcast, I amstarting to turn direction just
a little bit to focus more onthat discipleship.
(06:59):
I understand I've been teachingto that point, but I want to
reiterate the importance ofdiscipleship.
I understand I've been teachingto that point, but I want to
reiterate the importance ofdiscipleship Because, as we are
disciples, we must also grow inour walk and then disciple
others.
That's how Jesus chose to dothis.
He wants us to spread thegospel.
(07:21):
He could have done it manyother ways, but this is what he
chose to do.
He wants us to spread thegospel.
He could have done it manyother ways, but this is what he
chose to do.
So we have a responsibility, dowe not?
As his disciples, is to obeyhim, and that can be challenging
.
The reason it can bechallenging is because, yes,
even born-again believers, weare tempted with the world
around us.
(07:42):
There is so much going on, somuch to be entertained with.
Especially with technology, wecan move around the world faster
, we can get place to place morecomfortably, quicker and
because of that there's more tosee, more people to meet, more
different foods to eat,different sites, to see
different things, to do allkinds of it.
(08:05):
We have no problem whatsoeverfilling up our time that the
Lord has given us.
We can fill it with all kindsof things to do, and those
things in and of themselves well, many of them, there are plenty
that are wicked and evil.
But trying different foods andtraveling and doing this and
(08:27):
that and entertainment andhaving fun in and of itself is
not bad.
But the problem is it easilyovercomes the time with our Lord
and when that happens, beloved,then it becomes an idol.
Now, that entertainment, whatwe used to just enjoy some time.
But now we have to do it and weare willing to give up the time
(08:51):
of reading God's Word, we'rewilling to give up time meeting
with brothers and sisters, andwell, we certainly don't want to
pray to God too much, becausethen that makes us remember Him.
So it's easy to give that up.
We can write that off, as, oh,the Lord understands, but as his
disciples we have thatobligation.
(09:12):
We need to keep learning, allright, so let's back up and
break down these verses.
So, in verse 1, whoeverbelieves that Jesus is the
Christ is born of God, andeveryone who loves him, who
begot, also loves him, who isbegotten of him.
Last week, looking into 1 John,chapter 4, at the end of that
(09:36):
chapter, john was telling usthat proof is in the pudding.
We must love one another, wemust love other children of God,
or we don't love him.
And now we're learning thatwhoever believes that Jesus is
the Christ is born of God.
Born of God, born of God, isborn of the Spirit.
(09:58):
Born of the Spirit is beingborn again.
Right, that happens one time.
We're not born again over andover and over.
That happens once when a personbelieves on the blood of Jesus
Christ and in their heart, knowsthat he was resurrected from
the dead by the Holy Father inheaven.
Well then, we know that you areborn again, you are born of God
(10:25):
, and everyone who loves him,that's loves Jesus, who begot
also loves him, who is begottenof him, and that would be our
brothers and sisters.
To be begot is to be born of,and so we love those who are
born again as well.
So all of our brothers andsisters in the faith.
(10:48):
All of this goes hand in hand,right, there's no gaps in there.
We don't just love God and wedon't just love God when it's
convenient or when we feel likeit.
If we're born again and as weread his word, he gives us the
understanding, the wisdom andthe knowledge to know and to
change the very fact that loveis a choice and we learn to love
(11:13):
God every day, all the time.
And as you continue to walk andgrow and your faith becomes
stronger, well, we learn alsothat applies to our brothers and
sisters in the faith that wemust choose to love them Doesn't
mean you have to like them Ijoke about it sometimes, but
(11:34):
that is so true.
We don't all get along Doesn'tmean we fight.
We certainly are not supposedto be doing that.
But we're not going to enjoyeverything that the next person
enjoys just because we're family.
It doesn't happen with ourfamilies of blood, right, so why
would it happen in ourspiritual family?
(11:54):
But the difference is agapelove.
We still love them, and I knowlove is not always easy,
especially when somebody that wedo love is being very difficult
to deal with.
And that can be even harder tounderstand when we're talking
about our spiritual family beingin the body of Christ and that
(12:17):
body of Christ we can look at indifferent views.
There is the ultimate body ofChrist.
That's every single believeraround the world who is alive is
in the body of Christ, becauseGod uses the body of Christ to
do his work.
That's how he has chosen.
(12:37):
To get the gospel message out,the body of Christ.
To get the gospel message outthe body of Christ, individual
believers.
But then we have our churchhomes.
When we come together and weworship, hopefully you are
participating in a church everySunday and that you're
worshiping God together, you'resinging and you're being joyous
(12:57):
together, because even when weworship God, that's a choice,
that's agape love.
You might not be in the mood toworship God, but you know it's
the right thing to do.
So you get to church and youworship and for anybody who's
done that long enough, we learnthat.
Wow, you know what I feel waybetter when I do that.
(13:21):
God doesn't need it, we need it.
But even though love can bechallenging at times, with Jesus
it's so much easier and we'reactually able to do it.
So look to Jesus when you arewith brothers and sisters and
you need that help aroundsomebody who the two of you just
may be opposite in so many waysthat sometimes you just rub
(13:44):
each other the wrong way.
You don't have to like eachother, but you do need to love
one another.
That goes both ways.
So verse two by this we knowthat we love the children of God
when we love God and keep hiscommandments.
That can sound like our ownworks, like we're working to get
(14:06):
in right Into heaven Because wekeep his commandments, it says.
But John isn't talking aboutthat.
He's not talking about doinggood works to get into heaven,
but we keep his commandments.
Now, those commandments, Icertainly believe, entails the
Ten Commandments.
But, like I said earlier, jesusmade it simple and said you know
(14:29):
what, if you love God and ifyou love one another, you're
fulfilling the law, becauseyou're not going to murder
somebody, you're not going toenvy them, you're going to be
happy for them by loving.
We are keeping his commandmentsand other such precepts, such
(14:51):
as having joy and peace andkindness and goodness and
patience.
Those are results of having theHoly Spirit in us.
They don't come automatically,but we keep those as well and
that's how we love God.
Simple, isn't it?
(15:11):
He doesn't make it difficult tolove him and it says this is
how we know that we love thechildren of God, in other words
our brothers and sisters in thefaith, because we want to follow
God's way, we want to walk thepath of righteousness, we are
following Jesus, and verse 3expands a little bit more.
(15:42):
So I don't think John is sayingthat they're burdensome in the
sense of they're hard to do.
I mean, they can be a challengeat times, but they're not a
burden.
But more importantly it's byfollowing his commandments it
takes the burden of this world,this life, off of us.
(16:02):
And think about that.
When we're not living a lifewhere we covet other people's
property or other people'srelationships, we don't carry
that guilt with us.
When we don't lie and cheat, wedon't feel bad about ourselves,
and when we don't murder andhurt people, we're not living
(16:23):
fearful of others, we're notlooking over our shoulder
wondering if somebody's comingback to take revenge upon us.
So by keeping his commandments,life is not burdensome.
And, with the help of the HolySpirit, not only is doing them
not burdensome but desirable.
We want to do that Because themore that you live a wholesome
(16:46):
life, a good life, the more aperson looks back and realizes I
can't believe, I used to actthis way, or I used to talk that
way and I used to do this, or Iused to do that, because even
your anxieties melt away.
I use the example at times aboutparenting and when you have
(17:07):
little children.
For those who have had littlechildren, you know a little
child can get pretty upset whenhe or she doesn't get what they
want.
But see, mom and dad knowwhat's best for them, and so
they may want to eat a wholebunch of candy, but mom and dad
have their rules.
Nope, you can only have threepieces.
(17:27):
And that little child might belike, well, I want more.
But they don't understand thatby eating more they're going to
get a stomachache, that it's notgoing to help them and that in
the long run, if a person keepseating a whole bunch of candy
every day, then of course ourhealth starts to decline and all
(17:47):
that fun stuff which you cannever explain to a young child,
because not only do they notunderstand, but they don't care.
But that's where followingrules, and in this case God's
commandments, come in and theymake life easier for us All.
Right, verse 4, For whatever isborn of God overcomes the world,
(18:10):
and this is the victory thathas overcome the world our faith
.
Come the world, our faith.
Now it's interesting becauseJohn says for whatever is born
of God overcomes the world, notwhoever.
Now I looked that word up andin the Greek it actually
encompasses everything.
(18:31):
So what?
And whoever is born of Godovercomes the world?
In this case, well, what is itthat overcomes the world?
Well, we're told, and this isthe victory that has overcome
the world our faith.
So faith is what overcomes theworld.
Also, note that John says andthis is the victory that has
(18:55):
overcome the world, it's done,not will, that has overcome the
world.
It's done, not will, but hasovercome the world.
Now there's another place thatwe heard this, something similar
, and that is in John, inchapter 16, verse 33,.
Jesus is speaking.
He says these things I havespoken to you that in me you may
(19:18):
have peace, and we certainlywill.
In the world you will havetribulation.
That's a promise With Christ.
We have peace In the world, wehave tribulation.
But then Jesus says be of goodcheer, I have overcome the world
, isn't that great?
(19:40):
He doesn't say I will beovercoming the world, but I have
, I have overcome the world.
And so we can look at this.
(20:02):
Now, back at 1 John 5, verse 4,and we're told that the victory
this is the victory that hasovercome the world.
Our faith, so, since Jesus hasalready overcome the world, our
faith in him continues on.
It carries that through.
Think about that.
We live a life and we often feellike we are the victims, that
have been defeated and that theworld is winning.
(20:24):
I'm guilty of that.
I feel that so often in life,but in moments like this, when
I'm teaching the Word of God orreading the Word of God,
discussing the Word of God withbrothers or sisters, or
meditating on the Word of God,well, that pulls me out of that
feeling of being defeated,because I'm not defeated.
(20:47):
It's a war that we're fightingSpiritual warfare, definitely,
but it's a war that we havealready won, and Christ said it
I have overcome the world.
It's done.
We just need to go through themotions.
We need just to do what we weretold to do and have faith in
(21:09):
Jesus while doing it.
Now, of course, we all havejobs, careers, businesses,
whatever it might be, familiesthat we're taking care of.
All of that is part of makingends meet, being with one
another, living, putting food onthe table, and God continues to
give us the means to do that,but a reminder that we are not
(21:31):
here to focus on just the means.
We are here to focus on why weare here, and that is to make
sure that everyone else that wecan reach out to hears the
gospel message, that they tooget to make an educated decision
.
Am I going to follow Jesus?
(21:51):
Who is this Jesus?
We are to go out to all nations, all people, in other words,
but all nations, all people, andthat is our job.
While we are here, we are to doGod's work.
Have you thought about that?
Have you thought about what Godis telling you to do, beloved?
(22:12):
Because once you are born again, listen very carefully, learn
to listen to what the Lord istelling you.
If there's somebody he wantsyou to talk to, or maybe there's
an organization he wants you togive money to, to support, or
maybe it's to volunteer for thatorganization or get a job at
(22:33):
that organization and help them,for whatever reason that God
has in store, it's tough tolisten to.
It really is.
It's hard to hear someone sayyou know, you're not here just
to make money, you're not hereto get as much as you can in
this world.
The reason that's difficult isbecause most of us are brought
up that way, because the worldis so loud, and the more you
(22:58):
learn of God's way, not only isit loud, it's obnoxious, very
annoying because it screams outeverything false, but that's
because Satan is still the king,the ruler, the small g God of
this world, and so the world'smessage will continue to be the
(23:18):
opposite of what God is tellingus to do.
Verse 5,.
Who is he who overcomes theworld?
But he who believes that Jesusis the Son of God.
There's that belief again, andof course, that belief is in
Jesus.
That's how we overcome theworld.
And overcoming the worlddoesn't mean that we're always
(23:42):
going to be financiallysuccessful.
No, that's not overcoming theworld.
Overcoming the world is notfalling for the temptations of
spending the majority of ourtime making money, making a
living, as some say.
Overcoming the world is lovingyour neighbor, even when that
neighbor is somebody that youdon't like at all, but taking
(24:04):
the time to show them love and,if they are a brother or a
sister in the Lord, to love themfor no other reason than they
are your brother or sister.
Overcoming the world is givingour time to others.
It's so easy to want to keepall that time to ourself.
It's very tempting.
Overcoming the world is usingour skills to better the world
(24:28):
around us.
And how do we better the world?
Well, we make it.
Look to Jesus, using our skillsto help those in need, to
glorify God.
Not to make ourself look good,but to make our Lord and Savior
glorified.
So people look to him and theysee the goodness that you are
doing, because you are keepingGod's commandments and you are
(24:53):
loving your brothers and sistersin the faith and you are
reaching out to those who Godtells you to reach out to.
Ultimately, it comes down todiscipleship.
Once you are born again, youjust open up that Bible and you
keep on reading beloved, do notstop.
You will be changed, god's Word, the Bible will transform you.
(25:16):
If you believe in Jesus Christand you're reading God's Word.
The Bible will transform you.
If you believe in Jesus Christand you're reading God's Word,
it's impossible not to betransformed because it's the
power of God, the Holy Spirit,dwelling in you.
God sanctifies you.
I mean not only are youjustified, which means your sins
, your debt, is paid for, but heis sanctifying you.
(25:37):
That is an ongoing process andyou will continue to change.
You will look back.
Sometimes those changes aremore evident and within a week,
wow, you can feel a big change.
Other times you can look backand see that, well, things that
months ago you used to do youdon't do anymore Because that
(25:58):
stuff was of the world, and nowyou're living for the spirit.
You're living for God, not forthe flesh.
And when it comes to resources,I'm here for you.
You can go to my website,brmaulcom.
You can click on contact.
Put your email there and yourquestion or comment.
(26:19):
Get a hold of me.
I'm here for you.
Or if you are listening off of apodcast directory, on many of
the podcasts, the directoriesthat I am in, there is a tab or
a little button.
It says message me.
Click on that and that willtext me a message, not using
(26:41):
your phone number, it uses ananonymous number and that is a
one-way communication.
All right, it's like sending mea letter.
I can read it, but I can't doanything.
I can respond if you leave mean email, but other than that,
otherwise I can't respond.
But I'm here for you and I wantto help you.
(27:03):
And if you can support thisministry, I ask you to do that
as well, even $5 or $10 a monthis a huge, huge help for me to
pay the bills, to make sure thatthis message continues to stay
out there and to get out there.
Please share this with all yourfriends and family and until
(27:27):
next time, god bless.
Hello and good day.
I am BR Maul and this is LivingGod's Way in an Ungodly World.
Thank you so much for joiningme.
We are currently in the book of1 John.
We are starting chapter 5.
Today We'll be covering verses1 through 5.
John has been talking a lotabout love and I know for a lot
(00:53):
of guys, well, sometimes thatcan seem like a boring topic,
but that is because we'reusually thinking of the world's
kind of love.
We're usually thinking of theworld's kind of love, the kind
of love that, as long as yougive to me, I'll give to you,
and a love that's all aboutfeelings, which, of course, us
(01:13):
guys when it comes to feelings,well, that can be more of a
challenge.
But the good news about thelove of God, the agape love, is
that it's not about feelings.
In fact, contrary to that, itis about choices.
We choose to love people withagape love and that should bring
(01:37):
a refreshing thought to all men, because we don't rely on our
emotions, to all men, because wedon't rely on our emotions With
the love of the world, we relyon emotions, but not the love of
God.
So this type of love it's awhole different topic and of
course this isn't just for men,but as a man, that is something
(02:03):
that I can relate to and Iunderstand.
So I brought it up.
But the reason John talksextensively about love in the
book of John is because love isthe pillar of Christianity.
We can view the blood of Christas the foundation.
So without the foundation,there's well, there's nothing.
You can't put a building, youcan't put a strong structure on
(02:27):
just regular ground.
You need a strong foundation tokeep it in place, and that's
the blood of Christ, becausewe're not even able to love
without the blood of Christ,because we must be born again,
which means having the Spiritdwelling in us, and the only
reason we can do that is fromthe grace of God.
And as we believe on Christ andthe blood that he shed for us,
(02:53):
well then we are given thatability to love, that ability to
make that choice, to loveothers and to love God, for that
matter.
So the blood of Christ is thefoundation of Christianity, but
love is the pillar, it's whatholds everything else up.
Once we have the foundation,well, you need that strong
(03:16):
pillar, and that's what love is.
We know that because we are toldas born-again believers that we
must love the Lord, our God,with all of our heart, with all
of our soul and with all of ourmight or strength, and then we
must also love our neighbor asourself.
So there you have it.
(03:38):
Love, that is the pillar.
So, brothers and sisters in thefaith, without love we have
nothing, because we even have toquestion whether or not we are
born again Without the blood ofChrist.
Well, we already know we'reincapable of loving, at least
God's way of loving.
(03:58):
Yes, we can love people on thesurface level.
We can love people passionately, romantically, and we can even
dedicate some of our self tothat.
But that's all built fromemotions and that kind of love
is always self-centered.
(04:18):
The worldly love we will offerthat as long as we get something
in return for it.
But with agape love, it's achoice and we receive that
ability as soon as we receivethe Holy Spirit.
So that's why John talks soextensively on love, and in this
(04:40):
podcast, that's what I focus on.
I focus on what we need to doas Christians in this world, in
this world that doesn't have thelove of God.
In fact, this world hates God,and it's becoming more and more
evident with every passing week,month and year as we get closer
(05:00):
to the day, the second coming.
As usual, I'll go ahead andread the scripture, then I'll
back up and I'll break it down.
1 John 5, verse 1.
Whoever believes that Jesus isthe Christ is born of God, and
everyone who loves him, whobegot, also loves him, who is
(05:23):
begotten of him.
By this we know that we lovethe children of God when we love
God and keep His commandments.
For this is the love of Godthat we keep His commandments
and His commandments are notburdensome.
For whatever is born of Godovercomes the world, and this is
(05:48):
the victory that has overcomethe world our faith.
Who is he who overcomes theworld?
But he who believes that Jesusis the Son of God.
So we focus, brothers andsisters, on what it is to be
disciples, not just believers,but disciples of Jesus Christ.
Isn't that what Jesus told usto do before he ascended?
(06:12):
The last thing he said beforehe left earth is to go out to
all nations and make disciples.
And a disciple is somebody wholearns, and that's intentionally
.
A disciple is somebody who iseager to learn, who goes out of
his or her way to learn and togrow in whatever it is they're
(06:35):
being taught.
So, in this case, disciples ofJesus.
So we are disciples of God'sWord, we are learning God's Word
because that is how hecontinues to speak directly to
us today.
And so in this podcast, I amstarting to turn direction just
a little bit to focus more onthat discipleship.
(06:59):
I understand I've been teachingto that point, but I want to
reiterate the importance ofdiscipleship.
I understand I've been teachingto that point, but I want to
reiterate the importance ofdiscipleship Because, as we are
disciples, we must also grow inour walk and then disciple
others.
That's how Jesus chose to dothis.
He wants us to spread thegospel.
(07:21):
He could have done it manyother ways, but this is what he
chose to do.
He wants us to spread thegospel.
He could have done it manyother ways, but this is what he
chose to do.
So we have a responsibility, dowe not?
As his disciples, is to obeyhim, and that can be challenging
.
The reason it can bechallenging is because, yes,
even born-again believers, weare tempted with the world
around us.
(07:42):
There is so much going on, somuch to be entertained with.
Especially with technology, wecan move around the world faster
, we can get place to place morecomfortably, quicker and
because of that there's more tosee, more people to meet, more
different foods to eat,different sites, to see
different things, to do allkinds of it.
(08:05):
We have no problem whatsoeverfilling up our time that the
Lord has given us.
We can fill it with all kindsof things to do, and those
things in and of themselves well, many of them, there are plenty
that are wicked and evil.
But trying different foods andtraveling and doing this and
(08:27):
that and entertainment andhaving fun in and of itself is
not bad.
But the problem is it easilyovercomes the time with our Lord
and when that happens, beloved,then it becomes an idol.
Now, that entertainment, whatwe used to just enjoy some time.
But now we have to do it and weare willing to give up the time
(08:51):
of reading God's Word, we'rewilling to give up time meeting
with brothers and sisters, andwell, we certainly don't want to
pray to God too much, becausethen that makes us remember Him.
So it's easy to give that up.
We can write that off, as, oh,the Lord understands, but as his
disciples we have thatobligation.
(09:12):
We need to keep learning, allright, so let's back up and
break down these verses.
So, in verse 1, whoeverbelieves that Jesus is the
Christ is born of God, andeveryone who loves him, who
begot, also loves him, who isbegotten of him.
Last week, looking into 1 John,chapter 4, at the end of that
(09:36):
chapter, john was telling usthat proof is in the pudding.
We must love one another, wemust love other children of God,
or we don't love him.
And now we're learning thatwhoever believes that Jesus is
the Christ is born of God.
Born of God, born of God, isborn of the Spirit.
(09:58):
Born of the Spirit is beingborn again.
Right, that happens one time.
We're not born again over andover and over.
That happens once when a personbelieves on the blood of Jesus
Christ and in their heart, knowsthat he was resurrected from
the dead by the Holy Father inheaven.
Well then, we know that you areborn again, you are born of God
(10:25):
, and everyone who loves him,that's loves Jesus, who begot
also loves him, who is begottenof him, and that would be our
brothers and sisters.
To be begot is to be born of,and so we love those who are
born again as well.
So all of our brothers andsisters in the faith.
(10:48):
All of this goes hand in hand,right, there's no gaps in there.
We don't just love God and wedon't just love God when it's
convenient or when we feel likeit.
If we're born again and as weread his word, he gives us the
understanding, the wisdom andthe knowledge to know and to
change the very fact that loveis a choice and we learn to love
(11:13):
God every day, all the time.
And as you continue to walk andgrow and your faith becomes
stronger, well, we learn alsothat applies to our brothers and
sisters in the faith that wemust choose to love them Doesn't
mean you have to like them Ijoke about it sometimes, but
(11:34):
that is so true.
We don't all get along Doesn'tmean we fight.
We certainly are not supposedto be doing that.
But we're not going to enjoyeverything that the next person
enjoys just because we're family.
It doesn't happen with ourfamilies of blood, right, so why
would it happen in ourspiritual family?
(11:54):
But the difference is agapelove.
We still love them, and I knowlove is not always easy,
especially when somebody that wedo love is being very difficult
to deal with.
And that can be even harder tounderstand when we're talking
about our spiritual family beingin the body of Christ and that
(12:17):
body of Christ we can look at indifferent views.
There is the ultimate body ofChrist.
That's every single believeraround the world who is alive is
in the body of Christ, becauseGod uses the body of Christ to
do his work.
That's how he has chosen.
(12:37):
To get the gospel message out,the body of Christ.
To get the gospel message outthe body of Christ, individual
believers.
But then we have our churchhomes.
When we come together and weworship, hopefully you are
participating in a church everySunday and that you're
worshiping God together, you'resinging and you're being joyous
(12:57):
together, because even when weworship God, that's a choice,
that's agape love.
You might not be in the mood toworship God, but you know it's
the right thing to do.
So you get to church and youworship and for anybody who's
done that long enough, we learnthat.
Wow, you know what I feel waybetter when I do that.
(13:21):
God doesn't need it, we need it.
But even though love can bechallenging at times, with Jesus
it's so much easier and we'reactually able to do it.
So look to Jesus when you arewith brothers and sisters and
you need that help aroundsomebody who the two of you just
may be opposite in so many waysthat sometimes you just rub
(13:44):
each other the wrong way.
You don't have to like eachother, but you do need to love
one another.
That goes both ways.
So verse two by this we knowthat we love the children of God
when we love God and keep hiscommandments.
That can sound like our ownworks, like we're working to get
(14:06):
in right Into heaven Because wekeep his commandments, it says.
But John isn't talking aboutthat.
He's not talking about doinggood works to get into heaven,
but we keep his commandments.
Now, those commandments, Icertainly believe, entails the
Ten Commandments.
But, like I said earlier, jesusmade it simple and said you know
(14:29):
what, if you love God and ifyou love one another, you're
fulfilling the law, becauseyou're not going to murder
somebody, you're not going toenvy them, you're going to be
happy for them by loving.
We are keeping his commandmentsand other such precepts, such
(14:51):
as having joy and peace andkindness and goodness and
patience.
Those are results of having theHoly Spirit in us.
They don't come automatically,but we keep those as well and
that's how we love God.
Simple, isn't it?
(15:11):
He doesn't make it difficult tolove him and it says this is
how we know that we love thechildren of God, in other words
our brothers and sisters in thefaith, because we want to follow
God's way, we want to walk thepath of righteousness, we are
following Jesus, and verse 3expands a little bit more.
(15:42):
So I don't think John is sayingthat they're burdensome in the
sense of they're hard to do.
I mean, they can be a challengeat times, but they're not a
burden.
But more importantly it's byfollowing his commandments it
takes the burden of this world,this life, off of us.
(16:02):
And think about that.
When we're not living a lifewhere we covet other people's
property or other people'srelationships, we don't carry
that guilt with us.
When we don't lie and cheat, wedon't feel bad about ourselves,
and when we don't murder andhurt people, we're not living
(16:23):
fearful of others, we're notlooking over our shoulder
wondering if somebody's comingback to take revenge upon us.
So by keeping his commandments,life is not burdensome.
And, with the help of the HolySpirit, not only is doing them
not burdensome but desirable.
We want to do that Because themore that you live a wholesome
(16:46):
life, a good life, the more aperson looks back and realizes I
can't believe, I used to actthis way, or I used to talk that
way and I used to do this, or Iused to do that, because even
your anxieties melt away.
I use the example at times aboutparenting and when you have
(17:07):
little children.
For those who have had littlechildren, you know a little
child can get pretty upset whenhe or she doesn't get what they
want.
But see, mom and dad knowwhat's best for them, and so
they may want to eat a wholebunch of candy, but mom and dad
have their rules.
Nope, you can only have threepieces.
(17:27):
And that little child might belike, well, I want more.
But they don't understand thatby eating more they're going to
get a stomachache, that it's notgoing to help them and that in
the long run, if a person keepseating a whole bunch of candy
every day, then of course ourhealth starts to decline and all
(17:47):
that fun stuff which you cannever explain to a young child,
because not only do they notunderstand, but they don't care.
But that's where followingrules, and in this case God's
commandments, come in and theymake life easier for us All.
Right, verse 4, For whatever isborn of God overcomes the world,
(18:10):
and this is the victory thathas overcome the world our faith
.
Come the world, our faith.
Now it's interesting becauseJohn says for whatever is born
of God overcomes the world, notwhoever.
Now I looked that word up andin the Greek it actually
encompasses everything.
(18:31):
So what?
And whoever is born of Godovercomes the world?
In this case, well, what is itthat overcomes the world?
Well, we're told, and this isthe victory that has overcome
the world our faith.
So faith is what overcomes theworld.
Also, note that John says andthis is the victory that has
(18:55):
overcome the world, it's done,not will, that has overcome the
world.
It's done, not will, but hasovercome the world.
Now there's another place thatwe heard this, something similar
, and that is in John, inchapter 16, verse 33,.
Jesus is speaking.
He says these things I havespoken to you that in me you may
(19:18):
have peace, and we certainlywill.
In the world you will havetribulation.
That's a promise With Christ.
We have peace In the world, wehave tribulation.
But then Jesus says be of goodcheer, I have overcome the world
, isn't that great?
(19:40):
He doesn't say I will beovercoming the world, but I have
, I have overcome the world.
And so we can look at this.
(20:02):
Now, back at 1 John 5, verse 4,and we're told that the victory
this is the victory that hasovercome the world.
Our faith, so, since Jesus hasalready overcome the world, our
faith in him continues on.
It carries that through.
Think about that.
We live a life and we often feellike we are the victims, that
have been defeated and that theworld is winning.
(20:24):
I'm guilty of that.
I feel that so often in life,but in moments like this, when
I'm teaching the Word of God orreading the Word of God,
discussing the Word of God withbrothers or sisters, or
meditating on the Word of God,well, that pulls me out of that
feeling of being defeated,because I'm not defeated.
(20:47):
It's a war that we're fightingSpiritual warfare, definitely,
but it's a war that we havealready won, and Christ said it
I have overcome the world.
It's done.
We just need to go through themotions.
We need just to do what we weretold to do and have faith in
(21:09):
Jesus while doing it.
Now, of course, we all havejobs, careers, businesses,
whatever it might be, familiesthat we're taking care of.
All of that is part of makingends meet, being with one
another, living, putting food onthe table, and God continues to
give us the means to do that,but a reminder that we are not
(21:31):
here to focus on just the means.
We are here to focus on why weare here, and that is to make
sure that everyone else that wecan reach out to hears the
gospel message, that they tooget to make an educated decision
.
Am I going to follow Jesus?
(21:51):
Who is this Jesus?
We are to go out to all nations, all people, in other words,
but all nations, all people, andthat is our job.
While we are here, we are to doGod's work.
Have you thought about that?
Have you thought about what Godis telling you to do, beloved?
(22:12):
Because once you are born again, listen very carefully, learn
to listen to what the Lord istelling you.
If there's somebody he wantsyou to talk to, or maybe there's
an organization he wants you togive money to, to support, or
maybe it's to volunteer for thatorganization or get a job at
(22:33):
that organization and help them,for whatever reason that God
has in store, it's tough tolisten to.
It really is.
It's hard to hear someone sayyou know, you're not here just
to make money, you're not hereto get as much as you can in
this world.
The reason that's difficult isbecause most of us are brought
up that way, because the worldis so loud, and the more you
(22:58):
learn of God's way, not only isit loud, it's obnoxious, very
annoying because it screams outeverything false, but that's
because Satan is still the king,the ruler, the small g God of
this world, and so the world'smessage will continue to be the
(23:18):
opposite of what God is tellingus to do.
Verse 5,.
Who is he who overcomes theworld?
But he who believes that Jesusis the Son of God.
There's that belief again, andof course, that belief is in
Jesus.
That's how we overcome theworld.
And overcoming the worlddoesn't mean that we're always
(23:42):
going to be financiallysuccessful.
No, that's not overcoming theworld.
Overcoming the world is notfalling for the temptations of
spending the majority of ourtime making money, making a
living, as some say.
Overcoming the world is lovingyour neighbor, even when that
neighbor is somebody that youdon't like at all, but taking
(24:04):
the time to show them love and,if they are a brother or a
sister in the Lord, to love themfor no other reason than they
are your brother or sister.
Overcoming the world is givingour time to others.
It's so easy to want to keepall that time to ourself.
It's very tempting.
Overcoming the world is usingour skills to better the world
(24:28):
around us.
And how do we better the world?
Well, we make it.
Look to Jesus, using our skillsto help those in need, to
glorify God.
Not to make ourself look good,but to make our Lord and Savior
glorified.
So people look to him and theysee the goodness that you are
doing, because you are keepingGod's commandments and you are
(24:53):
loving your brothers and sistersin the faith and you are
reaching out to those who Godtells you to reach out to.
Ultimately, it comes down todiscipleship.
Once you are born again, youjust open up that Bible and you
keep on reading beloved, do notstop.
You will be changed, god's Word, the Bible will transform you.
(25:16):
If you believe in Jesus Christand you're reading God's Word.
The Bible will transform you.
If you believe in Jesus Christand you're reading God's Word,
it's impossible not to betransformed because it's the
power of God, the Holy Spirit,dwelling in you.
God sanctifies you.
I mean not only are youjustified, which means your sins
, your debt, is paid for, but heis sanctifying you.
(25:37):
That is an ongoing process andyou will continue to change.
You will look back.
Sometimes those changes aremore evident and within a week,
wow, you can feel a big change.
Other times you can look backand see that, well, things that
months ago you used to do youdon't do anymore Because that
(25:58):
stuff was of the world, and nowyou're living for the spirit.
You're living for God, not forthe flesh.
And when it comes to resources,I'm here for you.
You can go to my website,brmaulcom.
You can click on contact.
Put your email there and yourquestion or comment.
(26:19):
Get a hold of me.
I'm here for you.
Or if you are listening off of apodcast directory, on many of
the podcasts, the directoriesthat I am in, there is a tab or
a little button.
It says message me.
Click on that and that willtext me a message, not using
(26:41):
your phone number, it uses ananonymous number and that is a
one-way communication.
All right, it's like sending mea letter.
I can read it, but I can't doanything.
I can respond if you leave mean email, but other than that,
otherwise I can't respond.
But I'm here for you and I wantto help you.
(27:03):
And if you can support thisministry, I ask you to do that
as well, even $5 or $10 a monthis a huge, huge help for me to
pay the bills, to make sure thatthis message continues to stay
out there and to get out there.
Please share this with all yourfriends and family and until
(27:27):
next time, god bless.
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