Focus: Conquering Faith (Pt.4)

Text: 1Jh.5:4

"For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith."

The world that John is referring to as being hostile and inimical to the believer's faith is charming on the surface, but underneath it is total emptiness. On the periphery, all that the believer sees seems lovely, but beneath it is all messy. The charm is all sham.

Matthew tells us about the temptation of Jesus Christ, that "the devil taketh him up into an exceeding high mountain, and sheweth him all the kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them" (Mt.4:8). Satan shows Jesus Christ the world's kingdoms and their glory - their alluring charms, stupendous splendor and stunning glamour. Now here is the point of this whole video clip presented by Satan. He says to Jesus Christ, "All these things will I give thee, if thou wilt fall down and worship me" (Mt.4:9). His goal is to get Jesus Christ to worship him. He wants Jesus Christ to give him worship in exchange for worldly wealth and vain glory. That's using worship to buy wealth - uncertain riches. That's a finite creature trying to deceive his infinite creator.

John tells the believer in Christ, "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" (1Jh.2:15). This kind of world is not to be loved. This kind of world is an evil system; it is not deserving of love. You must be devoid of the Father's love for you to love this world. What is it to love about this world? John summarizes all that is contained in the world. He says, "For all that is in the world, the lust of the FLESH, and the lust of the EYES, and the PRIDE of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world" (1Jh.2:16). Everything that Satan tried to show Jesus Christ comes under the lust of the eyes. The "lust of the flesh" appeals to the appetite. The "lust of the eyes" promotes appearance. The "pride of life" enthrones arrogance. 

This world parades the flesh and enlarges its appetite for more, adores appearances, and creates room for arrogance.

The Greek word for 'pride' here is alazoneia, which means empty pride, unwarranted braggadocio or vain swagger. It is simply an unfounded or baseless pride of possessions. Paul would ask, "What do you have that you did not receive?" The man of this world has turned his appetite into an idol. His belly has become his god, according to the Apostle Paul.

There's nothing in this world to boast of. The writer of Ecclesiastes submits that vanity of vanities is all vanity. John goes on to say, "And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever" (1Jh.2:17). Paul declares, "For the fashion of this world passeth away" (1Cor.7:31). Someone has said that "they build too low who build beneath the sky."

The world we are talking about is a world dominated by man's ego. It is a world where God is marginalized, sidelined, trivialized or excluded from man's thinking, talking and acting. Some people have even domesticated 'him' for their own interests. They see Him only as a means to an end. Man by his ego is edging God out; he is replacing God with himself.

It is this world headed by Satan that the believer in Christ has been thoroughly equipped to conquer with his faith. By his faith he steadfastly resists Satan, and for the sake of his faith he flees youthful and worldly lusts, and escapes the corruption or the defilements that are in the world. By his faith he chooses moral consistency and resists compromise. His faith makes him triumphant over the world and enables him to trash and trample upon the alluring fancies and fantasies of worldliness.

by Bishop Moses E. Peter