1 Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ is born of God: and every one that loveth him that begat loveth him also that is begotten of him. 2 By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God, and keep his commandments. 3 For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous. 4 For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith. Believing that Jesus is the Christ is the victory that overcomes the world. The world is set up to prevent you from becoming born of God. Loving one another as the Lord loved you is the victory that overcomes the world. If the world cannot keep you from believing in God then the second strategy is to create a religious world that undermines our loving one another. How does the world does this? They give you commandments to nullify the Lord’s commandments. Keeping the Lord’s commandments is overcoming the world, the world portrays the Lord’s commandments as grievous and unreasonable, but we see the falsehood of that, overcoming the world to keep the Lord’s commandments. To sum up our faith is the victory that overcomes the world. 5 Who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God? 6 This is he that came by water and blood, even Jesus Christ; not by water only, but by water and blood. And it is the Spirit that beareth witness, because the Spirit is truth. 7 For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one. 8 And there are three that bear witness in earth, the Spirit, and the water, and the blood: and these three agree in one. This is a legal battle. We have laws and commandments, we have witnesses, we have a record kept in heaven. In the end there will be a judgement made. This judgement is not just based on water only. If you remember the Pharisees asked Jesus a question: Luke 20:1 One day as Jesus was teaching the people in the temple courts and proclaiming the good news,the chief priests and the teachers of the law, together with the elders, came up to him. 2 “Tell us by what authority you are doing these things,” they said. “Who gave you this authority?” 3 He replied, “I will also ask you a question. Tell me:4 John’s baptism—was it from heaven, or of human origin?” His point was that John’s baptism was a witness from God, from the Spirit and from man. But that was not the only baptism and not the only witness. When Jesus was crucified that was a baptism in blood. Once again, man, God and the Spirit gave witness that Jesus is the Son of God and that He is Lord. Jesus rising from the dead was a major testimony of His victory. 9 If we receive the witness of men, the witness of God is greater: for this is the witness of God which he hath testified of his Son. Yes, the resurrection of Jesus is a far greater witness than anything man could say. 10 He that believeth on the Son of God hath the witness in himself: he that believeth not God hath made him a liar; because he believeth not the record that God gave of his Son. They refused to deny the baptism of John because they knew that everyone held John to be a prophet. Now think about how powerful the baptism of blood was. If you are afraid to deny the testimony of John, how do you deny the testimony of God with the resurrection? 11 And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. 12 He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life. They can deny it, refuse to believe it, doesn’t matter. It is still true. 13 These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God. 14 And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us: 15 And if we know that he hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him. And this is the point. If you believe on the name of the Son of God you are listening to God and to the Son. Despite everything the world does to dissuade you, you hear God and guess what He also hears you. What has God asked you to do? Believe on His Son and obey His commands. If you do that, it you do what He asks of you it is not too much for God to do what you ask of Him. As you have done it will be done unto you. 16 If any man see his brother sin a sin which is not unto death, he shall ask, and he shall give him life for them that sin not unto death. There is a sin unto death: I do not say that he shall pray for it. One thing that God asks us to do is to pray for those who sin a sin that is not unto death. Right now there are a lot of people saying some very vile things, nasty and insulting things. They are calling people racists, fascists, morons, deplorables, etc. But they are doing this because they have been deceived by this mainstream media which is part of this world that we have overcome. We need to pray for them that their eyes and ears would be opened and they would know the truth. 17 All unrighteousness is sin: and there is a sin not unto death. 18 We know that whosoever is born of God sinneth not; but he that is begotten of God keepeth himself, and that wicked one toucheth him not. This is how we are kept by keeping the Lord’s word. There are 350 million people in this country and although I can believe that we have some bigots, some racists and some fascists I could not believe that half the country was. I have travelled all over this country and stayed in saints homes all over the US. I have had fellowship with saints from virtually every state in the union. I also knew that the Lord forbade me from saying my brother was “a fool” or “raca” or any other term like despicable or chumps. So I was in a tough spot, I didn’t understand them, but I did know that I could not agree with much of the vile rhetoric pouring forth. So I talked to them, met with them, and asked them to explain. If you keep the Lord’s commands the wicked one will not touch you. 19 And we know that we are of God, and the whole world lieth in wickedness. This is not a conspiracy theory. We know that convicting Jesus of sin and executing Him for sins could only take place if the world lieth in wickedness. But once you see that you realize their kingdom stands upon Satan. 20 And we know that the Son of God is come, and hath given us an understanding, that we may know him that is true, and we are in him that is true, even in his Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God, and eternal life. We know that not only is Jesus Lord, but He is true. Satan and his kingdom is built on lies and falsehood. They frighten people with death but we know the true God and we know eternal life. So we don’t need to be frightened of them. Instead we know that their judgement is coming and we are redeeming the time to purify ourselves from them. 21 Little children, keep yourselves from idols. Amen.