Love, faith, and victory

If someone says, “I love God,” and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen, how can he love God whom he has not seen? And this commandment we have from Him: that he who loves God must love his brother also. Whoever believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God, and everyone who loves Him who begot also loves him who is begotten of Him. By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and keep His commandments. For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments. And His commandments are not burdensome. For whatever is born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith. Who is he who overcomes the world, but he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God? – I John 4.20-5.5

I wrote yesterday about the incredible battle of fear and love and about how easy it is to struggle with that battle. I was challenged by what God says. It is impossible to trust in the love of God and still be afraid.

Today’s passage makes another application regarding the power of love. It goes like this:

Anyone who loves God loves his brother in Christ
Whoever has put their faith in Christ is a child of God
Anyone who loves God loves other children of God
We prove our love for each other when we love God and keep His commandments
God’s commands are not to be burdensome
The children of God overcome the world
We overcome the world through faith

It starts with love and ends with faith. That combination of love for God and others, obedience to His commands, and faith that He will do what He says will see us overcome the world.  We already know that greater is He who is in us than He that is in the world.

As much as I battle it we don’t need to be afraid of the world and its ways. God’s love produces faith and faith gives the victory.

I could go on, but the words of this great old hymn do a better job than I could.

Encamped along the hills of light,
Ye Christian soldiers, rise,
And press the battle ere the night
Shall veil the glowing skies.
Against the foe in vales below,
Let all our strength be hurled;
Faith is the victory, we know,
That overcomes the world.

Refrain:
Faith is is the victory!
Faith is is the victory!
Oh, glorious victory,
That overcomes the world.

His banner over us is love,
Our sword the Word of God;
We tread the road the saints above
With shouts of triumph trod.
By faith they, like a whirlwind's breath,
Swept on o'er ev'ry field;
The faith by which they conquered death
Is still our shining shield.

On ev'ry hand the foe we find
Drawn up in dread array;
Let tents of ease be left behind,
And onward to the fray;
Salvation's helmet on each head,
With truth all girt about,
The earth shall tremble 'neath our tread,
And echo with our shout.

To him that overcomes the foe,
White raiment shall be giv'n;
Before the angels he shall know
His name confessed in heav'n.
Then onward from the hills of light,
Our hearts with love aflame,
We'll vanquish all the hosts of night,
In Jesus' conqu'ring name.