“For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and
this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith” (1 John 5:4
KJV).
Note this verse in the Amplified:
“For everyone born of God is victorious and overcomes
the world; and this is the victory that has conquered and overcome
the world—our [continuing, persistent] faith [in Jesus the Son of God].”
I enjoy the Amplified version of the Bible very much, and I
usually agree with its transliteration/interpretation, but in this particular
instance, it has missed the full meaning of exactly what is born of God. Sure, “EVERYONE born of God” is His child,
and they certainly overcome the world by their “[continuing, persistent] faith”
in Jesus Christ, BUT the King James version more accurately renders it as “WHATSOEVER
is born of God overcometh the world.”
Whatsoever is more than people; it includes revivals and other such
moves and miracles birthed by God.
God Himself is indomitable.
Everything He does, creates, initiates/originates or births overcomes
the world; we as His children—simply clinging to Him in faith—cannot fail to
overcome this world. No matter how dark
and powerful the lust and lure of this world becomes, so long as we remain one
with God (and thereby draw from His Almighty power), we stand as He does,
divorced from all lust, evil and corruption.
Simply put, nothing God thinks, acts upon, or puts His hand to, fails;
nothing He births, dies. “He has … made
everything beautiful in its time … I KNOW THAT EVERYTHING GOD DOES WILL ENDURE
FOREVER; nothing can be added to it and nothing taken from it” (Ecclesiastes
3:11, 14).
Are spiritual deformities or still-births possible in Christ? Can someone be premature, and therefore undeveloped
in their born-again Spirit? I tend to
think not! But Paul did say— “My little
children, of whom I travail in birth again until Christ be formed in you”
(Galatians 4:19); this does seem to suggest a need for more spiritual pre-birth
development.
When so few Christians seem to walk in victory, it puzzles
me (even though I find myself too often numbered with them). How can those born of God walk about defeated
and overcome by this world? I know of no
answer excepting youthful-like, immature carnality and/or a lack of genuine
conversion. And the latter—a lack of
genuine conversion—is perhaps the cause of my perplexment. If these spiritual deformities and
still-births are really soulical/natural—devoid of a true born-again experience—then
there never was (or is) a spiritual malady.
Because “youthful-like, immature carnality” is almost indistinguishable
from a lack of conversion—and too much of it reigns in the churches—it is
difficult to remedy.
In America—where I live and therefore understand best—we are
well-fed, indulgent and idle. I am
reminded of what the prophet said about Sodom: “Behold, this was the iniquity
of … Sodom, pride, fulness of bread, and abundance of idleness was in her …
neither did she strengthen the hand of the poor and needy” (Ezekiel 16:49). The old adage— “Idleness is the Devil’s
workshop”—is applicable.
Simply put, the gross immorality that marked Sodom is now
the mark of America. My only hope is
that those righteous in Christ remain faithful and therefore indomitable. Our context is now morally filthier than ever
before; but “If He rescued righteous Lot [from Sodom], who was tormented
by the immoral conduct of unprincipled and ungodly men (for that
just man, while living among them, felt his righteous soul tormented day after
day by what he saw and heard of their lawless acts), then … the Lord
knows how to rescue the godly from trial” (2 Peter 2:7-9). Our context might be gross darkness, but THE
INDOMITABLE CHILD OF GOD “Is like the light of dawn, that shines brighter and
brighter until [it reaches its full strength and glory in] the perfect day”
(Proverbs 4:18).
