1 John v. 4, 5. Whatsoever is born of God, overcometh the world : and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith. Who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God ?
CHRISTIANITY is a warfare : every follower of Christ is by profession a soldier. The enemies whom he is engaged to combat are, the world, the flesh, and
the devil. It is of one of these more especially that my text speaks ; and that is, the world. Mankind at tar'ge are led captive by it. The Christian combats and overcomes it. In this respect he differs from, and surpasses, all the human race. These things are plainly affirmed in the passage before us : which will lead me to shew,
I. The victory which every true Christian gains —
The Christian is here described as " born of
God"—
[He is not only born of the flesh, like other men, but has a new nature imparted to him from above, and which he alone possesses. The Spirit of the living God, who moved upon (he face of the waters, and reduced the whole chaotic mass of this world to order and beauty, has moved upon his soul, to restore it to the image of his Creator, in which it was origi- nally formed, in righteousness and true holiness. The person here spoken of as born of God, is also characterized as be- lieving that Jesus is the Son of God. This shews what the process of the Holy Spirit is, in ti'ansforming the soul. He makes us to feel our guilt before God : he reveals the Lord Jesus Christ to us, as the appointed Saviour of the world : he enables us to believe in him, and to confess him openly before men, as all our salvation and all our desire. Thus the rege- nerate person shews himself to be a believer in Christ ; and the believer in Christ approves himself to be regenerate. And hence the terms, as characterizing the child of God, are con- vertible, and of the same import.]
He overcomes the world —
[From the moment that he experiences the regenerating influence of the Holy Spirit, he enters into conflict with the world, and overcomes it. He overcomes both its allurements and its terrors. Every thing in the world, the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eye, and the pride of life, is fascinating to the corrupt heart of man, and gains an ascendant over all, whilst in their natural and carnal state. But the regenerate person has higher gratifications, which he affects as his supreme good, and for which he sacrifices all that this world can give him. He feels that earthly vanities debase the soul : and he will no longer be led captive by them. He says to them all, " Depart from me, I will keep the commandments of my
God"
In like manner, he triumphs over its terrors also. The world will take up arms against those who dare to oppose its maxims and its habits. Sometimes, by contempt and ridicule