More Than Conquerors.

43 Thus the Lord gave to Israel all the land that he swore to give to their fathers. And they took possession of it, and they settled there. 44 And the Lord gave them rest on every side just as he had sworn to their fathers. Not one of all their enemies had withstood them, for the Lord had given all their enemies into their hands. 45 Not one word of all the good promises that the Lord had made to the house of Israel had failed; all came to pass. 

1 At that time Joshua summoned the Reubenites and the Gadites and the half-tribe of Manasseh, 2 and said to them, “You have kept all that Moses the servant of the Lord commanded you and have obeyed my voice in all that I have commanded you. 3 You have not forsaken your brothers these many days, down to this day, but have been careful to keep the charge of the Lord your God. 4 And now the Lord your God has given rest to your brothers, as he promised them. Therefore turn and go to your tents in the land where your possession lies, which Moses the servant of the Lord gave you on the other side of the Jordan. 5 Only be very careful to observe the commandment and the law that Moses the servant of the Lord commanded you, to love the Lord your God, and to walk in all his ways and to keep his commandments and to cling to him and to serve him with all your heart and with all your soul.” 6 So Joshua blessed them and sent them away, and they went to their tents.

7 Now to the one half of the tribe of Manasseh Moses had given a possession in Bashan, but to the other half Joshua had given a possession beside their brothers in the land west of the Jordan. And when Joshua sent them away to their homes and blessed them, 8 he said to them, “Go back to your tents with much wealth and with very much livestock, with silver, gold, bronze, and iron, and with much clothing. Divide the spoil of your enemies with your brothers.” 9 So the people of Reuben and the people of Gad and the half-tribe of Manasseh returned home, parting from the people of Israel at Shiloh, which is in the land of Canaan, to go to the land of Gilead, their own land of which they had possessed themselves by command of the Lord through Moses. – Joshua 21:43-22:9 ESV

The closing verses of chapter 21 act as a kind of summary statement, drawing the previous section of the book to a close. The people of Israel were in the land of promise and had conquered their enemies and occupied the land. Each of the tribes had received their inheritance. And it had all been done according to and in keeping with the promises of God. Now, it might appear to us that the words found in these verses are either a bit overly optimistic or an outright lie, because we know that they had not completely conquered the land or eradicated the former inhabitants of the land. And there were many more battles ahead for them. But it is important to remember that God had never promised them the immediate and full elimination of their enemies. He had told them:

29 I will not drive them out from before you in one year, lest the land become desolate and the wild beasts multiply against you. 30 Little by little I will drive them out from before you, until you have increased and possess the land. 31 And I will set your border from the Red Sea to the Sea of the Philistines, and from the wilderness to the Euphrates, for I will give the inhabitants of the land into your hand, and you shall drive them out before you. – Exodus 23:29-31 ESV

God had always intended this to be a slow and steady operation, allowing the people of Israel time to increase in numbers and strength. Had they wiped out all the inhabitants immediately, the fields would have gone untended and the pasture lands would have become overgrown. The Israelites did not yet have the numbers necessary to occupy all the land. So, God had planned that their occupation of the land would be methodical and gradual. But the text makes it clear that the land was completely theirs. The concluding verse of chapter 21 says it all: “Not one word of all the good promises that the Lord had made to the house of Israel had failed; all came to pass.” God had done His part. Now it was time for them to do theirs. Each tribe had their promised allotment. It was up to them to populate and fully possess their respective inheritance. And, once again, God had promised to make their full and complete possession of the land a reality – if they would trust in and obey Him.

21 You shall not be in dread of them, for the Lord your God is in your midst, a great and awesome God. 22 The Lord your God will clear away these nations before you little by little. You may not make an end of them at once, lest the wild beasts grow too numerous for you. 23 But the Lord your God will give them over to you and throw them into great confusion, until they are destroyed. – Deuteronomy 7:21-23 ESV

Their arrival at the eastern shores of the Jordan River was not the fulfillment of God’s promise made to Abraham. Neither was their crossing over the Jordan on dry ground. Their amazing victories over Jericho and Ai were not the final realization of His promise either. It was not until the final acre of land had been allotted and every one of the 12 tribes had received their inheritance that God deemed His promise fulfilled. Yes, there was much work yet to be done.  There were still enemies to be defeated, cities to be captured, and land to be possessed but, from God’s divine perspective, His promise had been kept. His will had been done. 

The presence of enemies in the land was not an indication that God’s promise was incomplete and, therefore, unfulfilled. He had proven that, with His help, no enemy could stand before them. It was only when the people of Israel failed to live in obedience to and in dependence upon God, that they found their enemies to be a threat. And as Christians, we must always recognize that the salvation we experienced in Christ did not eliminate the presence of the enemy from our lives. But as Paul reminds us, we are more than conquerors through Christ.

31 What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? 32 He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things? 33 Who shall bring any charge against God's elect? It is God who justifies. 34 Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died—more than that, who was raised—who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us. 35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? 36 As it is written,

“For your sake we are being killed all the day long;
    we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered.”

37 No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. 38 For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, 39 nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord. – Romans 8:31-39 ESV

Our enemies are real and their presence is pervasive. They are all around us. But we have already been given the victory over them. And the same thing was true of the Israelites. Yes, there were still Canaanites in the land. There would be days of battle ahead. The enemies of God’s people don’t give up without a fight. But if God is for us, who can be against us? And the apostle John provides us with another word of encouragement concerning the battle we face in this life as believers.

But you belong to God, my dear children. You have already won a victory over those people, because the Spirit who lives in you is greater than the spirit who lives in the world. – 1 John 4:4 NLT

After the last tribe received their land allotment, Joshua gave permission to the tribes of Reuben, Gad and the half-tribe of Manasseh to return to their land on the east side of the Jordan. They had kept their promise and had fought alongside their brothers until each tribe had received their portion of the land. Now, they were free to return home and to begin the process of occupying and cultivating the land given to them by God. But Joshua gave them a word of warning, encouraging them to not allow the natural barrier of the Jordan River to place a roadblock to their faith.

“Only be very careful to observe the commandment and the law that Moses the servant of the Lord commanded you, to love the Lord your God, and to walk in all his ways and to keep his commandments and to cling to him and to serve him with all your heart and with all your soul.” – Joshua 22:5 ESV

These three tribes had been faithful to their brothers, but Joshua knew it was even more important that they remain faithful to God. He had seen what happened when one man failed to obey God’s word. Achan had taken plunder from Jericho and the whole nation had suffered for his sin. And Joshua knew that if the tribes of Reuben, Gad and Manasseh failed to remain faithful to God, keeping His laws and worshiping Him alone, the rest of the tribes would find themselves under God’s wrath. Corporate faithfulness was the key to receiving God’s ongoing blessing. They had gotten what they wanted: The land. But God wanted obedience and faithfulness. And while He had fulfilled His promise to them, their ability to enjoy all the blessings associated with that promise was going to require that they remain faithful to Him.

English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001

New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

The Message (MSG)  Copyright © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene H. Peterson

I Am the Lord.

1 Now these are the kings of the land whom the people of Israel defeated and took possession of their land beyond the Jordan toward the sunrise, from the Valley of the Arnon to Mount Hermon, with all the Arabah eastward: 2 Sihon king of the Amorites who lived at Heshbon and ruled from Aroer, which is on the edge of the Valley of the Arnon, and from the middle of the valley as far as the river Jabbok, the boundary of the Ammonites, that is, half of Gilead, 3 and the Arabah to the Sea of Chinneroth eastward, and in the direction of Beth-jeshimoth, to the Sea of the Arabah, the Salt Sea, southward to the foot of the slopes of Pisgah; 4 and Og king of Bashan, one of the remnant of the Rephaim, who lived at Ashtaroth and at Edrei 5 and ruled over Mount Hermon and Salecah and all Bashan to the boundary of the Geshurites and the Maacathites, and over half of Gilead to the boundary of Sihon king of Heshbon. 6 Moses, the servant of the Lord, and the people of Israel defeated them. And Moses the servant of the Lord gave their land for a possession to the Reubenites and the Gadites and the half-tribe of Manasseh.

7 And these are the kings of the land whom Joshua and the people of Israel defeated on the west side of the Jordan, from Baal-gad in the Valley of Lebanon to Mount Halak, that rises toward Seir (and Joshua gave their land to the tribes of Israel as a possession according to their allotments, 8 in the hill country, in the lowland, in the Arabah, in the slopes, in the wilderness, and in the Negeb, the land of the Hittites, the Amorites, the Canaanites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites): 9 the king of Jericho, one; the king of Ai, which is beside Bethel, one; 10 the king of Jerusalem, one; the king of Hebron, one; 11 the king of Jarmuth, one; the king of Lachish, one; 12 the king of Eglon, one; the king of Gezer, one; 13 the king of Debir, one; the king of Geder, one; 14 the king of Hormah, one; the king of Arad, one; 15 the king of Libnah, one; the king of Adullam, one; 16 the king of Makkedah, one; the king of Bethel, one; 17 the king of Tappuah, one; the king of Hepher, one; 18 the king of Aphek, one; the king of Lasharon, one; 19 the king of Madon, one; the king of Hazor, one; 20 the king of Shimron-meron, one; the king of Achshaph, one; 21 the king of Taanach, one; the king of Megiddo, one; 22 the king of Kedesh, one; the king of Jokneam in Carmel, one; 23 the king of Dor in Naphath-dor, one; the king of Goiim in Galilee, one; 24 the king of Tirzah, one: in all, thirty-one kings. – Joshua 12:1-24 ESV

This chapter provides us with a summary of the conquests of Joshua and the people of Israel, beginning with their defeats of the two cities belonging to Og and Sihon. These two kings and their kingdoms were located on the eastern side of the Jordan and had been the first two Canaanite cities to fall to the Israelites before they crossed the Jordan and entered the promised land. Their domains were awarded to the tribes of Reuben, Gad and the half-tribe of Manasseh. These three tribes had decided to forfeit their right to a portion of the land within the land of promise and chose instead to settle on the eastern side of the Jordan. But they had agreed to cross over with the rest of the Israelites and fight alongside them until the possession of the land was complete. Once Joshua was ready to divide up the conquered land between the remaining tribes, he allowed the tribes of Reuben, Gad and Manasseh to return to their families and property on the other side of the. Jordan.

In this chapter we are provided with the names of 31 kings whose kingdoms fell to the Israelites. From Sidon in the far north to Kadesh in the distant south, from the River Jordan to the Mediterranean Sea, Joshua and the people of Israel had successfully conquered the land of promise, establishing themselves as its new occupants and solidifying the reputation of God as the one true God. The whole campaign had been according to God’s will, accomplished by His power and in fulfillment of the promise He had made to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. Possession of the land had not come easily. God had given it to them, but He had not handed it to them. They were required to do their part and fight. At least 31 times, they had to march into battle and, in most cases, against far more powerful enemies and in the face of overwhelming odds. Each battle had required faith in God. And every victory was a testimony to the faithfulness of God. This ragtag remnant of former slaves had been able to walk into a foreign land and face enemy forces equipped with better-trained troop and more advanced weaponry. But, in each case, God gave them the victory. He had not only given them the land, He had provided them with the capacity to possess the land.

It is easy to read this chapter and see it as nothing more than a list of difficult to pronounce names of ancient kings and long-forgotten people groups. We see the names of the Hittites, Amorites, Canaanites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites, and they mean little or nothing to us. But the author of the book of Joshua is attempting to provide us with a report that should remind us of God’s power. This isn’t meant to be some kind of Excel spreadsheet listing all of Israel’s victories. It is an objective chronicle of the exploits of God Almighty on behalf of His chosen people. The sheer impossibility of all that we read in this chapter should not escape us. It is less the synopsis of a military campaign, than it is a reminder of God’s power and His faithfulness to fulfill what He promises. 

All the way back in the book of Exodus, we have recorded the words God spoke to Moses when He called him to deliver the people of Israel from their captivity in Egypt.

6 “Say therefore to the people of Israel, ‘I am the Lord, and I will bring you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians, and I will deliver you from slavery to them, and I will redeem you with an outstretched arm and with great acts of judgment. 7 I will take you to be my people, and I will be your God, and you shall know that I am the Lord your God, who has brought you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians. 8 I will bring you into the land that I swore to give to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob. I will give it to you for a possession. I am the Lord.’” – Exodus 6:6-8 ESV

And God had done it. He had delivered on His promise. Not only had He set them free from their captivity and led them across the wilderness to the land of Canaan, He had given them possession of the land. Every step of the way, the odds had been against them. They never should have been able to walk out of Egypt, but they had. They never should have survived the arduous journey across the wilderness, but they did. They never should have defeated the inhabitants of the land of Canaan, but as chapter 12 of the book of Joshua clearly indicates, they most certainly did. Notice how many times God said to Moses, “I will.”

I will bring you out…

I will redeem you…

I will take you to be my people…

I will be your God…

I will bring you into the land…

I will give it to you as a possession…

He said He would and He he did. And God had book-ended His promise to Moses with the four simple words: “I am the Lord.” He used His proper name, Jehovah, which means “the existing One.” The everlasting, eternal God had entered into time and space and shown Himself to be not only real, but reliable. He wasn’t some transcendent, distant deity who refused to interact with His creation. He intimately involved Himself in the affairs of everyday life, redeeming, guiding, providing, rescuing and fighting on behalf of His chosen people. So, while the list of names and places found in chapter 12 mean little to us, they should remind us of the undeniable power and undiminished presence of our God. He is still among us. He is still guiding, directing, protecting and providing for us. And He is still in the business of fighting our battle for us – against any and all odds. The apostle Paul reminds us that our God is still on our side, having proven His love for us by sending His Son to die for us. And in spite of all the odds against us, we are victorious.

35 Can anything ever separate us from Christ’s love? Does it mean he no longer loves us if we have trouble or calamity, or are persecuted, or hungry, or destitute, or in danger, or threatened with death? 36 (As the Scriptures say, “For your sake we are killed every day; we are being slaughtered like sheep.”) 37 No, despite all these things, overwhelming victory is ours through Christ, who loved us.

38 And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow—not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love. 39 No power in the sky above or in the earth below—indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord. – Romans 8:35-39 NLT

English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001

New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

The Message (MSG)  Copyright © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene H. Peterson

More Than Conquerors.

As it is written, “For your sake we are being killed all the day long; we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered.” No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord. – Romans 8:36-39 ESV

There are those two words again: “These things.” It is as if Paul is presenting us with a juxtaposition that presents all of the “these things” related to our position in Christ and all of the “these things” that are tied to our time of suffering in this world. They appear contradictory and in conflict with one another. On the one hand, we are sons and daughters of God. We are joint-heirs with Jesus Christ. We have the Holy Spirit living within us, empowering us to deny our sin natures and live godly lives. He helps us in our times of weakness, even interpreting our prayers and bringing them into alignment with God's will. We have the assurance of God's unstoppable purpose for our lives and the promise of our future glorification. And yet, while we live on this earth, we suffer just as Jesus did. We face temptation. We have to constantly fight our own sin nature and fend off the attacks of the enemy. But Paul asks, “Who shall separate us from the love of Christ?” (Romans 8:35 ESV). Then he goes on to list just a few of the obstacles standing in our way: Tribulation, distress, persecution, famine, nakedness, danger and the sword. These are just a few of the “these things” Paul is referring to in verse 37. And he adds to the list in verses 38-39: Death, life, angels, rulers, things present, things to come, powers, heights, depths, or anything else in creation. The New Testament In Modern English puts those two verses in language we can understand.

I have become absolutely convinced that neither death nor life, neither messenger of Heaven nor monarch of earth, neither what happens today nor what may happen tomorrow, neither a power from on high nor a power from below, nor anything else in God’s whole world has any power to separate us from the love of God in Jesus Christ our Lord!

We are more than conquerors, Paul emphatically states. We are over-comers and, ultimately, victors over anything and everything that stands in our way in this life. Why? Because of Christ's finished work on the cross. He loved us enough to die for us. He loved us so much He rose for us. He loved us even though He left us, because He sent His Spirit to live within us. He loves us enough to intercede for us with His Father. He loves us enough that one day He is returning for us. Jesus told His disciples, “In my Father’s house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also” (John 14:2-3 ESV).

The problem we face is the constant temptation to judge the love of God based on what is happening to us at a particular moment in time. If we find ourselves in a desperate circumstance, we can easily begin to wonder whether God really loves us. We can be tempted to doubt His faithfulness. We may begin to question His power or even debate His presence. But rather than focusing on what is happening, we need to learn to keep our attention on has already happened. God has already sent His Son to die for us. He has redeemed us with the blood of His innocent, sinless Son. He has adopted us as His Son and daughters. He has justified us – removing our sin and replacing it with His Son's righteousness. He has given us His Spirit to live within us, providing us with the same power that raised Jesus from death to life. He has conquered sin and death. He has written our names in the Lamb's Book of Life. In other words, God HAS loved us, all the way to the end. And NOTHING will ever separate us from that love. Nothing can snatch us from His hands. No one can change what God has ALREADY done.

The writer of the book of Hebrews reminds us, “But when Christ had offered for all time a single sacrifice for sins, he sat down at the right hand of God, waiting from that time until his enemies should be made a footstool for his feet. For by a single offering he has perfected for all time those who are being sanctified.” (Hebrews 10:12-14 ESV). Look at what he says. “He has perfected for all time those who are being sanctified.” That is us. All who have a saving relationship with Jesus Christ are being perfected for all time. His sanctifying work in our lives is not yet finished, but it will be. The day is coming when we will be like Him. We will see Him. We will be with Him. The purpose of God for our lives will be finalized. We have been saved. We are being sanctified. And we will one day be glorified. We are more than conquerors, we are victors.

There is a wonderful song we tend to sing only at Christmas. It is by Thomas Kinkade and is called Joyful, Joyful, We Adore Thee. The closing lines fit perfectly with our verses for today.

Mortals, join the happy chorus, Which the morning stars began; Father love is reigning o'er us, Brother love binds man to man. Ever singing, march we onward, Victors in the midst of strife, Joyful music leads us Sunward In the triumph song of life.

.

Nike.

Who is it that overcomes the world except the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God? – 1 John 5:5 ESV

When John speaks of overcoming the world, he uses the Greek word, nikaō, which means {to carry off the victory or to come off victorious.’ It comes from the root word, nikē, which simply means “victory.” Of course, we know it as the name of a certain sporting goods manufacturer. John had a certain affinity for the word, using it five different times in his letter and 17 times in the Book of the Revelation. While exiled on the island of Patmos, John received a vision from Jesus Christ Himself, providing him with divine insight into the end times. John was instructed to write about what he heard and saw. Near the end of his book, he recorded these words from Jesus, “‘Behold, I am making all things new.’ Also he said, ‘Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.’ And he said to me, ‘It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. To the thirsty I will give from the spring of the water of life without payment.  The one who conquers will have this heritage, and I will be his God and he will be my son’” (Revelation 21:5-7 ESV). Jesus used the same Greek word to refer to those who will come off victorious in the end. But the victory will not be due to anyone's efforts other than those of Jesus. He is the one who will declare, “It is done!” On the cross, He cried out, ”It is finished!” He work of sacrifice was completed. He had done what His Father had set out for Him to do. He had given His life as a payment for the sins of mankind. But He rose again, because there was still more for Him to do. At this very moment He sits at the right hand of the Father, mediating on our behalf. He is our personal representative before God the Father. It is His very resurrected life that allows us to come into the Father's presence and enjoy intimate communion with Him. We enjoy the love of the Father because of the love of the Son. In fact, Jesus loves us so much, that He is actively involved in the everyday affairs of our lives. He didn't just save us, He is out to transform us into His likeness. His goal for us is our ever-increasing holiness. In the Book of the Revelation, John recorded these words of Jesus to the church at Laodicea: “Those whom I love, I reprove and discipline, so be zealous and repent. Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me. The one who conquers, I will grant him to sit with me on my throne, as I also conquered and sat down with my Father on his throne. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches” (Revelation 3:19-22 ESV). This was a church that Jesus described as “lukewarm.” They were neither hot or cold in their love for Him. They were contentedly complacent. In fact, Jesus went on to describe their attitude in less-than-flattering terms, “For you say, I am rich, I have prospered, and I need nothing, not realizing that you are wretched, pitiable, poor, blind, and naked” (Revelation 3:17 ESV). They were blind to their own spiritual reality. Rather than see their need, they mistakenly assumed they were spiritually healthy and whole. But Jesus begged them to zealously repent. He described Himself as standing at the door of their fellowship, knocking and pleading to allow Him into their midst. He was offering to have fellowship with them.

It would seem that the key to our victory, our nikē, is an ongoing, uninterrupted fellowship with Jesus. Our relationship with Him did not end at the cross. He is not only our Savior, He is our Lord and King. He is our brother. He is our mediator and intercessor. It is He, along with the indwelling Holy Spirit, who makes it possible for us to live victorious. We can overcome the world, from its daily temptations to give in to “the desires of the flesh, and the desires of the eyes and pride of life” (1 John 2:16 ESV) to its ongoing hatred for us (1 John 3:13). It is our faith in Jesus as Savior and our soon-and-coming King that gives us the victory we seek. It is our faith in Jesus as the Christ and the Son of God. There is no other means by which we can be saved and there is no other way we can experience victory over this world. Human effort will fail. While Nike's slogan, Just Do It, may sound reasonable and motivational, it will not work in the spiritual arena. Our faith must not be in ourselves and our own ability to pull off some degree of spiritual stamina. Our faith must reside in and remain in Jesus Christ. It is NOT our faith that makes the difference, but the object on which our faith rests: Jesus. We read these encouraging words from Jesus, spoken to the church at Laodicea. “I counsel you to buy from me gold refined by fire, so that you may be rich, and white garments so that you may clothe yourself and the shame of your nakedness may not be seen, and salve to anoint your eyes, so that you may see” (Revelation 3:18 ESV). He was speaking to believers. He was inviting them to come to Him for all that they needed. He was offering Himself as the source for all their spiritual deficiencies. Jesus stands ready to help us. He wants to make us victorious. But we keep our faith solidly placed on Him and nothing and no one else.

A Timely Reminder.

I am writing to you, little children, because your sins are forgiven for his name's sake. I am writing to you, fathers, because you know him who is from the beginning. I am writing to you, young men, because you have overcome the evil one. – 1 John 2:12-13 ESV

This section in the book of First John is a fascinating and somewhat perplexing one. Even the commentaries seem to struggle with exactly what John seems to be saying and to whom he is trying to say it. He appears to be addressing three groups of people: Little children, fathers, and young men. There are those who believe there three groups simply represent the various age segments within the local church. Like any fellowship, it would have had children, young adults and older individuals. There is another school of thought that believes these three groups represent levels or degrees of spiritual maturity. The term “children” would simple be a designation for those who were new in Christ. “Young men” would represent those in the church whose lives exhibit a degree of spiritual growth. “Fathers” would be those who were the more spiritually mature. The problem with either of these views is that John complicates any conclusions we may reach by what he has to say to each of the three groups he mentions. Our tendency is to focus on the three audiences addressed rather than the message being conveyed. It is not exactly clear who John is addressing, but it is crystal clear what he is saying to them.

Your sins are forgiven for his name’s sake.

You know him who is from the beginning.

You have overcome the evil one.

Because you know the father.

Because you know him who is from the beginning.

Because you are strong, and the word of God abides in you, and you have overcome the evil one.

If you notice, virtually every one of these statements is a review of what John has covered in his letter up until this point. Forgiveness of sins, knowledge of the Father, spiritual victory, the abiding presence of God, and a knowledge of Jesus Christ – each of these was to be real in their lives and not speculative. These truths were not to be in doubt. Regardless of who is talking to, John is reassuring them that everything he has been telling them is “true in him and in you” (1 John 2:8). Your sins are forgiven. What a remarkable statement that most of us take for granted or for to grasp its significance. We have forgiveness of our sins – for His name's sake. Not because we have earned it or deserved it. Not because we have lived righteous and sinless lives. Not because we have paid the debt for our sins. But because of His name. God came up with a way to protect the integrity of His name, His very character, by providing His Son as the sacrifice for our sins. His sinless Son took our place and paid our debt, propitiating or satisfying the just demands of a holy, righteous God. And we are forgiven. Our sins are forgiven. “He is so rich in kindness and grace that he purchased our freedom with the blood of his Son and forgave our sins” (Ephesians 1:7 NLT). Done deal. Case closed. Sins forgiven. Past. Present. Future. For all time.

Not only that, we know Him who was from the beginning. We know Jesus Christ, the Son of God and the creator of the universe. We have a relationship with the God-man, who left the throne of heaven and took on human flesh so that He might die as a substitute for our sins. And it is that relationship with Him that gives us access to the Father. We know the Father. We have an intimate and personal relationship with Him. We can come into His presence without fear of condemnation. We can have fellowship with Him and enjoy all the blessings and benefits that come with being a child of God. ^“This includes you who were once far away from God. You were his enemies, separated from him by your evil thoughts and actions. Yet now he has reconciled you to himself through the death of Christ in his physical body. As a result, he has brought you into his own presence, and you are holy and blameless as you stand before him without a single fault” (Colossians 1:19-20 NLT).

And if all that was not enough, John reminds his audience that they are overcomers. He doesn't tell them they WILL be overcomers some day. No, he tells them they have already overcome the evil one. They have experienced victory over the enemy. They have conquered sin and death, because of the death of Jesus Christ on the cross. Yes, they were still living on this earth and were faced with the prospect battling their own sin natures and a very real spiritual enemy in the form of Satan, but John wanted them to know that they were already victorious and strong, because the word of God was abiding in them. They had the promise of forgiveness of sins and the assurance of eternal life with God. “But thank God! He gives us victory over sin and death through our Lord Jesus Christ. So, my dear brothers and sisters, be strong and immovable. Always work enthusiastically for the Lord, for you know that nothing you do for the Lord is ever useless” (1 Corinthians 15:57-58 NLT).

In a way, these words are for all of us who have a relationship with God through Jesus Christ. They are true of us whatever our chronological age or level of spiritual maturity. We are forgiven. We know God. We are strong. We are overcomers. And we will be victorious. Timely words. A much-needed reminder. Now let's live like we believe it.

You Have Overcome.

I write to you, young men, because you are strong, and the word of God abides in you, and you have overcome the evil one. – 1 John 2:14 ESV

Life can be filled with setbacks and disappointments – even for those who believe in Christ and have a relationship with Him. in fact, difficulties can and are a regular part of the average Christian's life. Which should come as no surprise to us, because Jesus Himself told us it would be that way. “In the world you will have tribulation.…” (John 16:33 ESV). But He also went on to say, “But take heart; I have overcome the world.” The Greek word for overcome is nikaō and it means “to conquer, to carry off the victory.” Jesus has overcome or conquered this world order, the domain that lies under the influence of Satan. Paul describes Satan very plainly and simply. “In their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God” (2 Corinthians 4:4 ESV). But the darkness has been penetrated by the light of Christ. And John would remind us that “the darkness is passing away and the true light is already shining” (1 John 2:8 ESV). The light of God, in the form of Christ's righteousness, made available to those who have accepted His offer of salvation, shines in our lives. As a result, the light dwells in us, not just around us. God inhabits us, in the form of His Holy Spirit. And the reality is that we have already overcome the evil one, because Christ has defeated him. Our victory is assured because Christ's death conquered sin and death once and for all time. Which is why Paul could so boldly declare, “Death is swallowed up in victory. O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting? The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ” (1 Corinthians 15:54-58 ESV). As believers, we don't have to fear death. It is not terminal. It does not lead to a dead end. The writer of Hebrews reminds us, “Because God's children are human beings – made of flesh and blood – the Son also became flesh and blood. For only as a human being could he die, and only by dying could he break the power of the devil, who had the power of death” (Hebrews 2:14 NLT). There was a day when death would have brought us judgment and an eternity separated from God as a punishment for our sins. But because of Christ's death on the cross, our sins have been paid for, our judgment reversed, our condemnation eliminated, and our death sentence has not only been commuted, but completely eradicated.

Twice in his epistle, John refers to young men who have overcome the evil one. They are young, but they are victorious. He does not address this statement to grey-haired saints who have lived long and battle-hardened lives. He confidently calls these young men overcomers. Why? Because their victory was achieved through Christ – on their behalf. Therefore, they can love unconditionally, as Christ loved. They can “walk in the same way in which he walked” (1 John 2:6 ESV). They can live in obedience, humility, selflessness and sacrifice. Their lives, regardless of their young age, can exhibit strength that comes from the Lord. And as a result, they can model what it means to live in victory even in the midst of a world under the control and influence of the evil one. One of the greatest evidences of this victory is their willingness to do the will of God, rather than fulfill the desires of their own flesh. A love affair with the world no longer marks their lives. The things this world offers – “a craving for physical pleasure, a craving for everything we see, and pride in our achievements and possessions” (1 John 2:16 NLT) – no longer holds them captive. Doing God's will means more to them than succumbing to the world's ways. God's love shows up in a love for others rather than in a love for the world. Life becomes other-focused rather than self-centered. Sacrifice becomes the norm, not self-satisfaction. Humility becomes more attractive than hubris or pride. These kinds of people live with an eternal perspective that reminds them that “the world is passing away along with its desires” (1 John 2:17 ESV), but they will live forever. The darkness is passing because the true light is already shining. The world is passing away as well, because its days are numbered. And yet we underestimate the reality that we have overcome. Our victory is not only sure, it has already been accomplished. So we can live victorious, confident, and radically different lives. “Let brotherly love continue. Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for thereby some have entertained angels unawares. Remember those who are in prison, as though in prison with them, and those who are mistreated, since you also are in the body. Let marriage be held in honor among all, and let the marriage bed be undefiled, for God will judge the sexually immoral and adulterous. Keep your life free from love of money, and be content with what you have, for he has said, ‘I will never leave you nor forsake you.’ So we can confidently say, ‘The Lord is my helper; I will not fear; what can man do to me?’” (Hebrews 13:1-6 ESV).