1 John 5:5 Who is it that overcomes the world? Only he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God.

We tend to take faith very lightly. We say we believe things, but then we don’t follow through on the implications of what we claim to believe. In the 1^st Century, believing that Jesus was the Son of God and claiming Him as your Lord could get you imprisoned or killed for treason against the Emperor, because the required confession was, “Caesar is Lord.” That is in no way the “easy believism” that has dominated Evangelical Christianity at least since the 20^th Century. We tend to treat faith like a good-luck charm, often quoting the verse just ahead of this to justify that position. However, the victory that John speaks of here could well include martyrdom! It is when our faith causes us to put everything on the line that we experience the victory of Christ. Anything less is just playing games. When Jesus told His disciples to “be of good cheer, for I have overcome the world,” (John 16:33) he was headed for the cross! I’m reminded of the story of the missionary family in China that was captured by a robber gang over a hundred years ago. The gang was threatening to kill them if they didn’t come up with some way to get money to them, but the family’s 12-year-old daughter stood up boldly and proclaimed the Gospel to them, as well as chewing them out for doing such an ultimately cowardly thing. As it turned out, the family was indeed killed, including the daughter, but the reason we know about this incident is that at least one of the gang members was unable to forget what he had seen and heard, and later came to Christ in full repentance. That is victory!

As I am reminded frequently, I don’t feel like I have suffered much for my faith. However, there is no less of a call to faithfulness on my life. As Paul said, “Now it is required that those who have been given a trust must prove faithful.” (1 Corinthians 4:2) I have been supplied with incredible grace and blessings, and how I respond to that reality will define my life. I’m reminded of James and John. James was the first of the apostles to be martyred, having his head cut off with a sword (which is a rather easy way to die). (Acts 12:2) However, John gave his life for Christ no less than his brother, just one day at a time. I really think James got the easy end of that, but God wanted John to write his Gospel and letters, and untold millions of people have been blessed as a result. My faith should cause me to seek God each day for what He wants me to do and say, and then be fully obedient. If it doesn’t do that, it can hardly be called faith.

Father, thank You for this reminder. Thank You for the faith You have implanted in me through my parents and generations before them, and through personal encounters with You. May I indeed live that faith out in fulness, for the sake of the Body of Christ and for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!