become dim in presence of that greater luminary, so all human definitions, however excellent, are eclipsed when God himself reveals himself as a Being who is love. I know then that God must be love. It cannot but be true that "God is love." VICTORY OVER THE WORLD. BY THE REV. JOHN STOCK. "This is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith."-1 John v. 4. WHAT sad mistakes are made with regard to the nature of a real moral victory over the world! Here is a hard-headed, hard-hearted, and hardfisted man of the world, who has fought his way up to affluence and power, in the face of tremendous difficulties. He has no love for Christ, and no reverence for God, and yet he boasts of having got the better of the world! Alas! he is deceived. He is not the victor, but the vanquished. The world has overcome him, not he the world; and every fresh success in removing the obstacles in the way of his temporal advancement has only increased the completeness of the world's victory over his heart and soul. What then constitutes a true victory over the world? I. Let us consider THE ENEMY TO BE OVERCOME-the world. In what respects is the world to be overcome? 1. The world in its cares and sorrows. The cares of this world are the ruin of many. They choke the word, so that it becomes unfruitful. They lead the soul away from God, and make it cleave to the dust. They monopolize the heart's affections, and leave no room for God or heavenly things. Some are thus prostrated by worldly sorrows. Trials and disappointments fill them with rebellion and repining. They are mastered by their crosses. Now the world is to be overcome in its cares and sorrows. These must not be allowed to destroy our faith in God, nor our submission to his will. He who can cast his care upon God when it is most pressing, and he who can trust his very sorrows with Jesus, has overcome the world. 2. The world in its pernicious ex ample and maxims. The world tempts by its example; it corrupts by its evil principles. The world and the Gospel are at issue with each other in the principles by which they are animated. For example, the world says, Mind the main chance, which means, regard the acquisition of wealth as the chief end of a man's being. The Gospel says, "Seek ye first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things shall be added." The man who turns a deaf ear to God's morality, and is ruled by the corrupt maxims of the world, is overcome by the world. But he who chooses the yoke of Christ, takes the Gospel as his guide, and lives nobly superior to the example and principles of the world around himhas overcome the world. 3. The world in its pleasures and applauses. The world tempts by its promised pleasures. It allures by the honours and flatteries which it bestows upon its votaries. And how few resist this destructive fascina tion! How many a young man yields to the desire of being called "a good fellow" by men to whom the highest form of goodness is utterly strange. The world loves its own; it pets them; it humours them; it applauds them. And it is hard to stand up against the flatterer; to turn away from his poisonous breath; and to prefer the smile of Jehovah, and the answer of a good conscience. He who allows himself to be intoxicated by the fames of the world's pleasures and applauses, is overcome by the world. But to dash from our lips the maddening cup of sinful indulgence, and to turn away from the smiles and applauses of corrupt men, is a noble victory over the world. Human nature loves popularity; its sunshine is pleasant to bask in. The world's smiles are more destructive and more to be dreaded than its frowns. And it is a glorious triumph when a man can dare to be singular in his love of goodness. He has overcome the world. 4. The world in its persecutions. "Marvel not if the world hate you.' The carnal mind is enmity against God, and against his representatives. In the first family there was a Cain well as an Abel. In Abraham's family there were both Ishmael and Issac; and Isaac was cursed with an Esau as well as blessed with a Jacob. The enmity may not always show itself in the murders of the Inquisition, and the other savage cruelties of bygone days. The sneer, the tannt, the slanderous aspersion, have not been laid aside, and many men would almost rather die than be aughed at. In various ways the world will seek to drive us from our integrity when it cannot allure or seduce us. These persecutions we have to overcome. Our duty is to persevere in our Christian course, indifferent to the censure and the contempt of a blaspheming world; just the orb of day continues his career of light, unaffected by the clouds and storms which sometimes hide him from our eyes. When the threats of the persecutor fail to move us, when we can bear to have our names cast out as evil, and can defy the world to do its worst, we overcome it. Yes; Stephen was gaining a splendid victory over the world when being crushed and battered by its stones to death. The world slew the martyr's body; but the martyr's soul defied and vanquished it to the last. Behold the enemy then, and the nature of the controversy! II. Let the reader glance at THE VICTORY ASCRIBED TO THE CHRIS TIAN. He overcomes! two things to be victory. There are one or noticed in this 1. It is certain. The apostle proclaims a general truth. "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?" This passage contains a series of universal propositions; propositions without an exception to the contrary. In every case the birth of God secures this victory: faith never fails to enjoy it; and the great object of this overcoming faith is the Son of God. This sublime triumph is secured by the eternal purpose of the Father, by the perfect work of Jesus, and by the office and omnipotence of the Holy Spirit. The promise and faithfulness of a covenant-keeping God guarantee it. When two armies come into the field, the soldiers in the opposing lines cannot foresee on which side the victory will be; but every one who enlists under the banners of Jesus shall be made more than a conqueror. This certainty of success will not diminish the activities of the Christian warrior; rather will it tend to stimulate him in the strife. How does the general rally his half-beaten troops, but by raising the spiritstirring cry of victory? If the soldier could but be sure of triumph, with what energy would he fight! If the merchant were certain of success in any speculation, would he not embark his last farthing in it? If the mariner were sure of a safe return, how cheerily would he spread his sails to the wind! The hope of success is one mainspring of effort. The certainty of the Christian's triumph is a mighty stimulus to the vigorous wielding of the weapons of his spiritual welfare. 2. It is the result of Divine grace. Our separation from the world by effectuat calling, our preservation from going back into the world, and our triumphs over the persecutions and temptations of the world, are all the result of the Holy Spirit's grace. It is the birth from above, the being born of God, that secures the triumph. Formalists who never underwent this birth may perish; but saints persevere to the end. The armour which we wear, the weapons which we wield, and the strength with which we fight, are all from Heaven. Do we wear the belmet of the hope of salvation? That hope is "a fruit of the Spirit." Do we carry the shield of faith, wherewith we quench every fiery dart? That faith is the gift of God. Do we wield the sword of the Spirit ? That sword is the word of God. Is our strength renewed from day to day? It is Christ who says, My grace is sufficient for thee." God gives all who enlist in his service weapons to use, and power and skill to use them. He teaches their hands to war, and their fingers to fight. They are strong in the strength of the Lord, and in the power of his might. They can do all things through Christ who strengtheneth them. 66 3. It shall be complete and decisive. By all saints the world shall be perfectly and eternally overcome. They shall be " more than conquerors," to indicate the thoroughness of their triumph. It will be more than victory; for it will never need to be repeated. The conqueror may have to buckle on his armour afresh at his country's call; but the Christian will have done with fighting for ever. He will be more than a mere victor, for he will be eternally at rest. A conqueror overcomes his enemy, but the Christian's foes shall be destroyed. Sin, death, and the world, shall be cast into hell for ever. away. Who can conceive of the splendour of the crown which shall deck the brow of every victorious believer? It is a crown of glory, of righteousness, of life, and one that fadeth not The crown worn by the mightiest earthly monarch soon waxes dim by time. Death robs him of his splendour, strips him of his purple, and clothes him with the winding-sheet of the tomb; but that glory and that crown are im mortal and incorruptible. Time shall never dim, and death never wither their brightness. III. Let thought next dwell on This THE MEANS OF TRIUMPH. is said to be "our faith," or, as it is defined in the next verse, "believing that Jesus is the Son of God." But how does faith in the Son of God operate in securing this victory? 1. It connects us with the grace and fulness of Christ Jesus. The secret of the power of faith is, that it opens to us the fulness of strength and grace which is treasured up in Christ Jesus. It is the key which unlocks to us the fulness of Immanuel. It has no power apart for its object, but it unites us to Him who is almighty to save; hence its wondrous strength. It allies us with the omnipotence of Jesus; it makes every promise our own; it appropriates each blessing of the New Covenant. The unsearchable riches of Christ are for every true-hearted believer. "It hath pleased the Father that in Him should all fulness dwell." "In Him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily." "And out of His fulness we all receive, and grace for grace," that is, "continual accessions of grace; new grace coming upon and superseding the former" (Dean Alford). Thus too, we share in all the ctures of our Great Captain. He says to us: "In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer." And why ? Mark the Answer: "For I have overcome the world." The triumphs of Jesus secure ours: they shall be repeated in our experience. Because he overcame, we shall overcome too. So close is the union between the Lord and his disciples, that He himself has taught us the sublime argument, "Because I live, ye shall live also." When by faith we lay hold of the skirt of the God-Man, who was a Jew, a virtue goes forth from him to us by which we become "new creatures in Christ Jesus; old things pass Sway; and all things become new." The force of this mighty moral attraction secures our eternal interest in all that the Christ is, has, or has done. "Neither shall any pluck them out of my hands." where I am there ye may be also." This is the secret of the power of faith in overcoming the world. That 2. It estimates aright the comparafive value of things earthly and heavenly. What empowers the believer to rise superior to the pleasures and allurements of the world? By faith he is enabled to see the emptiness of earthly things, and the transcendent glory and importance of eternity. Faith has a subjective as well as an objective power. It is influential as a state of mind. Let the world scorn and revile; its breath will soon be taken from it: let it persecute; it will soon be Bitten by the rod of Immanuel's power: let it drink in its maddening pleasures; it will have to endure the sorrows of the second death. All the pleasures of this life, when compared with an eternity of woe, are but as an atom to an Alp, or a dew-drop to the fathomless ocean. Faith appraises things temporal and things eternal at their proper value. It realizes the inherent inferiority of the material to the spiritual, of the temporal to the eternal. Thus it overcomes the world by "looking, not merely at the things which are seen and which are temporal, but at the things which are not seen and which are eternal." It purifies the heart: it sublimates the affections: it works by love. It sees through the tinsel and glitter of this world's pleasures, and despises the vanity which lies beneath. "The spiritual man discerneth all things, though he himself is discerned of no man." He has tried both the world and Christ; both the devil and God; both irreligion and religion; but the man of this world has only tried one side. The world is no mystery to the Christian, for he knows it to be a cheat but the Christian is a mystery to the worldling, for the latter has never experienced the hopes and joys of the divine life. Faith overcomes the world by enabling us to see through its shams. 3. It assists us to keep in view the glorious reward which awaits the victor. "Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen." It sees the issue of the struggle; it beholds the glorious crown which Jesus holds in his hands ready to place upon the heads of his victorious disciples The sight of the crown held up by the judge who sat on an elevated seat at the end of the course, fired the Olympic racer with redoubled ardour: and it is "looking to Jesus" that enables us to run with patience the race that is set before us. With such a crown of glory for our reward, we may brace ourselves with alacrity to the conflict; with such a haven in prospect, we may smile at the passing storm; with such a resting-place, we may cheerfully bear the toils of our pilgrimage. A few more troubles and battles, and then-heaven, and Jesus, and God! And it is the faith which enables us to see that glory, and to realize the stimulus which it affords, that aids us to overcome the world. "It has respect unto the recompence of the reward:" "it endures as seeing Him who is invisible" and thus it "chooses rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season; esteeming even reproach for Christ greater riches than the treasures of Egypt." This then is the victory which overcometh the world, even our faith; and thus it wins the crown. From the subject discussed in this paper we learn many practical lessons. Let two suffice here. 1. We learn the importance of keeping the eye of faith clear and bright. The victory is by faith. Let, this sceptical age ponder that truth. As we lose our faith we shall cease to overcome the world. Infidelity and earthliness are inseparable in the nature of things: just as strong enlightened faith and spirituality are twin graces. The scepticism of our time has much to do with its mammon worship. "If this be the only certain world, why then let us enjoy it while we have it! Why sacrifice the certain for the uncertain ?" If this age knew itself, it would go down upon its knees, and utter one prayer of agony and importunity, Lord, increase our 66 Faith"! My God, let not my race sink into a herd of mere moneygetting, money-hoarding sinners, but purge its eye of spiritual vision, that it may clearly see and praetically recognise that this is not our rest! 2. We are furnished with a test by which we may know whether we are in the faith or not. If every one truly born of God overcometh the world, then I mav easily tell whether I am born of God or not. Which is the victor, myself. or the world? True faith overcomes the world in every man ; then if I am "in the faith," I have overcome, and am overcoming, and shall overcome, the world. He who suffers the world imperiously to rule him, is not "born of God," is not "in the faith." Ministers, deacons, members of our churches, and of all churches; let us try our selves by this decisive test! It is not enough to have our names recorded in some Church Book. Many whose names are to be found there are among the greatest worshippers of mammon, and are held in the strongest chains of earthliness. God says, If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him :" "The friendship of the world is enmity with God; whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God." Either we must come out of the world, and be separate from it, and overcome it, or it will destroy us for ever, and we shall perish in the overthrow of the wicked. Devonport. |