John 16:25-33
Jesus Christ Has Overcome the World
25 "These things I have spoken to you in figurative language; but the time is coming when I will no longer speak to you in figurative language, but I will tell you plainly about the Father. 26 In that day you will ask in My name, and I do not say to you that I shall pray the Father for you; 27 for the Father Himself loves you, because you have loved Me, and have believed that I came forth from God. 28 I came forth from the Father and have come into the world. Again, I leave the world and go to the Father."
29 His disciples said to Him, "See, now You are speaking plainly, and using no figure of speech! 30 Now we are sure that You know all things, and have no need that anyone should question You. By this we believe that You came forth from God."
31 Jesus answered them, "Do you now believe? 32 Indeed the hour is coming, yes, has now come, that you will be scattered, each to his own, and will leave Me alone. And yet I am not alone, because the Father is with Me. 33 These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world."
Who is he who overcomes the world? Jesus Christ. And who is he overcomes the world in Him? He who believes (1 John 5:4-5) in Jesus as the Son of God who has overcome the world on purpose behalf. We, like the original disciples who have gone first before us, hear His words of the gospel of God’s love for us because He came into the lower parts of the earth out of the highest heaven to redeem us as His people, chil of the promise by faith as of Abraham who set the example (Galatians 3:6-7, 9, 26) long ago on which we now stand. We also know we can pray based on this faith for our needs that align with His will of good providence and provision. We then join with the disciples in saying we believe that He came forth from God just as He told us. This is faith, believing and trusting in His words of His identity and work on our behalf that we are utterly unable to earn deliverance from sin’s eternal consequences by our meager human efforts. Only God as the Son was able to save us from our sins and draw us to Himself. Like the disciples, however, we too must beware of being scattered by fear of physical death or suffering for identifying with Christ in pressing times of persecution. May we hold fast in faith to endure to the end as we have the assurance of our salvation which cannot be forfeited or taken away no matter what we may face (Romans 8:37-39). In this world we will suffer tribulation (2 Timothy 3:12) but we must remain in His joy with cheerful hope in the absolute knowledge that He has overcome the world which once held up us in the power of sin and its just deserves.
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