Living in the Light of God's Love
1 John Lesson Eight-1 John 5:1-21 We Have Victory in Christ 1. 2. 3. 4.
We have victory in this life We have victory in the life to come We have the privilege of prayer We are in Christ and have eternal life
Introduction Years ago a cartoon appeared in the newspaper showing Christians being attacked by lions in a large coliseum. Above the crowd was a scoreboard with the score-Lions: 4; Christians: 0. It may appear to the world that Christians are hardly the victors, especially in times of persecution. John was preparing his dear children for the coming days by giving them the assurance of complete victory in Christ, now and in eternity. Read Romans 8:35-39. Why would these words be especially comforting to Christians facing persecution?
Romans 8:35–39 What will separate us from the love of Christ? Will trouble or distress or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? 36 Just as it is written: For your sake we are being put to death all day long. We are considered 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 convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor rulers, neither things present nor things to come, nor powerful forces, 39 neither height nor depth, nor anything else in creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.
© 1997 Northwestern Publishing House. Reprinted by permission.