A Sermon by the Rev. Charles H.
Spurgeon
The Victory of Faith -
I John 5:4
(Preached at Exeter Hall,
London, March 18th, 1855)
“For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the
world; and this is the victory that overcometh the
world, even our faith” (I John 5:4, KJV)
The
epistles
of
John
are
perfumed
with
love.
The
word
is
continually
occurring,
while
the
Spirit
enters
into
every
sentence.
Each
letter
is
thoroughly
soaked
and
impregnated
with
this
heavenly
honey.
If
he
speaks
of
God,
his
name
must
be
love;
are
the
brethren
mentioned,
he
loves
them;
and
even
of
the
world
itself,
he
writes,
“God
so
loved
the
world,
that
he
gave
his
only
begotten
Son.”
From
the
opening
to
the
conclusion,
love
is
the
manner,
love
the
matter,
love
the
motive,
and
love
the
aim.
We
stand,
therefore,
not
a
little
astonished,
to
find
such
martial
words
in
so
peaceful
a
writing;
for
I
hear
a
sound
of
war.
It
is
not
the
voice
of
love,
surely,
that
says,
“He
that
is
born
of
God
overcometh
the
world.”
Lo,
here
are
strife
and
battle.
The
word
“overcometh”
seems
to
have
in
it
something
of
the
sword
and
warfare;
of
strife
and
contention;
of
agony
and
wrestling;
so
unlike
the
love
which
is
smooth
and
gentle,
which
hath
no
harsh
words
within
its
lips;
whose
mouth
is
lined
with
velvet;
whose
words
are
softer
than
butter;
whose
utterances
are
more
easily
flowing
than
oil.
Here
we
have
war—war
to
the