THE BENEFITS OF BEING A BELIEVER
There are a few things that makes working for an organization amazing. These include a positive work environment, growth opportunities, and a team spirit. In addition, we appreciate employers who provide benefits and things beyond the paycheck. Employee benefits includes paid time off, insurances, and a retirement plan. It is amazing what we will tolerate when we have good benefits. Companies and agencies are not the only ones with benefits. That is, the Lord has benefits for those who put their faith in Him. His benefits are not limited to houses, income, and good health. There are some amazing spiritual benefits reserved for believers. A short list of these benefits are found in 1 John 2:12-14. It reads:
1 John 2:12-14 (ESV)
12 I am writing to you, little children,
because your sins are forgiven for his name’s sake.
13 I am writing to you, fathers,
because you know him who is from the beginning.
I am writing to you, young men,
because you have overcome the evil one.
I write to you, children,
because you know the Father.
14 I write to you, fathers,
because you know him who is from the beginning.
I write to you, young men,
because you are strong,
and the word of God abides in you,
and you have overcome the evil one.[1]
In the above few verses, the apostle John provides an incredible list of the believers’ spiritual benefits. The first benefit we have as believer is forgiveness. We are forgiven. We don’t have to question or wonder. Our forgiveness is real, as we see in verse twelve:
1 John 2:12
12 I am writing to you, little children,
because your sins are forgiven for his name’s sake.[2]
From the time we receive Christ, we are forgiven, and we remain forgiven. This is not our forgiving ourselves, which some of us need to do, but this forgiveness is divine; it is extended to us from the Lord Jesus. It is a fact – we have been pardoned, released from the power and penalty of sin, and released from the guilt that comes from wrongdoing. It is good news to know that the guilt is removed, wiped out, blotted out, and done away with. As a believer, you are forgiven. Live and walk in this fact.
The second benefit we have as a believer is we know Him. We do not have to doubt our knowing the Lord. This spiritual benefit is in verse 13. It reads:
1 John 2:13a
13 I am writing to you, fathers,
because you know him who is from the beginning.
I am writing to you, young men, [3]
Here and in verse 14, knowing Him means we have a relationship and fellowship with the Lord Jesus. The world, nor the enemy, have the ability to remove our knowing Jesus. Yes, I know Him and I want to know Him, as Paul expresses in the following passage:
Philippians 3:10
10 That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death;[4]
The third benefit we have as believer is we have overcome the evil-one. We are forgiven. We know Him. And, we have overcome the evil-one. Again, we don’t have to question, wonder, doubt, or be uncertain. We have overcome the evil-one, as we see in 1 John 2:13. It reads:
1 John 2:13
13 I am writing to you, fathers,
because you know him who is from the beginning.
I am writing to you, young men,
because you have overcome the evil one.
I write to you, children,
because you know the Father. [5]
The evil-one is the devil, Satan or the adversary. He is also the enemy and the tempter. Jesus and Peter disclose and expose the enemy in the following passages:
John 10:10
10 The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.[6]
1 Peter 5:8
8 Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:[7]
Notice, the evil-one has goals, namely to steal, kill, destroy, and devour. I hope you can see that the enemy is destructive. However, the good news and the truth is we have overcome Him. This is an amazing benefit that only the believer has. In other words, we as believers have conquered, prevailed, and have the victory. We are not defeated, even if we look or feel defeated. Our victory over the evil-one is also confirmed by the apostle Paul in Romans 8:37. It says:
Romans 8:37
37 Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.[8]
The fourth benefit we have as a believer is strength. We are forgiven, know Him, overcome the evil-one, and are strong, a lot stronger than we may feel. Our strength is confirmed in 1 John 2:14, which says:
1 John 2:14
14 I write to you, fathers,
because you know him who is from the beginning.
I write to you, young men,
because you are strong, [9]
The Greek word for strong here indicates that we have power, spiritual power. Jesus promised His followers power, as we see in Acts 1:8. It reads:
Acts 1:8
8 But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.[10]
There is one more benefit John gives us. The fifth and final benefit we have as believer is God’s Word abiding in us. We are forgiven, know Him, overcome the evil-one, are strong and have God’s Word abiding in us. This benefit is in 1 John 2:14, which says:
1 John 2:14
14 I write to you, fathers,
because you know him who is from the beginning.
I write to you, young men,
because you are strong,
and the word of God abides in you,
and you have overcome the evil one.[11]
First, the Word of God is the logos of God. It is what He said and what He has spoken. The logos of God is what He wills and declares. Remember, Jesus is the Word. Every believer has Jesus! He is our Lord, Savior, and Redeemer. Jesus lives in the believer.
John 1:1-2
1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 The same was in the beginning with God.[12]
In addition, His written Word and His spoken Word are very powerful!
Isaiah 55:11
11 So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.[13]
Second, the Word abides. That is, Jesus and the written Word remain and stay. The Word is at home in us and dwells in us. Jesus declared the blessing of having the Word in us. He said in John 15:7:
John 15:7
7 If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you.[14]
I am overjoyed and grateful for the benefits that come with being a believer. Remember, our believers’ benefits are forgiveness, knowing Jesus, overcoming the evil-one, being strong, and having God’s Word in us. Perhaps you want these same benefits that are certain, sure, and real. You can have them. They are made possible because of the blood of Jesus. Jesus has made it possible for us to have these benefits and more. He gave His life for us, and we can have all that He has secured. We activate these spiritual benefits by repenting and receiving Jesus as Lord and Savior.
[1] The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2016), 1 Jn 2:12–14.
[2] The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2016), 1 Jn 2:12.
[3] The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2016), 1 Jn 2:13.
[4] The Holy Bible: King James Version, Electronic Edition of the 1900 Authorized Version. (Bellingham, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc., 2009), Php 3:10.
[5] The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2016), 1 Jn 2:13.
[6] The Holy Bible: King James Version., electronic ed. of the 1769 edition of the 1611 Authorized Version. (Bellingham WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc., 1995), Jn 10:10.
[7] The Holy Bible: King James Version., electronic ed. of the 1769 edition of the 1611 Authorized Version. (Bellingham WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc., 1995), 1 Pe 5:8.
[8] The Holy Bible: King James Version., electronic ed. of the 1769 edition of the 1611 Authorized Version. (Bellingham WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc., 1995), Ro 8:37.
[9] The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2016), 1 Jn 2:14.
[10] The Holy Bible: King James Version., electronic ed. of the 1769 edition of the 1611 Authorized Version. (Bellingham WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc., 1995), Ac 1:8.
[11] The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2016), 1 Jn 2:14.
[12] The Holy Bible: King James Version, Electronic Edition of the 1900 Authorized Version. (Bellingham, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc., 2009), Jn 1.
[13] The Holy Bible: King James Version., electronic ed. of the 1769 edition of the 1611 Authorized Version. (Bellingham WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc., 1995), Is 55:11.
[14] The Holy Bible: King James Version., electronic ed. of the 1769 edition of the 1611 Authorized Version. (Bellingham WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc., 1995), Jn 15:7.
[1] The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2016), 1 Jn 2:14.
[1] The Holy Bible: King James Version, Electronic Edition of the 1900 Authorized Version. (Bellingham, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc., 2009), Jn 1.
[1] The Holy Bible: King James Version., electronic ed. of the 1769 edition of the 1611 Authorized Version. (Bellingham WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc., 1995), Is 55:11.[1]The Holy Bible: King James Version., electronic ed. of the 1769 edition of the 1611 Authorized Version. (Bellingham WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc., 1995), Jn 15:7.
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