"For whatever is born of God overcomes the world. And this is the vic-
tory that has overcome the world--our faith."
Whatever comes from heaven is bound to be stronger than anything originating in the fallen world. Regeneration is a miraculous heavenly new birth (cf. Jn. 3:1 ff.). A true saint is born of God, from above. This God-given faith is our solid "victory" that subdues the world (under us). The faith of sincere Christians is victorious, not in itself, but because of Who it is that it fetches to their hearts: the Lord Jesus Christ.
Let us not lose sight of the primacy of faith in Jesus. Many voices would enjoin a works-religion on us. Remember: God is only pleased with a life saturated with Christ. Anything good in or from us will *only* flow from Him.
[Puritan quote of the day: "There are many ways to hell; men may go thither which way their fancy leads them; but there is only one direct road to heaven, viz., faith and holiness." --Thomas Watson, in "A Body of Divinity"]
