Why is first faith and then believing mentioned with regard to overcoming the world in 1 John 5:4-5?

Question

1 John 5:4-5 ESV

"For everyone who has been born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world- our faith. 5 Who is it that overcomes the world except the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?" [My emphasis]

faith/pistis; believes/pisteuon.

First faith is mentioned with regard to the victory that has overcome the world and then it is the one who believes who overcomes the world.

In some ways faith and believing may mean the same, but is there a way, or ways here, in which pistis and pisteuon are not the same?

If in 1 John 5:4-5 there is no difference between pistis and pisteuon why does the writer change from one to the other?

Answer 1

The OP asks, “In some ways faith and believing may mean the same, but is there a way, or ways here, in which pistis and pisteuon are not the same?”

The noun pistis (πίστις G4102), meaning faith, belief, trust, confidence, fidelity is the root of the verb pisteuó (πιστεύω G4100), meaning to believe, to have faith, to trust. It’s not that the words have different meanings, but that they are different parts of speech. One reason why the author would use both a noun and its cognate verb in the same context is to distinguish between the thing (faith) from the action with which it is associated (believing).

In context, the author associates “our faith” less with our act of believing than God’s act of begetting.

1 John 5:1 ESV (parenthesis added)

Everyone who believes ⁴¹⁰⁰(present participle active) that Jesus is the Christ has been born (perfect indicative middle/passive) of God.

The participle translated in the ESV as “believes” is actually a verbal adjective. Its use places emphasis on the characteristic rather than the action of those who believe. Furthermore, “believes” is in the present tense while “has been born” is in the perfect tense, indicating past action with ongoing effect. It is God’s action that brings about the victory over the world. In other words, it is God’s action that brings about our faith (cf. Eph 2:8-10).

1 John 5:4

For everyone who has been born (perfect indicative middle/passive) of God overcomes (present indicative active) the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith⁴¹⁰².

Answer 2

To better understand the difference between "faith" and "belief" in 1 John 5:4-5, it is useful to examine the original Greek words used in these verses.

Key verses:

• 1 John 5:4: "For everything that is born of God triumphs over the world; and the victory that triumphs over the world is our faith." • 1 John 5:5: "Who is the one who triumphs over the world, if not the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?"

Analysis of Greek words

1. Faith (πίστις - pistis) : -Definition: The word "pistis" designates a trust or an assurance. It implies adherence to truths or promises, often in connection with the relationship with God. -Connotation: In the context of 1 John 5:4, "pistis" represents the initial faith by which a person is regenerated and enters the community of believers. It is a faith that is both an act of trust and a commitment to God.
2. Belief (πιστεύων - pisteuōn) : -Definition: The term "pisteuō" is the verb that means "to believe" or "to have faith". It is used here to refer to the act of believing in Jesus Christ as the Son of God. -Connotation: In 1 John 5:5, “pisteuōn” evokes an active and continuous belief. This implies not only the intellectual acceptance of the truth, but also a lived trust and a dynamic relationship with Christ. Interpretation in the context -1 John 5:4: "The victory that triumphs over the world is our faith (πίστις - pistis)." • Here, "faith" is presented as the foundation that allows believers to overcome the world. This underlines the importance of this initial faith which gives birth to a new life in Christ. • 1 John 5:5: "Who is the one who triumphs over the world, if not the one who believes (πιστεύων - pisteuōn) that Jesus is the Son of God?" • In this verse, "believing" emphasizes continuous action. This implies that the victory over the world is lived and manifested through constant trust and fidelity to Jesus. Thus, to answer the question about the distinction between the first faith and belief in 1 John 5:4-5, it is essential to consider the theological and literary context of the epistle.

Exegetical analysis

1. Distinction between faith and belief: -First Faith: This can be interpreted as the initial faith, the one that is granted in God and that allows a person to be born again (John 3:3). This faith is fundamental and is often associated with the acceptance of the truth of the Gospel. -Belief: This term can refer to a continuous and active trust in Jesus Christ, implying a personal and living relationship with Him. It is the fruit of the first faith and manifests itself in the daily life of the believer.
2. Victory over the world: • The mention of the "victory" emphasizes that faith (initial) is the means by which believers overcome the challenges and temptations of the world. This implies that the first faith is essential to enter the community of believers. -The belief, which stems from this faith, is what makes it possible to live this victory on a daily basis. It is dynamic and is expressed through actions and choices that reflect faith in Jesus.
3. Theology of victory: John insists that victory over the world is not simply a one-time event, but a continuous process. Faith is the starting point, while active belief is what allows believers to experience this victory in a tangible way.

Conclusion The distinction between "faith" (pistis) and "belief" (pisteuō) in 1 John 5:4-5 highlights a dynamic process in the Christian life. Initial faith is essential to enter into the relationship with God, while active belief is what allows believers to live this relationship and triumph over the challenges of the world. Together, these concepts underline the depth and richness of the Christian faith life. In other words, the first faith and belief are mentioned in 1 John 5:4-5 to emphasize the progression of the Christian life. Initial faith is essential to be born of God, while active belief is necessary to overcome the challenges of the world. Together, they illustrate how believers can live in victory in Christ. This distinction shows that the Christian life is a journey that begins with faith and develops in a living and dynamic belief.

Answer 3

The two words involved in 1 John 5:4, & 5 are these:

• πίστις (pistis) a noun meaning "faith" or "trust"
• πιστεύω (pisteuó) a verb meaning "to have faith in" or "to trust".

Thus, they are two forms of the same cognate root. Here is my translation of these two verses:

... And this is the victory that has overcome the world: our trust. Who then overcomes the world? Only he who trusts that Jesus is the Son of God.

Note that here, we have two forms of the same word. Jesus emphasized this countless times that our faith/trust in Jesus as our Savior is the only way to salvation.

Answer 4

The difference isn't in meaning, but with grammar. It is easier to express faith with an object as a verb and without an object as a noun.

One thing worth noting.

Even our faith (ἡ πιστις ἡμων [hē pistis hēmōn]). The only instance of πιστις [pistis] in the Johannine Epistles (not in John’s Gospel, though in the Apocalypse). -- Robertson, A. T. (1933). Word Pictures in the New Testament (1 John 5:4). Broadman Press.

Where John used the verb showing a significant difference in meaning from the way English speakers use believe is in John 2:24.

But Jesus on his part did not entrust [ἐπίστευεν] himself to them, because he knew all people (John 2:24. ESV2016)

1 John 5:4-5 show signs of synthetic parallelism. It is not unusual for New Testament writes to show hints of Hebrew parallelism similar to the Hebrew Prophets.

3. Synthetic parallelism. Lowth concluded his description of the types of parallelism with a third category, synthetic parallelism. Synthetic parallelism labels those lines in which the second phrase completes or supplements the first. -- Longman, T., III. (1988). How to Read the Psalms (p. 100). IVP Academic; Inter-Varsity Press.

Break the verses up as follows:

The first statement:

For everyone who has been born of God overcomes the world.

Our faith is the means:

And this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith.

The essential object of our faith, Jesus Christ.

Who is it that overcomes the world except the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God? (1 John 5:4–5, ESV)

While the use of πίστις (pistis) and πιστεύω (pisteuó) avoids being repetitive, faith is easier expressed without an object and believe is expressed more naturally with the direct object as the object of our faith. Otherwise, there is little difference in their meaning.

Answer 5

I am new here because I am currently researching something myself, but I saw this and thought I would quickly see if I could find an answer for you! Based on an initial brief search, I found this:

Pistis and Pisteuon are very similar. Pistis means (in most but not all cases) professed belief or faith. Pisteuon is basically the verb form of Pistis much like Diligere (to love someone) is to Caritas (affection) in latin. There are some exceptions to this, but that explanation seems to fit rather well with the context. A verb form to go with an action!

There may be further meanings to each of those words or it could simply be a choice to use good grammar. Fairly new to greek so I wouldn't be able to say for sure.

I hope this helps! May your pursuit of truth be ever fruitful!