The Witness of the Spirit
Notes
Transcript
Introduction
Introduction
6 This is he that came by water and blood, even Jesus Christ; not by water only, but by water and blood. And it is the Spirit that beareth witness, because the Spirit is truth. 7 For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one. 8 And there are three that bear witness in earth, the spirit, and the water, and the blood: and these three agree in one. 9 If we receive the witness of men, the witness of God is greater: for this is the witness of God which he hath testified of his Son. 10 He that believeth on the Son of God hath the witness in himself: he that believeth not God hath made him a liar; because he believeth not the record that God gave of his Son. 11 And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. 12 He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life.
13 These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God.
The Bible teaches us that the Christian has a “know-so” salvation and one of the ways to know that is by THE WITNESS OF THE SPIRIT.
24 And he that keepeth his commandments dwelleth in him, and he in him. And hereby we know that he abideth in us, by the Spirit which he hath given us.
The word “know” is used 32 times in the Book of I John.
We can know beyond any shadow of doubt that we are a child of God. In an age of doubt, uncertainty, and insecurity there is certainty.
To say “I know” is not pride or presumption but a PROMISE from Almighty God.
There is a word that occurs 6 times in these verses of our text. It is the word “witness”. The same Greek word is also translated “testify”, “testimony”, or “record.” And if you count those words, which are all the same Greek word, then it shows up 10 times in these few verses.
This is important to understand because God is trying to tell us something important…Something that will help us!
This Greek word translated “witness,” “testify,” “testimony,” and “record” is referencing to the witness of the Holy Spirit of God to let you know indeed that you are a child of God.
What we find in our text is a threefold witness of the Holy Spirit—The book of Ecclesiastes tells us a threefold cord is not easily broken.
I’ll go ahead and say a threefold witness of the Holy Spirit CANNOT be broken Hallelujah!
Let’s take a look at this threefold witness tonight!
I-The Holy Spirit Witness TO THE SON
I-The Holy Spirit Witness TO THE SON
6 This is he that came by water and blood, even Jesus Christ; not by water only, but by water and blood. And it is the Spirit that beareth witness, because the Spirit is truth.
The Spirit witness to the Son:
By the commencement of His ministry...
By the commencement of His ministry...
Verse 6 tells us first that Jesus came by water…This speaks to the commencement of His ministry.
Yes, Jesus had a supernatural birth as He was born of a virgin, but He was born in the manner that you and I were born. When the water breaks it’s time for the baby to come.
But, I believe John is stating that Jesus came by water that refers to the beginning or commencement of His public ministry. Jesus came to the Jordan and was baptized in the water by John the Baptist.
Marvin Vincent wrote, “Water refers to Christ’s baptism at the beginning of His Messianic work, through which He declared His purpose to fulfill all righteousness.”
13 Then cometh Jesus from Galilee to Jordan unto John, to be baptized of him. 14 But John forbad him, saying, I have need to be baptized of thee, and comest thou to me? 15 And Jesus answering said unto him, Suffer it to be so now: for thus it becometh us to fulfil all righteousness. Then he suffered him. 16 And Jesus, when he was baptized, went up straightway out of the water: and, lo, the heavens were opened unto him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and lighting upon him: 17 And lo a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.
The Holy Spirit testifies of the coming of Jesus and the commencement of His ministry. The Spirit of God is still at work today testifying of the work of the Son of God.
The Spirit witness to the Son not only by the commencement of His ministry, but also:
By the completion of His ministry
By the completion of His ministry
Verse 6 says, “…not by water only, but by water and blood...”
Jesus was committed to finishing His work…We know that because the Spirit bears witness to it, and the Spirit is truth!
13 Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come. 14 He shall glorify me: for he shall receive of mine, and shall shew it unto you.
The Spirit testifies to the work of the Son!
He started His ministry in the Jordan.
He completed His ministry in Jerusalem.
He started His ministry with a public display of submission.
He completed His ministry with a public display of sacrifice.
He started His ministry by submitting to baptism.
He completed His ministry by shedding His blood.
The Lord Jesus was True Man—blood flowed in His veins –but not the blood of Joseph or Mary, but God.
The Lord Jesus was True God—He did not become God at Birth or Baptism, He was co-equal, co-eternal with the Father.
His blood must be Shed. It was absolutely Sinless blood. It is “precious blood”.
18 Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers; 19 But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot:
The debt must be Paid by blood because without the shedding of blood is no remission (forgiveness). Not baptism, not sacrament, and not church membership. It’s still the blood.
The old hymn “Rock of Ages” says,
“Let the Water and the Blood
From thy wounded side, which flowed
Be of sin the double cure,
Save from wrath and make me pure.”
The Holy Spirit Witnesses TO the SON – “He came by water and by blood”
II-The Holy Spirit Witness IN THE SAINT
II-The Holy Spirit Witness IN THE SAINT
7 For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one. 8 And there are three that bear witness in earth, the spirit, and the water, and the blood: and these three agree in one. 9 If we receive the witness of men, the witness of God is greater: for this is the witness of God which he hath testified of his Son. 10 He that believeth on the Son of God hath the witness in himself: he that believeth not God hath made him a liar; because he believeth not the record that God gave of his Son.
The Spirit of God testifies in the saint about the sureness and agreement of Who Jesus is and of what Jesus has done. The agreement of the testimony in heaven is sure and the agreement of the testimony on earth is sure.
Our one God in three persons bears witness in heaven and they are in agreement.
Verse 9 says, “…he hath testified of his Son...”
Hebrews 10:15 (KJV 1900)
15 Whereof the Holy Ghost also is a witness to us...
He bears witness to us the facts of the Gospel!
Romans 8:16 (KJV 1900)
16 The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God:
He bears witness with us as to the faith of the Gospel!
Do you see the progression?
The Holy Spirit presents you with the Gospel The Holy Spirit gives you an opportunity to hear the facts of the Gospel, and so, down in your heart there is a desire by faith to receive to believe the facts about Jesus Christ into your heart.
He bears witness with us a faith and that faith is real saving faith.
He witnesses to us the FACTS.
He witnesses with us the FAITH.
He witnesses IN us the FEELINGS...
1 John 5:10 (KJV 1900)
10 He that believeth on the Son of God hath the witness in himself...
Where is the witness? In Himself. That is where feelings come in.
There’s a poem written by Martin Luther that reads:
“For feelings come and feelings go,
And feelings are deceiving;
My warrant is the Word of God,
Naught else is worth believing.
Though all my heart should feel condemned,
For want of some sweet token,
There is one greater than my heart
Whose Word cannot be broken.
I’ll trust in God’s unchanging Word
Till soul and body sever;
For, though all things shall pass away,
His Word shall stand forever.”
Many people are trying to be saved on feelings, but it doesn’t work that way!
It’s starts with...
The FACTS of the Gospel, the witness TO us.
Then...
The FAITH of the Gospel, the witness WITH us.
Then...
The FEELING of the Gospel, the witness IN us.
Believing is the ROOT and feeling is the FRUIT.
I did not know all God did for me when He saved me, but the more I learn, the more I read, the greater my feelings become!
In verse 7, The Father thought it, The Word taught it, and The Spirit wrought it...
In verse 6, The Son bought it...
And in verse 12-13, I caught it! Hallelujah!
I. The Holy Spirit witnesses TO the Son – He came by water and blood.
II. The Holy Spirit witnesses IN the Saint:
TO us the Facts
WITH us the Faith
IN us the Feelings
III-The Holy Spirit Witness THROUGH the SCRIPTURE
III-The Holy Spirit Witness THROUGH the SCRIPTURE
11 And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. 12 He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life.
13 These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God.
Here, we find The Spirit of God takes the Word of God and produces children of God in the likeness of the Son of God!
vs. 11 says, “This is the record”; vs. 13 says, “These things” what things? The record, the witness unto you that believe…Why? “That ye may know that ye have eternal life,”
The source of eternal life in verse 11 is God, and the life God gives is in his Son.
That means that apart from Jesus Christ, there is no life!
Do you have life? Do you have Jesus? Are you saved?
The surety of eternal life in verse 12 is found in “these things have I written...”
God promised us and put it in a Book.
Lehman Strauss wrote, “The child of God can be certain about his past sins, his present sufficiency, and his prospective security. This is having a knowing faith, and it grows out of a saving faith.”
The purpose of the Scripture is to let the child of God know that he has eternal life.
Conclusion
Conclusion
In 1789 Benjamin Franklin wrote, ‘Nothing is certain but death and taxes.’ There is something of greater certainty than death and taxes.
If you do not know the Lord Jesus or that you are not sure that you would go to heaven when you die, listen, you can be sure of more than death and taxes. God wants all of His children to know Him and to know that they know Him.
Would you surrender your life to Jesus today? Would you call upon the Lord Jesus and believe the testimony of the Spirit of God?
Do you know for sure that if you died today that heaven would be your home?