The Testimony That Posses Life

Read 1 John 5:9-12

Pray

Introduction

We begin this evening our descent to the very end of 1 John. We pick up tonight in a section of John’s letter where he is making a case for the testimony of God. Last Sunday we discussed three things that testify, y’all remember what they were?

But tonight, we transition from the testimony of the water, blood, and the Spirit to the testimony of God. God’s testimony certainly agrees with the previous three, but it’s even more than those. God’s testimony is “The Testimony That Posses Life”.

That is the title of my sermon tonight and the main point of our text. John emphasizes this here, in this section of his letter, as a sort of final reminder that God’s witness is incredibly more reliable, trustworthy, firm, true, and comforting than the witness of anyone else. Especially the false teachers of his day.

We’ll observe this holy witness in two sections: the greatness of the testimony and the summit of the testimony.

The Greatness of the Testimony

Verse 9 is where we find the greatness of God’s testimony described. John makes a progression of thought here. He goes from lesser to greater. The testimony of men to the testimony of God.

Now, in order to fully understand what John is doing here we must first understand what he means by testimony.

Typically when we here that word we may think of someone describing to us their salvation experience. How someone came to saving faith in the Lord Jesus. That is not what John has in mind here.

Although, when we give our testimony, we are attesting, witnessing, confirming the truth of an event or maybe an idea.

So, rather than referencing a salvation experience, John is using testify in reference to the witness of someone. He states that if we accept the witness of men, humans, how much greater is the witness of God!

We all accept the opinions and thoughts of our parents, friends, teachers, and siblings. John takes our eyes higher here to say if we so easily take the word of humans as truth, how much more should we take true the word, the testimony, the witness of God.

God’s witness is so much greater, for He is the Creator and Sustainer of all things!

Not only that though, His testimony is so much greater because it is concerning His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ.

Who’s seen the Lion King? Remember when Mufasa warned Simba not to go to the shadowy place? What did Simba then do shortly after? Go to the shadow place…his evil uncle got him curious. He forgot what his father told him.

Same idea here. God has testified regarding His Son. That should be enough. Yet, we listen to the world. We listen to the ridiculous arguments of man when God has already witnessed regarding His Son!

Cling to the greater testimony. The witness of the only God, supreme over all the universe. The one that posses life!

As we take a closer look, the way this is worded in verse 9 is a bit strange. “for this is the testimony concerning his Son.” Yet, verse 10 moves on to a different explanation.

This begs the question: what is the testimony of God concerning His Son? Does it connect with the three that testify in verses 7 and 8? It is in compliment with the three, yet SO much greater.

The testimony, the witness of God about His Son is that Jesus Christ is God! Christ is the Messiah, the one who, as verse 11 states, is the possessor of life!

God’s testimony concerning His Son is the testimony that posses life, because only Jesus Christ holds eternal life.

And whoever believes in the Son has this same testimony inside them. Look at how this is explained in Romans 8:14–17 “For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God. For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, “Abba! Father!” The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him.”

The testimony in us as believers is reminded to us because of the Spirit of God.

For those who don’t believe in Christ and the Father’s testimony of Him, they make God out to be a liar. You see, not believing God’s testimony of His own Son is not only a dumb thing to do, it is sin.

To reject the testimony of God concerning His Son is to consider the truth of His witness and affirmation, weigh it out against the testimony and witness of man, and prefer the lesser witness of mankind.

How tragic! What pity we should feel toward those that turn their nose up against the holy witness of God!

The pity, sadness, and grief this may cause should drive us all the more to prayer. To plead with God to save those around us.

To ask our Sovereign God to step in, intervene, and bring spiritually dead people to life through the power of His Holy Spirit. That they would place faith in Christ and repent of their sins!

Our response in light of this truth is run to God because 1 John 5:1 “Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ has been born of God,”. We all declare God to be a liar before Christ. It is only Him who can give us eyes to see the weight of our sin, the glory of Jesus, and the fact that His testimony is true.

The Summit of the Testimony

As we progress in our text, John makes clear the testimony of God concerning His Son: that God has given us eternal life, and that life is in His Son!

This is the summit, the peak, the climax of God’s testimony. His witness is He has given eternal life to His people THROUGH His Son Jesus Christ.

Y’all bought any girl scout cookies? Why do you go up to the stands…because they posses the cookies. Why do you go to your parents for money? Because you assume they’re made of it! The grocery store provides us with food because they purchase it from someone else, therefore they HAVE it.

God gives us eternal life because He HAS it. He is God Almighty and is the only one who posses and can give eternal life. And it is only given exclusively to those who believe in His Son.

Notice verse 12: whoever HAS the Son has life. What does it mean to have the Son? In connection with John 15, it is similar to having faith in Christ. 1 John 5:13makes this clear “I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life.”

Faith in Christ means we are His and He is ours! Yet, the opposite is also true. Those who don’t place faith in Christ are not His and He is not theirs, which of course also means that they do not posses eternal life.

This goes in direct opposition and challenge to the false teachers of John’s day. They claim enlightenment outside of Christ when no such thing exists.

They claim to hold eternal life without faith in the Son. In reality all they hold is judgement in their hands.

Please understand that this applies to today as well. There are NOT many ways to God or to Heaven. Jesus Christ is THE ONLY WAY!

Christ the Son is the witness of God the Father. The Father’s testimony concerning the Son is the only testimony that posses life…because it testifies to Christ!

Conclusion

I hope this text has encouraged you of the eternal life you as a Christian posses in Christ. I hope this text has challenged you to pray all the more for your unbelieving friends and family.

And my most urgent hope for you is that you understand clearly and with conviction that the testimony of God, regarding His Son, is the only witness that holds eternal life.

God’s witness is more than enough.