1 John 5:6-12

Introduction

My last year in the Army, I was pulled for jury duty on Ft. Bragg. I almost made it my whole career without that, but they got me. When you are called for jury duty, you are not automatically on the jury, you’re interviewed by the defense and prosecution. They want to insure that you have no ties or biases that could influence the case. But, what I noticed in my time on jury duty is that the selection of witnesses is vitally important.

Did you know in a court of law, it is only required to have one witness to convict someone of a crime? Now of course, that witness must be seen credible and their testimony proven beyond a reasonable doubt for the Judge and jury to consider a conviction off of just one witness. But none the less, that’s it. Of course, when you add multiple witnesses who are all saying the same thing, it can make things pretty difficult to deny. When a witness testifies, they are testifying to something done or said that had happened. There was a previous event that holds the truth to the event at question.

Or consider how some witnesses are more credible than others. For example, if bodily injuries are at question, you’re going to want to ask a doctor who is familiar with such things, you’re not going to ask the janitor at the hospital.

Raise A Need

How often have you found yourself questioning whether something is true or not? The last time I spoke, I talked about testing the Spirits and do we take everyone’s word as factual, especially when we don’t know them.

Has there ever been a time where you had to testify? Perhaps mom and dad asked what happened to your little brother? Or maybe you had the opportunity to share your testimony with someone.

How often do we questioned the legitimacy of the Bible? or the legitimacy of who Jesus is? Most people, to include atheist, will admit that Jesus was a real person, but God!

They’ll question His birth, His ministry and miracles, but definitely His death and resurrection.

How about you? do you question it?

This idea of credible witnesses is no different when it comes to the legitimacy and authenticity of the Bible, or even more so, to who Jesus is.

Because, if Jesus is who He says he is, then our options for eternity have significantly diminished. So, before we throw away every other option in our life, we would want to be sure that Jesus is who Scripture says He is and who the Spirit says He is.

Context and Transition To Text

Up to this point in 1 John, we’ve talked a lot about the differences between someone who abides in Christ and someone who abides in lawlessness, otherwards, the difference between believers and non-believers. John has given us numerous reasons why we should put our hope, trust, and faith in Jesus.

But now, John tags on one more piece of evidence to consider. He wants to make it clear that Jesus is who He says He is. Afterall, He is either telling the truth or He’s a complete lunatic.

Lets start at verse 6

This is the One - Vs 6

1 John 5:6 “This is the One who came by water and blood, Jesus Christ; not with the water only, but with the water and with the blood. It is the Spirit who testifies, because the Spirit is the truth.”

So first off, what does John mean by water and blood? The short answer, he is referring to the baptism and crucifixion of Jesus Christ.

How does a baptism and crucifixion witness to Christ being the Messiah. Well lets see what Scripture has to say about it. But I want you to remember, when one is testifying, they are speaking of things have already happened or been said.

Let starts with the baptism

Matthew 3:16–17 “After being baptized, Jesus came up immediately from the water; and behold, the heavens were opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending as a dove and lighting on Him, and behold, a voice out of the heavens said, “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well-pleased.””

So what is this moment testifying to? What is significant about it? Other than this and everything around this even being miraculous and has never happened to anyone else in this manner before or sense.

Everything about Christ has been foretold.

Look at Isaiah 42:1 ““Behold, My Servant, whom I uphold; My chosen one in whom My soul delights. I have put My Spirit upon Him; He will bring forth justice to the nations.”

And God told Isaiah a lot of things, specifically when it come to the coming Messiah.

Let’s look at the crucifixion.

Isaiah 53 speaks about the suffering servant. Its too long to read here for time sake, but lets look at a couple of the prophecies from Isaiah 53 and what the gospels say regarding it.

Matthew 8:17 “This was to fulfill what was spoken through Isaiah the prophet: “He Himself took our infirmities and carried away our diseases.”” Speaking of Isaiah 53:4

Luke 22:37 ““For I tell you that this which is written must be fulfilled in Me, ‘And He was numbered with transgressors’; for that which refers to Me has its fulfillment.”” Speaking of Isaiah 53:12

and John 12:37–38 “But though He had performed so many signs before them, yet they were not believing in Him. This was to fulfill the word of Isaiah the prophet which he spoke: “Lord, who has believed our report? And to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?”” Speaking to Isaiah 53:1

To testify means “someone who has personal and immediate knowledge of something.”

So John is no longer telling his listeners to believe what he is saying, but believe what God is saying. “It is the Spirit who testifies, because the Spirit is the truth.” The same Spirit that testifies about Jesus, is the same Spirit that inspired all of Scripture. It is the same Spirit that led the writers in all these letters.

Scripture its self validates the very truths it proclaims. is why it important to understand that multiple authors actually justify all Scriptural authenticity and do not lead to contradictions. We get one concise and succinct narrative, through 66 books, 40 authors, and a 1500 year time period. All making the same proclamation.

In the movie, God’s Not Dead 2, there’s a scene in the court room where a detective is being questioned over the validity of the claims in the Bible. And what he explains is this. During an investigation and interviewing multiple witness, the detective can piece together the larger picture and identify the truth through the multiple different perspectives from each witness. Though each may be speaking of the same event, they each bring a different angle to the story that fills in the details.

So what we’ve already seen just in verse six is those details lining up.

so, for verse 7 and 8.

The Three - Vs. 7-8

1 John 5:7–8 “For there are three that testify: the Spirit and the water and the blood; and the three are in agreement.”

Remember what I said in the opening, in our judicial system, it is possible for only one witness to affect the outcome of a trial. But this isn’t the case for Jews.

In the Old Testament law it is required to have two to three witnesses to establish the truth about any matter.

Deuteronomy 17:6 ““On the evidence of two witnesses or three witnesses, he who is to die shall be put to death; he shall not be put to death on the evidence of one witness.”

Deuteronomy 19:15 ““A single witness shall not rise up against a man on account of any iniquity or any sin which he has committed; on the evidence of two or three witnesses a matter shall be confirmed.”

1 Timothy 5:19 “Do not receive an accusation against an elder except on the basis of two or three witnesses.”

if two or three witnesses is not enough for you, then you are simply choosing to ignore the truth.

verses 9-10 tell us the difference between those who accept and those who deny the truth.

The One Who Believes - Vs 9-10

1 John 5:9–10 “If we receive the testimony of men, the testimony of God is greater; for the testimony of God is this, that He has testified concerning His Son. The one who believes in the Son of God has the testimony in himself; the one who does not believe God has made Him a liar, because he has not believed in the testimony that God has given concerning His Son.”

I admittedly have a hard time believing people. I’m a bit jaded some would say. I think it started early in childhood. I had a friend who said Marcus Allen was better than Barry Sanders and from that point on I couldn’t believe another word he said. But, fast-forward to the day I surrendered to Christ, I read 1 Peter 3:1–2 “In the same way, you wives, be submissive to your own husbands so that even if any of them are disobedient to the word, they may be won without a word by the behavior of their wives, as they observe your chaste and respectful behavior.” And I believed everything God testified to, because He has been showing me it through my wife.

If we believe the testimony of men, whether it be doctors or lawyers, or preachers, how much more should we believe the testimony of God. This testimony is in his Word.

God has told us from the beginning, all the way back to Genesis 3:15 about the coming of His Son.

Verse 10 says “The one who believes in the Son of God has the testimony in himself.”

I’ve told my classes before, if you are saved, you have a testimony. Testimonies are not meant to be kept to ourselves, but shared. Your testimony is the gospel work in your life. It is your testament to Jesus Christ as the Messiah.

When someone comes to faith in Jesus, it is not because of our testimony alone, but because of how our testimony witnesses to the truths in Scripture, to who Jesus is.

These truths all point to one. The only One who can offer salvation.

Verse 10 further says “the one who does not believe God has made Him a liar.”

If we disregard the testimony of God, it is the ultimate form of blasphemy. If God has been trying to reach you, but you continue to ignore Him, you are blaspheming. And that only has one end to it. There are no other routes.

So then what? What is this testimony about Jesus that God is so adamant that we believe?

Says here in the closing of verses 11-12.

Eternal Life - Vs. 11-12

1 John 5:11–12 “And the testimony is this, that God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. He who has the Son has the life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have the life.”

You want that in laymen's terms? If you know Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, you are secure with an eternal life. If you do not believe in Jesus Christ, you have no life.

It’s like I said last message, you might be able to live your best life now, but what does that mean for your eternity?

When we live according to our own means, there is no life, no hope, and no salvation.

Proverbs 14:12 “There is a way which seems right to a man, But its end is the way of death.”

Romans 6:23 “For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

So what are the ways that seem right to man or the wages of sin? It is anything and everything we put before Christ.

Our options are narrowed down for us. Jesus is it!

John 14:6 “Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me.”

There is no other route. Not Hinduism, Buddhism, Islam, spiritualism. There is no amount of good deeds that will secure your place in heaven.

your option is faith in Christ and Christ alone.

Conclusion

For a lot of people, to hear me or any of us to say that the only way to an eternal life of such hope and peace and joy is only through one person, that all other options are wrong, is narrow minded, bigoted, unloving etc.

But what is really unloving is for me and any of us to not tell others of their only option.

There are no other religious or theistic options out there that carry the same support that the Bible does for Christ.

You remember Dr. Strange in Avengers: End Game? He seen 14 million some ways the end plays out, but only one where they would win. That’s it, only one way.

Also, there are numerous secular historical writings that support the life and ministry of Jesus.

Some of these resources are:

Tacitus: A Roman historian

Josephus: A Jewish historian

Mara bar Serapion: a Syrian philosopher who wrote to his son regarding the execution of the “wise king” of the Jews.

But after all the evidence and testimony that there is regarding who Jesus is, if we still sit here and question the validity of it; it is not an issue with the authenticity of the evidence or the testimony of those who were there, but an issue with the condition of our heart.

So, if you are sitting there right now, feeling hopeless, joyless, and it seems like there is no end in sight to it. I’m hear to tell you there is hope. And it has been made really easy for you. You don’t have to weed through a million options. There is one, who has loved you since the day He created you. His heart yearns for you, He desires to restore a relationship with you. And regardless of the circumstances which have brought you to this school, it is not an accident that you are here. Will you trust Christ today.

Let us pray.