How do we know that scripture is the word of God?

The Bible Exposition Commentary Chapter Ten: What Do You Know for Sure? (1 John 5:6–21)

Man has a deep desire for certainty, and he will even dabble in the occult in his effort to find out something for sure.

The Bible Exposition Commentary Chapter Ten: What Do You Know for Sure? (1 John 5:6–21)

The life that is real is built on the divine certainties that are found in Jesus Christ. The world may accuse the Christian of being proud and dogmatic, but this does not keep him from saying, “I know!” In these closing verses of John’s letter we find five Christian certainties on which we can build our lives with confidence.

5 Proofs (Witnesses) of Divine Certainty for Christians

The life that is real is built on the divine certainties that are found in Jesus Christ. The world may accuse the Christian of being proud and dogmatic, but this does not keep him from saying, “I KNOW!”

In answering the question how can we know for certain that the Scripture is the word of God? In these closing verses of John’s letter we find four Christian certainties on which we can build our lives with confidence on the truth of God’s revealed words.

BIG IDEA: The Testimony of God is always Greater

People who believe that the Bible is the word of God

Gallup Pole -

24% 1 in 4

26% (view the bible as a book of fables, legends, history and moral precepts recorded by man.

47% - say that the bible is inspired by God, but shouldn’t all be taken literally.

1. Jesus is God ()

- emphasizes that the person who trusts Christ is born of God and is able to overcome the world. To believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God is basic to the Christian experience.

1st Question: how do we know that Jesus Christ is God? Some of His contemporaries called Him a liar and a deceiver. Others have suggested that He is a religious fanatic, a madman, or perhaps a Jewish patriot who was sincere but sadly mistaken.

3 infallible witnesses to prove that Jesus is God

First witness - the water. the water refers to His baptism in the Jordan river, when the Father spoke from heaven and said, “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.” At the same time the spirit descending like a dove and rested on Him. This was the FAther’s attesting of His Son at the beginning of Jesus ministry.

Second witness - the blood. The father gave further witness as the time for jesus death drew near. He spoke audibly to Jesus from heaven, and said, “I have both glorified My name, and will glorify it again.” When Jesus was on the cross the power of God displayed through, supernatural darkness, the earthquake, torn temple vail… The centurion cried out, “Truly this was the son of God.” The blood was the life in any sacrifice, the blood was sacred to God and to God alone. The Lords Supper or Communion was and is observed and in it the sacrifice of Christ is fully displayed.

The Letters of John and Jude The Water and the Blood (1 John 5:6–8)

John is saying that both the baptism and the cross of Jesus are essential parts of his Messiahship. He goes on to say that it was not by water only that he came, but by water and by blood. It is, then, clear that some were saying that Jesus came by water, but not by blood; in other words, that his baptism was an essential part of his Messiahship but his cross was not. This is what gives us our clue to what lies behind this passage.

Third witness - the Spirit. We can trust the spirits witness to Christ because the Spirit is truth. We were not present at the baptism or the death of Christ, but the Holy Spirit was present. The Holy Spirit is the only Person active on earth today who was present when Christ was ministering here.

The spirit, and the blood, and the water all combine to demonstrate the perfect Messiahship, the perfect Sonship, and the perfect Saviourhood of Jesus Christ who was God in flesh.

=> The witness of the Father is past history, but the witness of the Spirit is present experience.

2. Believers Have Eternal Life ()

The key word in 1 is witness, sometimes translated “record” or testify.”

1 John 5:13 ESV

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.

Wisdom is one of the main themes in the opening chapters of 1 Corinthians.

God’s wisdom is secret and hidden wisdom.

The gospel is wisdom for the mature but it has nothing to do with the wisdom that world longs to hear.

1 Corinthians 2:6–9 ESV

Yet among the mature we do impart wisdom, although it is not a wisdom of this age or of the rulers of this age, who are doomed to pass away. But we impart a secret and hidden wisdom of God, which God decreed before the ages for our glory. None of the rulers of this age understood this, for if they had, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. But, as it is written, “What no eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor the heart of man imagined, what God has prepared for those who love him”—

We get frustrated when people don’t see what we see even with well planned good theological arguments for the revelation in scripture.

All truth may be God’s truth, but all saving truth is revealed truth.

You know that the bible is the truth of God’s word because it has been revealed to you by the spirit. This is the same way that you know you have eternal life.

Remember when Jesus was asking the disciples “who do people say that I am?”

ONE WORD IS FLEETING AND PASSING AWAY / THE OTHER WORD IS SECURE AND ETERNAL.

The clear testimony in 1 Corinthians is the fact that only God can tell us about God. The only being wise enough and knowledgeable enough to reveal God to you is God Himself.

Whoever has the Son, has the Life.

Salvation is not a game of Russian Roulette. God has gone on record in His Word as offering eternal life to those who will believe on Jesus Christ. Millions of Christians have proved that God’s record is true. Not to believe is to make God out to be a liar, And if God is a liar, than nothing is certain.

God wants His children to know that they belong to Him. John was inspired by the Spirit to write his Gospel to assure us that “Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the living God. (before being delivered to patmos island tradition has that John was boiled alive in oil and lived. The Romans did not know what to do with that).

John 20:31 ESV

but these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.

The Bible Exposition Commentary Chapter Ten: What Do You Know for Sure? (1 John 5:6–21)

When Sir James Simpson, the discoverer of chloroform, was on his deathbed, a friend asked him, “Sir, what are your speculations?”

Simpson replied: “Speculations! I have no speculations! ‘For I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that He is able to keep that which I have committed unto Him against that day.’ ”

3. God Answers Prayer (1 John 5:14-15)

It is one thing to know that Jesus is God and that we are God’s children; but what about the needs of our daily life. How does knowing that the bible is God’s word give us confidence for everyday life?

Christians have confidence in prayer.

The word confidence means “freedom of speech.” We can come to the Father freely and tell Him our needs.

What breathing is to the physical man, prayer is to the spiritual man.

CONDITIONS WE MUST MEET TO HAVE CONFIDENCE IN OUR PRAYERS

(1) we must have a heart that does not condemn us.

1 John 3:21–22 ESV

Beloved, if our heart does not condemn us, we have confidence before God; and whatever we ask we receive from him, because we keep his commandments and do what pleases him.

Un-confessed sin is a serious obstacle to answered prayer. If there is anything between us and any other Christian, we must settle it. And unless a believer is abiding in Christ, in love and obedience, his prayers will not be answered.

John 15:7 ESV

If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you.

(2) We must pray in God’s will

“Prayer is not overcoming God’s reluctance. It is laying hold of God’s willingness.” There are times we can only pray, “Not my will but Thine be done,” because we simply do not know God’s will in a matter.

tells us that the spirit is discerning the circumstances around us. Most of the time we can determine God’s will by reading the Word, and listening to the Spirit.

Christians pray the promises of scripture.

Philippians 4:19 ESV

And my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus.

God not only ordains the end but he ordains the means to the end.

Illustration: Charles Spurgeon

The Bible Exposition Commentary Chapter Ten: What Do You Know for Sure? (1 John 5:6–21)

Charles Spurgeon, the famous preacher, was working hard on a message but was unable to complete it. It grew late and his wife said, “Why don’t you go to bed. I’ll wake you up early and you can finish your sermon in the morning.”

Spurgeon dozed off and in his sleep began to preach the sermon that was giving him so much trouble! His wife wrote down what he said and the next morning gave her preacher-husband the notes.

“Why, that’s exactly what I wanted to say!” exclaimed the surprised preacher. The message had been in his heart; it had simply needed expression. So with prayer: if we are abiding in Christ, the very desires of our heart are heard by God whether we voice them or not.

*WE ARE NOT BEGGARS; WE ARE CHILDREN COMING TO A WEALTHY FATHER WHO LOVES TO GIVE HIS CHILDREN GOOD THINGS.

*The most important thing about prayer is the will of God! We must take time to ascertain what God’s will is especially in searching in the Bible for promises or principles that apply.

4. Christians do not Practice Sin ()

We know that no one who is born of God sins, “No one who is born of God practices sin.”

This is perhaps one of the most disturbing pieces of scripture in the Bible.

*do we deliberately go against what God’s plan will be.

A Christian faces three enemies, all of which want to lead him into sin: The world, the flesh, and the devil.

The World: lies in the power of the evil one.

The Flesh: the old nature with which we were born and which is still with us, but we do not always yield to our new nature.

The Satan: The atmosphere around us makes it hard for us to keep our minds pure and our hearts true to God.

Then How does a Believer keep from sinning?

gives us the answer: Jesus Christ keeps the believer so that the enemy cannot get his hands on him.

Peters experience with Satan helps us to understand this truth! The fact that the Bible is God’s word bears evidence in the fact that the Believer does not continue in sin.

Satan cannot touch any believer without God’s permission.

Satan wanted to sift all the disciples, and Jesus gave him permission.

Luke 22:31–32 ESV

“Simon, Simon, behold, Satan demanded to have you, that he might sift you like wheat, but I have prayed for you that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned again, strengthen your brothers.”

Luke

Whenever Satan attacks us, we can be sure that God gave him permission. And if God gave him permission He will also give us power to overcome, because God will never permit us to be tested above our strength.

One of the characteristics of a spiritually mature person is their ability to overcome Sin and the evil one.

THE SECRET!

The word of God abides in the Christian.

A regenerate person is inherently sinless because God’s seed abides in him.

Ephesians 6:14 ESV

Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness,

Part of the armor of God is the sword of the Spirit and this sword overcomes Satan.

The person who practices sin proves that he belongs to Satan and the word of God does not abide in him.

GOD WARNS THAT SIN CAN LEAD TO PHYSICAL DEATH!

Mortal Sins!

Some have said that these are sins that are done deliberate, arrogance, and defiance before God, not those out of impulse or ignorance, or in some moment of strong emotion. Later on in the early church, there was a strong line of thought which declared that denial of the faith could never be forgiven.

It could be argued from this very letter of John that most deadly of all sins was to deny that jesus really came in the flesh, for that sin was nothing less that the mark of the antichrist.

2 Kinds of Sinners

(1) There are those who may be said to sin against their will. (they sin because they are swept away by passion or desire, which at the moment are too strong for them.) Out of impulse or ignorance.

(2) There are those who willfully sin with no remorse for their sin Sin! The more we flirt with sin and continually live in it the less disgust and remorse we have for our sin and it is leading towards an ultimate end of death.

(2) There are those who sin deliberately, on purpose taking their own way, although well award that it is wrong.

Habitual Unrepentant Sin! The more we flirt with sin and continually live in it the less disgust and remorse we have for our sin and it is leading towards an ultimate end of death.

The Letters of John and Jude The Essence of Sin (1 John 5:16–17 Contd)

The mortal sin is the state of those who have listened to sin and refused to listen to God so often that they love sin and regard it as the most profitable thing in the world.

1 John 3:7–10 ESV

Little children, let no one deceive you. Whoever practices righteousness is righteous, as he is righteous. Whoever makes a practice of sinning is of the devil, for the devil has been sinning from the beginning. The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the works of the devil. No one born of God makes a practice of sinning, for God’s seed abides in him; and he cannot keep on sinning, because he has been born of God. By this it is evident who are the children of God, and who are the children of the devil: whoever does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor is the one who does not love his brother.

1 John 3:

The sin unto death, is not some one specific sin. Rather, it is a kind of sin - it is the sort of sin that leads to death.

All unrighteousness is sin, but some sin is worse that other sin.

Nadab and Abihu, the two sons of Aaron the priest, died because the deliberately disobeyed God.

Korah and his clan opposed God and died. God opened up the earth and swallowed the rebels, their families, and all their possessions. Furthermore, “fire came out from the LORD” and consumed the other 250 men who were party to Korah’s rebellion.

Achan was stoned because he disobeyed Joshua’s orders from God at Jericho. A man named Uzzah touched the ark and God killed him.

SOME MIGHT ARGUE THAT THOSE ARE O.T. EXAMPLES! JOHN IS WRITING TO N.T. BELIEVERS WHO LIVE UNDER GRACE!

Believers today have a far greater responsibility to obey God.

“To whom much is given, much is required.” We have the complete Bible, we have the full revelation of God’s grace, and we have the Holy Spirit living within us to help us obey God’s word.” We have no excuse for continuing in our sin.

Annanias and Saphira, 1 Cor. (taking the Lords Supper in an unworthy way)

Hebrews 12:9 ESV

Besides this, we have had earthly fathers who disciplined us and we respected them. Shall we not much more be subject to the Father of spirits and live?

The Letters of John and Jude The Threefold Certainty (1 John 5:18–20)

‘A child of God may sin, but his normal condition is resistance to evil.

“We know that the S

1 John 5:20 ESV

And we know that the Son of God has come and has given us understanding, so that we may know him who is true; and we are in him who is true, in his Son Jesus Christ. He is the true God and eternal life.

The tragedy of idolatry is that a dead image can do a worshiper no good because it is not genuine. An idol is a lifeless useless substitute for the real thing.

5. The Christian life is the Real thing. (1 John 5:20-21)

How do we know that it is the Real thing? Because the word of God is the Real thing!

Christians live in an atmosphere of reality.

WE HAVE

Most unsaved people live in an atmosphere of pretense and sham. Christians have been given spiritual discernment to know the true from the false.

Christians do not just choose between good and bad they choose between true and false.

Whatever controls our lives and “calls the shots’ is our god. This is one of the most subtle way for Satan to take control of us.

People of the world live by what they see and feel.

People of God live by what He say’s in His Word.

“But it makes no difference what man believes so long as he is sincere!”

Does it make any difference what the pharmacist believes, or the surgeon, or the chemist? It makes all the difference in the world.

WATCH OUT FOR THE IMITATION AND LIVE FOR THE REAL.

Can you taste it, Can you see it, Can you feel it.