The Testimony Of A Believer

JULY 14, 2021 STUDY NOTES I JOHN 5:9-12 BIBLE TEACHER: CLIFTON JONES THE TESTIMONY OF A BELIEVER INTRODUCTION Babies begin their life by believing the witness of their parents They grow up and go to school believing the witness of their school teachers As adults we are continually accepting the witness of other people Many daily decisions of life are based upon the witness of others We accept the words of the doctor concerning our health and we do what he says We will even listen to the weatherman and plan the day according to his testimony Some of man’s testimony is good, and we need it, and some is good, but we don’t really need it Some is not good, and we don’t even need to hear it, so we ignore a lot of man’s testimony Before we give our full attention to the testimony of others we want to be fully convinced We will listen to the testimony of others when we are concerned about our physical well-being We listen to the doctor because we desire a better quality of life, we want to live longer and better John wants us to be fully convinced of God’s testimony and give Him our full attention John wants us to be spiritually concerned about our life and accept the testimony of God’s Word The testimony of God is greatly needed, and we greatly need to hear it, it is a “Great Testimony” GOD’S GREAT TESTIMONY 1Jn 5:9 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. “If” is not a suggestion, or doubt, the thought is “since’ or “in view of the fact that” “If” is a fulfilled condition, it is a known fact, it is an undeniable fact We do receive the witness of men every day and follow their instructions We are in the habit of receiving and following the testimony of man We know that to believe some people’s testimony can be very difficult today We hear the testimony of politicians, and we vote according to their testimony We hear talk show commentators and base our decisions on what we hear them say We can hear Bible teachers on the radio and T.V., but can we always accept their testimony? Especially when we hear that we will be blessed by giving to their ministry John’s point is that we often accept “the witness of men” and live our life according to it John contrasts the testimony of people and the testimony of God His point is, in view of the fact that we receive the witness of men to be a fact How much more should we receive the testimony of God? The word “Witness” has the meaning of a “testimony” giving evidence of a proven fact The testimony that must be heard and must be accepted as fact is what God says about His Son The testimony that God has given us is that Jesus is the “Son of God” The testimony that must be believed, received, and lived, our faith must be in Jesus, God’s Son Believe that testimony and you will receive eternal life, live it and you will be abundantly blessed When you have received eternal life, you must give testimony to the truth of Jesus The testimony of man concerning Jesus is the testimony from God In the Bible we have many testimonies presenting the truth of Jesus Page 1 of 7 They were all in agreement presenting the same testimony We have a man named John the Baptist who testified, Joh 1:15 John bare witness of him, and cried, saying, This was he of whom I spake, He that cometh after me is preferred before me: for he was before me. John the Baptist was born six months before the virgin birth of Jesus John gave witness of the eternal preexistence of Jesus, Joh 1:1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. Jesus gave witness of Himself in His appearance at the synagogue, Luk 4:16 And he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up: and, as his custom was, he went into the synagogue on the sabbath day, and stood up for to read. Jesus read from Isaiah, Luk 4:17 And there was delivered unto him the book of the prophet Esaias. And when he had opened the book, he found the place where it was written, Jesus read from a passage presenting the coming Messiah, Luk 4:18 The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised, Which presented the favorable year of the Lord, Luk 4:19 To preach the acceptable year of the Lord. (Representing the Kingdom of God through Jesus) Jesus applied the prophecy to Himself, Luk 4:21 And he began to say unto them, This day is this scripture fulfilled in your ears. The question of man was, “could the son of Joseph be the Messiah?” Luk 4:22 And all bare him witness, and wondered at the gracious words which proceeded out of his mouth. And they said, Is not this Joseph's son? And they rejected the testimony of Jesus, Luk 4:28 And all they in the synagogue, when they heard these things, were filled with wrath, Jesus knew that the Jewish authorities would not accept His witness of Himself, Joh 5:31 If I bear witness of myself, my witness is not true. (According to man) So, in 1 John 5, John calls many witnesses forth to verify the truth of Jesus’ personal witness Which also reveals that the witness is of God and therefore is the “greater witness” the witness of God is greater: Jesus calls forth the witness of God the Father, Joh 5:32 There is another that beareth witness of me; and I know that the witness which he witnesseth of me is true. All of the following that Jesus calls upon as a witness came from the witness of God The witness of John the Baptist, Joh 5:33 Ye sent unto John, and he bare witness unto the truth. The witness of the works of Jesus, Joh 5:36 But I have greater witness than that of John: for the works which the Father hath given me to finish, the same works that I do, bear witness of me, that the Father hath sent me. The witness of God the Father, Joh 5:37 And the Father himself, which hath sent me, hath borne witness of me. Ye have neither heard his voice at any time, nor seen his shape. The witness of the Scriptures, Joh 5:39 Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me. Because He is God, His testimony “is greater” for this is the witness of God We need no explanation of why God’s testimony is greater We only need to receive His testimony, Joh 3:33 He that hath received his testimony hath set to his seal that God is true. To receive Jesus is to testify to the truth of God’s testimony concerning Jesus Page 2 of 7 God’s testimony concerning Jesus is that Jesus is the “Son of God” which he hath testified of his Son. We have a record of God’s testimony concerning His Son at the time of His baptism, Mat 3:17 And lo a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. All three persons of the Trinity were present to give testimony of the Person of Jesus God the Father spoke of His Son who was being baptized and the Spirit descended on the Son We find the testimony of God again on the Mount of Transfiguration, Mat 17:5 While he yet spake, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them: and behold a voice out of the cloud, which said, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased; hear ye him. Peter gave witness of the witness of the Father in his sermon on the day of Pentecost, Act 2:22 Ye men of Israel, hear these words; Jesus of Nazareth, a man approved of God among you by miracles and wonders and signs, which God did by him in the midst of you, as ye yourselves also know: The Spirit came from heaven to give testimony of the truth of Jesus, Joh 15:26 But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, he shall testify of me: We must believe the testimony of God and be a testimony to the truth of what we believe 1Jn 5:10 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 doctrine of the Security of the believer is debated among theologians Here is one of the most plain and simple verses that is a witness of our assurance of salvation Many verses teach that we are saved by believing in and receiving Jesus Here John says that when you believe you receive a witness within yourself First look at “He that believeth,” over and over again we find that witness We have the assurance of receiving Him, Joh 1:12 But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: And the assurance of believing Him, Joh 3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. We have the assurance of everlasting life, Joh 3:36 He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him. We have the assurance of no condemnation, Joh 5:24 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life. The assuring belief is the accepting of the truth that Jesus is the Son of God The title that expresses the “Deity” of Jesus Christ, it means that the man Jesus is the God-man When the angel Gabriel appeared to Mary he said, Luk 1:35 And the angel answered and said unto her, The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee: therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God. Jesus walked on the water toward his disciples who were in a ship, Mat 14:33 Then they that were in the ship came and worshipped him, saying, Of a truth thou art the Son of God. Unclean spirits cried out when they saw Jesus, Mar 3:11 And unclean spirits, when they saw him, fell down before him, and cried, saying, Thou art the Son of God. Nathanael saw Jesus and said, Joh 1:49 Nathanael answered and saith unto him, Rabbi, thou art the Son of God; thou art the King of Israel. The centurion who witnessed the death of Jesus and the things that were done said, Mat 27:54 Now when the centurion, and they that were with him, watching Jesus, saw the earthquake, and those things that were done, they feared greatly, saying, Truly this was the Son of God. Page 3 of 7 The resurrection of Jesus declared Him to be the Son of God, Rom 1:4 And declared to be the Son of God with power, according to the spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead: It will be the voice of the Son of God that will resurrect the dead when He returns, Joh 5:25 Verily, verily, I say unto you, The hour is coming, and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God: and they that hear shall live. Philip preached Jesus and the Ethiopian testified, Act 8:37 And Philip said, If thou believest with all thine heart, thou mayest. And he answered and said, I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God. The testimony of Paul’s preaching, Act 9:20 And straightway he preached Christ in the synagogues, that he is the Son of God. To believe in Jesus is more than an intellectual acceptance that Jesus was a real person To believe in Jesus is to accept Him as the “Son of God” When we accept Jesus as the Son of God, we become a personal witness of the truth of Jesus hath the witness in himself: We have a constant witness within our own heart, a positive inward testimony We are fully convinced that Jesus is the Son of God by the presence of the Spirit within us Jesus promised that the Spirit would come to dwell within the believer, Joh 14:17 Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you. We learn that the believer lives in Christ and Christ lives in the believer, Joh 14:20 At that day ye shall know that I am in my Father, and ye in me, and I in you. The Spirit indwells the believer and bears witness with our spirit, Rom 8:16 The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God: We have the assurance of the Holy Spirit within us, 1Jn 3:24 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. When we confess that Jesus is the Son of God, 1Jn 4:15 Whosoever shall confess that Jesus is the Son of God, God dwelleth in him, and he in God. The Holy Spirit within us assures us that Jesus is the Son of God he that believeth not God hath made him a liar; John presents the truth concerning the one who believes and the one who does not believe And there is no other to consider, there is no one in between belief and unbelief There is no one almost saved, you are either a believer in Christ or you are a non-believer Every person is in one of those two categories God does not make any sinner an unbeliever, they have made the choice not to believe The emphasis of the verse is on receiving the testimony of God God is the one who gave the testimony about His Son If you do not receive the testimony of God, you do not believe that the testimony is true If you do not believe that it is true, you have said that God’s testimony is a lie The truth of God is truth, Heb 6:18 That by two immutable things, in which it was impossible for God to lie, we might have a strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us: The two things that cannot be changed are God’s promise and God’s oath There is no possibility of change, there will be no variation from either God will not break a promise and God will not give a false oath Both would be a great contradiction of His Person, a denial of who He is Lying does not come forth from God, it is not of His nature, lies come from the devil, Joh 8:44 Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from Page 4 of 7 the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it. Satan is the father of lies and there is no truth in him God is truth and His Word is truth, Joh 17:17 Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth. So, the truth is, it is “impossible for God to lie,” Tit 1:2 In hope of eternal life, which God, that cannot lie, promised before the world began; So, the witness of God is greater than the witness of man, Rom 3:4 God forbid: yea, let God be true, but every man a liar; as it is written, That thou mightest be justified in thy sayings, and mightest overcome when thou art judged. because he believeth not the record that God gave of his Son. “Because” explains why the previous statement is true “The Record” of God is the “Word of God,” which believers have received within themselves We have a living testimony that lives forever, 1Pe 1:23 Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever. GOD’S GIFT 1Jn 5:11 And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. The “record” is the testimony that God gave and lives within the believer God gave us eternal life and that life is in His Son The testimony that Jesus came to give, Joh 14:6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me. The witness is that God gave all believers eternal life through His Son “That God hath given to us” is the story of the Bible, it is the “Good News” God gave us His Son, Joh 3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. Jesus gave His life for us on the cross, Tit 2:14 Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works. Through the cross of Jesus, we have been given eternal life, Joh 10:28 And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. With the assurance that our life in Christ is eternal, Joh 10:29 My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father's hand. It is God that gave us the greatest gift, the gift of “Eternal Life” “Eternal Life” is more than a life that will last forever, if it is not, it may not be life at all Those in hell will experience an eternal state of existence An existence forever can be a curse instead of a blessing An eternal existence in this present body would be a burden and not a blessing We don’t want to live in a body like this earthly body forever, a corruptible body “Eternal Life” is the very life of God Himself which now lives in us, Gal 2:20 I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me. “Eternal Life” is now present as we continue to live in this present body “Eternal Life” in this body means that we have victory over all circumstances of life “Eternal Life” in this body means the defeat of Satan and sin “Eternal Life” in this body means that we experience the love of God, 1Jn 4:7 Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God. and this life is in his Son. Page 5 of 7 “Eternal Life” can only come through Jesus, Act 4:12 Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved. God gave His Son in order to give us His life, He could not give us His life in any other way The gift of His Son is life, to receive the Person of Jesus is to receive the gift of “Eternal Life” TESTIMONY OF LIFE 1Jn 5:12 He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life. “He that hath” is a present possession Believers are the ones, and they are the only ones who have eternal life The believer knows that Jesus is the Son of God and has received Jesus as God’s Son You must receive the “Son of God,” or you will not receive “Eternal Life” “Eternal Life” is God’s Life and God’s Life is only received through His Son The possession of God’s life is only in Jesus Ask someone, “Are you a Christian” and you will probably hear “I think I am,” “I hope I am” You will hear many different reasons why they believe that they are a Christian Many believe that they have eternal life because they joined the church and were baptized Many believe that they have eternal life because of their good works and being good to others Because they are faithful as a community worker of good deeds, helping others, giving to charity There are many different answers that you will receive concerning salvation The best way to ask the question is, “Do you have Jesus Christ in your life?” The answer should be either “yes” or “no,” only “yes” can verify the truth of eternal life and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life. This is as clear as it can be explained John has already established that Jesus was the Son of God And that to receive Jesus Christ as the Son of God is to receive eternal life But because they refuse to believe and accept Jesus as the Son of God, they do not have life You do not have life if you do not have the Son of God You do not have the Son of God if you do not believe in and receive Him as the Son of God Joh 3:36 He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him. If you have eternal life, you will not perish, Joh 3:15 That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life. John wrote the Gospel account to present Jesus as the Son of God, Joh 20:31 But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name. Believe that Jesus is the Son of God, and you will have Eternal Life In 1 John he writes that the believer might know that he is a believer, 1Jn 5:13 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. Page 6 of 7 Page 7 of 7