God's Testimony

Testimony In law and in religion, testimony is a solemn attestation as to the truth of a matter (Wikipedia). Today we are going to look at the testimony of God that life is in the Son, but first lets look back at some witnesses as a reminder.

Witnesses that John has previously used (1Jn5:6-10)

Water and blood (1Jn5:6)

The Spirit (1Jn5:6)

The Father (1Jn5:7)

The Word (1Jn5:7)

Witness of God (1Jn1:9)

The witness of the believers (1Jn1:10)

(Transition) so we have gone from witnesses (by the way word used 8 times in those verses to now a variation of the word, testimony. In our passage we see the testimony given about the Son, that gives credence to the evidence of the witnesses given in the previous verses.

Our passage goes from the evidence to the content of the testimony that the evidence supports. So some things to consider as we go through the passage

Things to consider as we go tonight. What is the content of God’s testimony concerning the Son? What has God declared? And, what does John have to say about these things to the church?

So, here is what we will attempt to cover tonight.

Our passage and gleaning from it (1Jn5:11-13)

God has given us eternal life

Eternal life is in the Son

Assurance of eternal life given

Gleaning from the passage

May we be some good students of the word so we can learn and apply from the word. So, open up and let’s look up our passage and pull some things from it.

1 John 5:11–12 NASB95

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

1 John 5:13 NASB95

13 These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, so that you may know that you have eternal life.

Anything stick out to you in this passage? What do you see as the theme?

What is the testimony (v.11)?

What is the promise and warning (v.12)?

What is the assurance for the believers (v.13)?

God has given us eternal life

As noted in (v.9) if we receive the testimony, accept the witness of men, the witness of God is greater which means the testimony of God is greater. So what does God testify about the Son here, let’s find out.

1 John 5:11 NASB95

11 And the testimony is this, that God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son.

Eternal life a present possession and a future hope (1Jn5:11-13)

Notice the tense in (v.11). God has given us eternal life.

Present tense! OK, so track with me more

1 John 5:12 NASB95

12 He who has the Son has the life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have the life.

Notice the tense in (v.12)? He who has Son has live, does not have the Son does not have life.

Now read on to (v.13)

1 John 5:13 NASB95

13 These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, so that you may know that you have eternal life.

Notice the tense (v.13) that you have eternal life.

God has given us a future hope too (Rom2:6-7, 6:22; Tit1:2)

Romans 2:6–7 NASB95

6 who will render to each person according to his deeds: 7 to those who by perseverance in doing good seek for glory and honor and immortality, eternal life;

Notice the tense (v.6) will render. . . .in doing good. . . for glory, honor, immortality and eternal life.

Now look at the next passage

Romans 6:22 NASB95

22 But now having been freed from sin and enslaved to God, you derive your benefit, resulting in sanctification, and the outcome, eternal life.

Notice the tenses used (v.22) having been freed . . . You derive your benefit. . . and the outcome eternal life.

So you have present tense and future hope, eternal life.

One more for us to look at

Titus 1:2 NASB95

2 in the hope of eternal life, which God, who cannot lie, promised long ages ago,

So, we have present tense possession, a reality and a future hope.

God’s gift, eternal life both a present possession and a future hope

Paul’s usage was similar to Jesus usage of the term, mostly for after time of judgment ; a future look(Mt25:46; Jn12:25)

Matthew 25:46 NASB95

46 “These will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.”

And now look at

John 12:25 NASB95

25 “He who loves his life loses it, and he who hates his life in this world will keep it to life eternal.

John in our passage and in the gospel as present possession (1Jn5:12, 20; Jn17:1-3)

We have looked at (v.12) several times, let’s look at (v.20)

1 John 5:20 NASB95

20 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. This is the true God and eternal life.

Notice the “we know,” “given us,” and “we are in Him”

John recording Jesus words

John 17:1–2 NASB95

1 Jesus spoke these things; and lifting up His eyes to heaven, He said, “Father, the hour has come; glorify Your Son, that the Son may glorify You, 2 even as You gave Him authority over all flesh, that to all whom You have given Him, He may give eternal life.

John 17:3 NASB95

3 “This is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent.

Present possession, “this is” and that is fellowship with the true God and Jesus Christ whom You have sent.

(transition) Context, context, context, we need to allow the usage in the context to define itself.

Contextual meaning in the Epistle (1Jn1:2, 5:20; 3:14-15; Jn17:3)

John states Jesus is eternal life (1Jn1:2, 5:13)

1 John 1:2 NASB95

2 and the life was manifested, and we have seen and testify and proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and was manifested to us—

and life in His name look at our ending verse from our passage

1 John 5:13 ESV

13 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.

And that knowing Him who is true is eternal life (1Jn5:20)

1 John 5:20 GNB

20 We know that the Son of God has come and has given us understanding, so that we know the true God. We live in union with the true God—in union with his Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God, and this is eternal life.

Now that really is good news isn’t it? This life starts with our conversion

1 John 3:14–15 NASB95

14 We know that we have passed out of death into life, because we love the brethren. He who does not love abides in death. 15 Everyone who hates his brother is a murderer; and you know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him.

Eternal life when we passed from death to life proven by our love for the brethren..

Because the fellowship, union we have with the one True God and His Son Jesus Christ we have eternal life for they are eternal life

1 John 1:2 HCSB

2 that life was revealed, and we have seen it and we testify and declare to you the eternal life that was with the Father and was revealed to us —

I have not forgotten that tonight the message is entitled God’s testimony. The testimony is true, it is revealed, it is that eternal life has been given, a present possession (reality) and a future hope. But wait, we are not done, there is more that was all just one point.

Eternal life is the Son

A stark truth laid on in (vv.11-12) and may we lay it out for us to look at it together.

1 John 5:11–12 The Message

11 This is the testimony in essence: God gave us eternal life; the life is in his Son. 12 So, whoever has the Son, has life; whoever rejects the Son, rejects life.

Back in Jn17:3 it was defined as knowing God and Himself is eternal life.

Jesus came to give us a full, abundant life (Jn10:10)

John 10:10 NASB95

10 “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly.

Jesus words were of eternal life (Jn6:68)

In Peters own words

John 6:68 NASB95

68 Simon Peter answered Him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have words of eternal life.

And in Him we have every spiritual blessing (Eph1:3)

Then there is the words, of Paul

Ephesians 1:3 NASB95

3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ,

and if we have every spiritual blessing would that no include Eternal life in the Son?

So to have eternal life you need to be in fellowship with the Father and the Son and that happens only when you are in Jesus, so may we now turn to the other side of the coin?

He who does not have the Son does not have eternal life (1Jn5:12; Jn14:6; Act4:12)

Jesus said it like this

John 14:6 NASB95

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

and then there was Luke

Acts 4:12 NASB95

12 “And there is salvation in no one else; for there is no other name under heaven that has been given among men by which we must be saved.”

Using the words of Peter. that life, eternal life, salvation is only found in Jesus. There is no present possession or future hope outside of Christ!

God’s desire is that all men would come to repent and have salvation (2Pt3:9; 1tim2:3-4) - - - no question mark people, either you have Him, or you do not!

(Transition) John wants us to know we have eternal life and now let’s look at that verse, I know we use that verse often, and there is a reason for it.

We may know we have eternal life

In the Gospel it is so you may have eternal life (Jn20:31) and now here in the epistle so we may know we have it, present possession and reality with a future hope.

1 John 5:13 The Message

13 My purpose in writing is simply this: that you who believe in God’s Son will know beyond the shadow of a doubt that you have eternal life, the reality and not the illusion.

The purpose of the epistle is seen in this verse.

So we may know (present tense) we are saved vs. just hoping, maybe we could be saved.

By this we know we know Him (1Jn2:3) and are in Him (1Jn2:5)

By this we can know we have passed from death to life (1Jn3:14)

By this we can know we are of the truth (1Jn3:19)

By this we can know He abides in us (1Jn3:24)

By this we can know we abide in Him (1Jn4:13)

We entitled this series we are wrapping up “Light, love and the love of God” and all throughout this epistle we have seen everything point to eternal life in the Son and the assurance of it! So, maybe a few reminders of when we can know.

When we can know:

When we keep the commandments (1Jn2:3-4)

Know his commands, keep his commands so not to be a liar

When we keep His words (1Jn2:5)

When we keep His Word the love of God is perfected in us.

When we love the brethren (1Jn3:14)

From death to life when we love the brethren

When we confess Jesus as the Son of God (1Jn4:15)

Confessing shows abiding in Him

When we believe Jesus is the Christ (1Jn5:1)

Believing in Jesus is believing in the Father and loving the Father as you love Jesus the One whom He had begotten.

(Conclusion) - - - - purpose fulfilled for it was John’s desire that we may know we have eternal life, the assurance of eternal life so that we may stay strong in our faith (our belief).