Hello, my ‘Walking with Jesus’ friends,
I wonder if you have ever been called into a courtroom as a witness and after taking the stand and promising to speak only the truth, you spoke your testimony, you gave your witness declaration? Depending on the case being tried in that courtroom being a ‘witness’ can be a traumatic experience, especially as you are cross examined by law professionals. The key in being a witness is speaking only the truth so that no matter what questions are asked, the truth is able to stand clear and strong against all inquisition. Do you agree?
These days we’re with John as he is writing his last chapter of his first letter to Christians all around the Roman empire in the first century. I left you yesterday contemplating the uniqueness of Jesus as John described the deity & humanity of his very good friend Jesus, in 1 John 5:5,6. Today, John wants us to consider the importance of a testimony of truth when considering important life issues, especially the issue of a relationship with God.
John writes: “It is the Holy Spirit who testifies, because the Spirit is the truth. For there are three that testify: the Spirit, the water and the blood; and the three are in agreement. We accept man’s testimony, but God’s testimony is greater because it is the testimony of God, which HE has given about His Son…. And this is the testimony: God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. The person who has the Son has life; the person who does not have the Son of God does not have life.” (1 John 5:6-12)
As John wrote these words, I presume he remembered being in the upper room with Jesus, the night before Jesus was crucified. That evening Jesus shocked His disciples with many amazing truths and one of them was this: “I will ask the Father and He will send you another Counselor, to be with you forever, the Spirit of Truth... and when He, the Spirit of Truth comes, He will guide you into all truth…” (John 14:16,17; 16:13) Jesus made it very clear to His disciples that the same Holy Spirit who had anointed Jesus in power to do the miracles and speak God’s truth, was going to live in them as Christians. And that Holy Spirit would lead them in understanding God’s truth and empower them to accomplish God’s purposes. The Holy Spirit can be trusted because He is all truth, He only speaks truth, and He guides followers of Jesus in understanding God’s truth. John knew that all those who would read his letter in the first century understood how vital it was for the witness testimony of a person to be truthful. In fact, ancient Jewish law required two or three witnesses to all be in agreement before a critical case could be determined, (Deut. 17:6) and the same was true in a Roman court, as with Jesus and Pilate. (Matt. 27:12-14) So when John wrote “For there are three that testify: the Spirit, the water and the blood; and the three are in agreement“ everyone understood this corroboration of witness assured their testimony to be true and reliable.
As we saw yesterday water and blood were significant in identifying Jesus as the Son of God in His birth, His baptism and His atonement death. But John here reminds us that several people are recorded in the Gospels as having made significant, clear testimony statements about the identity of Jesus: As Jesus died, the Roman centurion executioner had said “Surely this was the Son of God.” (Matt. 27:54) At Caesarea Philippi Peter had said “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” (Matt. 16:16) and Martha, while standing at the tomb of her dead and buried brother Lazarus had said to Jesus, “I believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God who was to come into the world.” (John 11:27)
But John wants us to understand that as significant as those human declarations are when God speaks about Jesus it’s far more important: “We accept man’s testimony, but God’s testimony is greater because it is the testimony of [Holy, Almighty, Omniscient, Creator] God, which He has given about Jesus His Son. Anyone who believes in the Son of God has this testimony in their heart. Anyone who does not believe God has made God out to be a liar…” (1 John 5:9,10)
Oh my, John just challenged every person on this planet who has ever doubted or discounted or rejected God. Either God is holy and truthful at all times, or God is fickle, manipulative, sometimes a liar. Now which is it for you, my friend? Can God be trusted to be truthful and holy at all times or not? Isaiah 45:19 is one of the greatest statements of the Bible and that is where I stand on this question, how about you? God spoke through the prophet Isaiah saying: “I am the LORD, there is no other… I the LORD speak the TRUTH, I declare what is RIGHT…”
Like an attorney standing before the judge and jury in a courtroom making their final statements in a life and death case, John makes his summary testimony statement: “And this is the testimony: God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son Jesus. Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life.” (1 John 5:11,12) It is clear, unequivocal, definitive, and both inclusive and exclusive, do you see it? God alone both creates human life and gives to repentant people new, sin forgiven life and the assurance of eternal life in heaven with God. That sin forgiven life and eternal life in heaven are ONLY achievable in a faith relationship with Jesus Christ, the Son of God. This wonderful reality is available to anyone, and anyone can know for sure if they have eternity in heaven awaiting them after death... it is assured to all who have a living, authentic, sin forgiven relationship with Jesus. But anyone who has not trusted in God’s truth or in Jesus’ atonement death is not living a sin forgiven life now and will not go to heaven for all eternity.
John lays down his stylus. He has been writing this entire letter to answer one simple yet profound question: ‘How can a person know with certainty that they are an authentic, sin forgiven Christian, bound for eternal life with God?’ John has made it clear… and now you and I, and every person alive, should be able to answer that life and death question. So, what’s your answer my friend? If you still don’t know please contact me and let me help you.
Today’s Scripture is 1 John 5:6-12.
Choose below to read or listen.
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Bible images provided with attribution to www.LumoProject.com.
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Pastor Doug Anderson 262.441.8785
“Let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, with our eyes fixed on Jesus…” (Heb. 12:1,2)
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