The Certainty Of God's Witness.

THE CERTAINTY OF GOD’S WITNESS.

1 John 5:4-12.

It is interesting to note that 1 JOHN 5:4 begins “all that is born of God” overcomes the world. On just this one occasion, this is written in the neuter. The deeds of faith performed by born-again people are just as much begotten of God as the people who perform them. This should give encouragement to day by day Christian service.

John tells us elsewhere that ‘whoever believes’ in the only begotten Son of God ‘has everlasting life’ (cf. John 3:16). There is a close relationship between such “believing” - and being ‘born again’ (cf. John 3:3). This is the substance, and the empowerment, of the “faith” that is within us: a faith which has already overcome, and is overcoming the world (1 JOHN 5:4b).

Whoever “believes that Jesus is the Son of God” (1 JOHN 5:5) overcomes the world. We have spoken of “the faith” that overcomes: but what is “the world” that it overcomes? This is the world of rebellion against God, the domain of sin and death, which Jesus overcame in His death and resurrection. Our victory is based in His victory, and we also are overcomers.

“This is He that came by water and blood, even Jesus Christ” (1 JOHN 5:6a). He became incarnate in the world of men, and was acknowledged by the Father at the waters of His baptism (cf. Matthew 3:17). His blood was shed at Calvary, on our behalf – a death certified by the might of Rome.

Yet we know that that was not the end. Death could not hold Him: Good Friday gave way to Easter Sunday; death to life; seeming defeat to certain victory. Metaphorically speaking, the resurrection power of our Lord Jesus Christ flows through our veins.

Our faith is based objectively in the truths of Scripture, as witnessed by the Spirit of truth (1 JOHN 5:6b). There is also the inner witness of God’s Spirit that we are, indeed, the children of God (cf. Romans 8:16).

It has already been established that Jesus is the Son of God (1 JOHN 5:5b) – implying that God is His “Father.” John also calls Jesus “the Word” in his Gospel (cf. John 1:1-3), and speaks of Him as ‘the only begotten of the Father’ (cf. John 1:14). And he has just mentioned the veracity of the Spirit’s witness (1 JOHN 5:6b).

Now John gathers these three heavenly witnesses together: “For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one” (1 JOHN 5:7). To these he adds three witnesses in the earth: “the Spirit, the water, and the blood: and these three agree in one” (1 JOHN 5:8).

The “Holy Ghost” (1 JOHN 5:7) is one and the same with “the Spirit” who is also witnessing in the earth, through the Scriptures, and in the hearts of His people (1 JOHN 5:6b). Thus, He is “bearing record in heaven” (1 JOHN 5:7), but also “bearing witness in earth” (1 JOHN 5:8).

Just as Jesus’ coming “by water and blood” refers to His baptism and His death (1 JOHN 5:6a); so “the water, and the blood” that join the witness of the “Spirit” in the earth (1 JOHN 5:8) are signified by our baptism into Christ, and our participation in the Lord’s Supper.

The claims of 1 John about Jesus Christ are trustworthy, because their source is God. John says that the witness of God is “greater” than human witness (1 JOHN 5:9). This is the third time in this letter that John has used this particular adjective with reference to God (cf. 1 John 3:20; 1 John 4:4).

All who “believe” in the Son of God have this witness in themselves (1 JOHN 5:10a), exactly because they do believe! The word “believes” is in the perfect tense: present, permanent, and continuous.

Those who do not believe make God out to be a “liar” (1 JOHN 5:10b). The same accusation is levelled against those who say they have not sinned (cf. 1 John 1:10). Those who do not believe are condemned already (cf. John 3:18).

“This is the record,” says John: “that God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His (resurrected!) Son” (1 JOHN 5:11).

Two sides are opposed to one another: those who have the Son, have life; those who do not have the Son of God do not have life (1 John 5:12).