I John 5:6-13

We Have A Witness

Introduction

1. Witness is the key to vss. 6-13. The word is used 10 times in this passage.

2. In vss. 1-5 Believing that Jesus is the Messiah (1) Believing that Jesus is the Son (the very

essence of God) (5)

3. How do we know that Jesus is the Son of God?

4. In John 5:6-13 John calls witnesses to that fact. In the Gospel of John, the entire book is

written that you might believe that Jesus is the Christ (the Messiah) and that believing you

might have life through His name. Here that they may know they have eternal life. (5:13)

How do we know that Jesus is the very essence of God? Witness of the Spirit:

I. TO THE SON 5:6-8

Jesus is called the Christ (Messiah) (1) and the Son (the very essence of God) of God (5). He is now described further and attested to the witness of His Incarnation. Three witnesses are

called.

A.Witness Through The Water

1.The easiest interpretation is at His baptism at the beginning of His ministry.

2.At that time the heavens opened…a dove descended (the Holy Spirit descended on Him empowering Him)

3.Heaven speaks: “This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased.” The remainder of His life is a testimony to the fact that God’s power rested on Him.

B.Witness Through The Blood

1.This phrase takes us to the Cross. The sky drew dark. The earth trembled. The veil in the Temple was torn in two. In the Old Testament no one but the high priest once a year could enter the holy of holies.

2.Blood was actually shed. Jesus was a real human. The Cerinthian Gnostics distinguished between Jesus and The Christ. They held that Jesus was a mere man, born to Joseph and Mary. Upon whom The Christ descended at His baptism and from whom The Christ departed at the Cross.

3.NOT SO Says JOHN! Jesus was the Christ (the Messiah) before and during the baptism and during and after the Cross. He who came from heaven is the same One who passed through the water and the blood.

C.Witness Through The Spirit

1.The witness is the Holy Spirit and His witness is Truth!

2.His testimony is not stated. The context is He testifies to Christ.

3.How? Through the Word (5:13)…By opening our eyes to the Truth: Jesus is the Christ (Messiah)…Jesus is the Son of God.

4.He is worthy to be our Savior. Do you remember when the Holy Spirit opened your eyes?

*Verse 7 is found in very few manuscripts and was added in the 15th century to prove the Trinity, but is not found in the best manuscripts.

*v. 8 All three bear witness. These all agree in one. They are all in agreement. In the Levitical courts one could not be charged with a crime without 2 or 3 witnesses. The Spirit is placed first. He is the only living witness. The water and the blood remain mute without Him.

*The Holy Spirit is independent of them as a witness.

How do we know that Jesus is the very essence of God? Witness of the Spirit:

II. IN THE SAINTS 5:9, 10

A.To Us…Facts 9a

There is a contrast:

1.The Witness of men…You accept the witness of men as valid. We are accustomed to receiving earthly facts in a trial.

2. The Witness of God…How much more can we rely on God’s testimony! With 2

or 3 witnesses, men are found guilty or innocent.

B. With Us…Faith 9b

1. What about God? What about the witnesses of God? Will you buy it? We should

because that witness is superior. God cannot lie!

2. We have 3 witnesses from God concerning His Son. Buy it!

3. It is God who bore witness in His Son in history by the water and the blood.

4. It is God who bears witness today through His Holy Spirit. Buy It…It’s True!

C. In Us…Feeling 10

He that believes on the Son of God has the witness in himself…Saving Faith!

1.Receiving the witness, the testimony leads to believing in Jesus Christ.

2.Upon believing you were sealed with the Holy Spirit. (Eph 1:13)

3.The believer has the witness of God in himself. But you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his. (Rom 8:9)

4.This one has the right to place his confidence in Jesus.

How do we know that Jesus is the very essence of God? Witness of the Spirit:

III. THROUGH THE SCRIPTURES 5:11-13

This is the testimony…record (10, 11)

A.The Source of Eternal Life (10b, 11)

1.I have written these things that you might believe that Jesus is the Christ (Messiah) and that by believing you might have life through His name. (John 20:31)

2.He that believes not calls God a liar.

3.Testimony: God has given to us eternal life and this life is in His Son. Jesus is the God/Man. Eternal life is found only in Him.

B.The Substance of Eternal Life 12

1.The wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ (Rom 6:23) Illus.: Sheet of paper represents eternal life…Would you like to have eternal life? Put the paper in the Bible which represents Jesus Christ. Would you like to receive Jesus Christ?

2.What logic is found in v. 12: He that has the Son has life. He that has not the Son does not have life.

*It is impossible to have life without having Jesus Christ.

*Eternal life is found in His Son and nowhere else! But as many as received Him He gives the power, the ability to become children of God even to those who believe on His name. (John 1:12)

3. The purpose of this witness is that you might believe. Today the record is the

Word of God. God’s Witness is so we can have Him and by having Him we

have eternal life. Have you believed? Have you received? If not, you are calling

God a liar!! (v. 10b)

C.The Surety of Eternal Life 13

I have written these things that you can know you have eternal life.

1.It takes a leap of faith, but it is never a blind leap.

2.The most logical thing in the world is to receive Jesus Christ.