The name of the message is God's
Witness and Record. God's Witness and Record. Now we have seen in our study
of this wonderful book that John, who is an eyewitness and an earwitness
to the things of Christ, he's writing again to God's born-again,
blood-washed saints. It's called the General Epistle.
It's not written to any church in particular, but it's written
to the people of God. And it's penned by John, by inspiration
of the Holy Spirit of God. And it's again written to those
blood-washed people, those who were born again by the Holy Spirit,
those who have been purchased by the precious blood of the
Lord Jesus Christ on Calvary's cross. That's who this book is
written to, to God's people, his elect. And John states again
by inspiration of the Holy Spirit in chapter one that he is writing
this letter that our joy may be full. Look at verse four in
chapter one. And these things write we unto
you, that your joy may be full. That your joy may be full. And how the joy has flooded into
our souls as we've studied this book. Studied the word of God. We who are, again, the blood-washed
saints of God, we have read and studied some of the truths that
are proclaimed in this book. And they're wondrous to the believer.
They're absolutely wondrous to the believer in Christ. Think
of this. The fact that we have fellowship
with God, with the holy, righteous God of the universe, the believer
has fellowship with God in and through the Lord Jesus Christ. And then the fact that we have
an advocate. What a precious truth that is to the believer.
That we have an advocate in heaven. And you know what his name is?
Jesus Christ the righteous. Look at verse one of chapter
two. Look at this truth. My little
children, these things write I unto you that ye sin not. And
if any man sin, which we will and we do, Look, but it plainly
states here, we have an advocate. We have a mediator, beloved,
an advocate, with the Father. Now remember, we can't stand
in the Father's presence on our own, can we? No, but we have
an advocate, beloved, and his name is Jesus Christ the righteous,
the only one who's ever been righteous, and the one who we
are clothed in his perfect spotless righteousness. And then, oh,
what joy fills the believer's soul when we find out and study
and have revealed to us that God himself, the holy sovereign
God of the universe, sent Christ to be a propitiation for our
sins. Oh, what joy fills my heart when
I think about that, when I meditate on it and contemplate that, that
Christ was sent by God the Father? to be a propitiation for my sins.
He's sinless, he's perfect, he's spotless. The only reason he's
dying on that cross is to pay for the sins of all of God's
people when they're imputed to him. And God sent him to do that,
beloved. And this truth, this truth is proclaimed. Look it
over in Chapter 3, verse 5. He was manifested. Why? He was
manifested to take away our sins. And in him is no sin. No sin
in his life. No sin in his death. Perfect. Absolutely perfect. And think
of this. That God's wrath and justice
is absolutely extinguished against us in Christ. It's extinguished, beloved. in
Christ. And this is what I marvel at. That my standing before God and
his eternal love for me is eternal. It's not based upon what I do.
That's wondrous. And then think that he loved
us even when we were dead in sin. He's loved us with an everlasting
love, right? And he'll love us till everlasting. And think of this, think of this.
If he's loved us from eternity, and he chose us in Christ in
eternity, which he did. And the scripture says that God
does not change. He don't change. So then his
love for me and his love for you, Lord, is not based upon
us. It's unchanging, and we've discovered
that truth, right? Behold what manner of love the
Father hath. Behold, look at verse one of
chapter three. Behold what manner of love the
Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the
sons of God, therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew
him not. So we've learned these precious truths, and they're
marvelous. They're marvelous. You never
grow tired of hearing of them. I never grow tired of hearing
of God's everlasting love for me. It just leaves me in awe.
It puts me in the dust. It's amazing. It's incredible.
Absolutely incredible. And then look at 1 John 2, verse
1. Look at this. Our sins are forgiven
for his name's sake. Look what the scripture says
there. 1 John 2. Verse 12. This is wonderful. I write unto you, little children,
because your sins are forgiven you for His name's sake. Now
there's a reason why we're going over all this. You'll see why. We're heading right to the record.
This is the record. This is the record that God's
given of His Son, beloved. We've been studying it. It's
all through this Word from beginning to end. From Genesis to Revelation. It's a record. of who God says
Christ is, and who Christ says He is. And the fact that we have an
unction from the Holy Spirit of God, we're taught of God,
aren't we? We're taught of God. And we know when a man's lying
to us. We know. We know. We've been taught the
truth that salvation is in Christ alone. We've been taught that
by the Holy Spirit of God. And we've been taught that no
man comes to the Father except through Christ. Listen to this,
1 John 2.25, and this is the promise that he hath promised
us, even eternal life. God himself has promised to his
people eternal life. My, and don't forget, the one
who promises that has the power and the ability to do what he
promises. See, we have no ability and we
have no power to change who we are. His ways are not our ways. His
thoughts are not our thoughts. He's so far above us, beloved.
He has all power, all power. And so the glorious fact about
the wonderful, unchanging love of God, which I hit on earlier,
the eternal love of God, it's been said upon God's people from
eternity. and the truth that we are born
again of the Holy Spirit of God, regenerated by the Holy Spirit
of God, and now we're called the sons of God. This is what
the scriptures declare. It's wonderful. And then again,
the wonderful truth that we love him because he first loved us.
Well, think of that. We love him in time. I was thinking
about this today. We love him in time because he
first loved us in eternity. Isn't that wonderful? It starts
way back then, beloved. It starts way back then. And
then in our recent study, we saw, let's look at verses four
and five of chapter five. We saw that we overcome the world
in Christ. We overcome the world in Christ.
Look at verses four and five. For whatsoever is born of God
overcometh the world, and this is the victory that overcometh
the world, even our faith. Who is he that overcometh the
world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God? And how this makes us rejoice.
How this makes us rejoice. We only overcome because of Christ.
And in Christ. Now I had us again go over these
wonderful truths because That is the record that God gives
us in the scriptures, in this book right here, in this wonderful
little book. And this book's all about Christ.
Every book in this Bible is about Christ. It's all about him. And this little epistle here
testifies of what we have in Christ, who Christ is and what
we have in him. Again, this whole book, though,
from beginning to end testifies of our king. Search the scriptures,
our master told us. Because they testify of him.
They testify of him. My. And you know, the gospel
is a report. Isaiah, chapter 53, verse 1. We're all familiar with this,
but I'm going to read it. Who hath believed our report, Isaiah
writes. Who hath believed our report,
and to whom is the arm of the Lord revealed? Who hath believed
our report? Well, the gospel of Christ, beloved,
is a report. It's a report. And it's full
of glad tidings and great joy. Glad tidings and great joy. Yet
it is so very generally despised and scorned that the question is here put
in Isaiah verse one, who hath believed it? Who hath believed
the report? Because it's scorned and rejected,
right? And then we consider who Christ
is in himself and how essentially necessary he is to the salvation
of his people. And it becomes a matter of wonder
for we who believe that all men do not believe, right? Do not embrace Christ. Do not
embrace the record that's being proclaimed. Then, on the other
hand, see, on the other hand, when we consider how sunken fall
in our nature is, the fact that we're dead in trespasses and
sins, that we died in Adam, when he fell spiritually, we fell.
Remember what Norm said? We work with the dead. That's
just the dead spiritually. Well, when we fell out of them,
we're dead. And even to the total ignorance of our ruin in nature,
we don't, in our natural state, we see no need for redemption.
No, we think we can gain merit and favor with God by what we
do. We're so blinded to the things of God that we see no need for redemption
and we do not see our true state ruined. And then it becomes a matter
of still greater wonder that any would receive it. But nothing but the free and
sovereign grace of God can accomplish this. Nothing but the free and sovereign
grace of God can accomplish this in the heart of the believer.
Salvation is of the Lord, and it is Him that makes us willing
in the day of His power, beloved. So if you're here and you're
saved, you're born again, blood-washed believer, it's because God purposed
it to be so, according to His will and good pleasure. Isn't
that wonderful? Oh my, it's absolutely wonderful,
beloved. Absolutely wonderful. So let's
read our text tonight, 1 John chapter 5. We'll read verses
6 to 13 for the context, but our verses will be found in verses
9 to 12. Verse 6. This is He, being Christ, that
came by water and blood, even Jesus Christ, not by water only,
but by water and blood. And it is the Spirit that beareth
witness, because the Spirit is truth. For there are three that
bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost,
and these three are one, total unity. And there are three that
bear witness in earth, the Spirit, and the water, and the blood,
and these three agree in one. If we receive the witness of
man, the witness of God is greater, for this is the witness of God,
which he hath testified of his Son. 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. And this is the record that God
hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. He that hath the Son hath life,
and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life. 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. Now we see that John continues
to bring forth the witness from heaven in verse 9. Remember we
looked at verses 6 to 8 last time we met. And now we see though
that John continues to bring forth the witness from heaven
in verse 9. If we receive the witness of
man, the witness of God is greater. For this is the witness of God,
which he hath testified of his Son." So John brings forth in
this verse the great distinction between the witness of man and
the witness of God. And how the witness of God is
far greater, far greater. Oh my. We believe the witness
of man, And the witness of God, the believer believes the witness
of man in reference to gospel preachers. And often in this life, do you
know we give credibility to the witness of man? You know, every
time you go to the doctor, you do, right? You follow his instructions,
don't you? You follow his instructions.
And if you do that, then you're receiving the witness of man.
Doctor looks at you and says, well, you need to do this. And
we say, okay, well you need to take this, okay. You're receiving the witness
of man. The wise men who followed the
star received the witness of the prophets of God, didn't they? And Herod received their witness
as he sent forth a decree that all the children that were in
Bethlehem and all the coasts thereof from two years old and
under were to be slain. So he believed their witness. He believed what they said. Believers in Christ received
the words of John the Baptist at that time. They believed what
John was saying about the Messiah coming. They believed him. Listen to this. Actually, let's
turn to John 10. John 10, verse 41 and 42. Look
at this. John chapter 10, verses 41 and 42. John chapter 10. And many resorted unto him and
said, John did no miracle, but all things that John spake of
this man were true. And many believed on him there.
They believed what he said. They believed what he said. He
said, the Lamb's coming. He's coming. He's coming, the
Messiah's coming. And they believed. They believed
on him. They believed what he said. The preacher of God is
one mercy beggar. telling other mercy bakers where
to find bread. And God's people believe the
witness that gospel preachers give. We believe it. Because a gospel preacher remembers
but a sinner saved by grace, just like everyone else. There's life in Christ, in him
alone, nowhere else. Flee to him. May God make you
well. And there exists, beloved, an
even greater witness. Turn, if you would, to the book
of Acts. The book of Acts. Acts chapter 17. There is a greater
witness. Acts 17, verses 10 and 11. And
the brethren immediately sent away Paul and Silas by night
into Berea, who come and thither went into the synagogue of the
Jews. These were more noble than all those in Thessalonica in
that they received the word with all readiness of mind and searched
the scriptures daily whether these things were so. They heard
what Paul said, then they searched the scriptures to see if it was
so. Paul was preaching the gospel. John, by inspiration of the Holy
Spirit of God here, is not discounting the witness of man, but he's
simply declaring that the value of their witness is to be assessed
in light of what God has declared in his word. So he's contrasting
the witness of man with the witness of our great sovereign God. That's
what he's doing here in verse nine. And the witness of God
is greater, far greater, far greater. It's the greater witness
that gives credence and value to the lesser. You see? It's the greater witness that
gives credence to the lesser. What I preach is the gospel.
But the greater witness is God. And I proclaim Him. And so He
gives witness to the lesser. He gets the glory, beloved. Because
it's all about Him. It's all about Him. all about
him. Now note in the latter part of
verse 9 we see the plainness of speech which is brought forth
here, as we'll see in the next few
verses, the witness of God. Now look at this, for this is
the witness of God in the latter part of verse 9, for this is
the witness of God which he hath testified of his son. Now notice in the text the narrowness
of this greater witness. Do you notice the narrowness
of it? It's the witness of God which
has testified of his son, period. You see the narrowness? What
did God say at the Lord's baptism? This is my son, this is my beloved
son, in whom I'm well pleased. People often say we're really
narrow-minded, Because we say salvation's in
Christ alone. Well, that's what the scripture says. So that's
how we proclaim. It's not in us at all, is it?
He says, I am the way. God testified of his son. I am
the truth. God testifies of his son. And
I'm the life. No man cometh unto the Father
but by me. There it is, and look what it
says in this book right here, the latter part of verse nine,
for this is the witness of God which he hath testified of his
son. There's only salvation in Christ. It's nowhere else. So
if the witness of a number of credible man is accepted and
believed by us, the scripture here is declaring how much more
should we then receive the witness of God? How much more then should
we receive the witness of God which he has testified of his
son? Even the witness of the Father. Turn, if you would, to
John chapter 5. John chapter 5. I kept John open here because
I know we're going back there. John chapter 5. Look at this. John chapter 5. Let's start in
verse 31 and read to verse 39. Look at this. John 5, 31 to 39. If I bear witness of myself,
my witness is not true. There is another that beareth
witness of me, and I know that the witness which he witnesses
of me is true. He sent unto John, and he beareth
witness unto the truth." Who did John bear witness of? Christ,
who is the truth incarnate. But I receive not testimony from
man, see? Testimony don't come from man.
But these things I say that ye might be saved. He was a burning
and a shining light, and ye were willing for a season to rejoice
in his light. But I have greater witness than
that of John. He's the one, Christ is the one
that Scriptures testify of. 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." Just his miracles alone. And we can look back and
see even what he accomplished on Calvary's cross. Only God
could atone for our sins, beloved. And Christ is God incarnate in
the flesh. And the Father himself, which
has sent me, notice how he's saying the Father, I'm here to
do the Father's work, the Father is the one who sent me, hath
borne witness of me, ye have neither heard his voice at any
time, nor seen his shape. Now he's talking to Jews here,
they're professing to know God. He says, you've not seen him
ever. You've not seen him, you've not heard his voice, or seen
his shape. and ye have not his word abiding
in you. For whom he hath sent, him ye
believe not." Oh, he just exposed them right there, didn't he?
He says, I'm sent a God, and you claim to love God, but you
reject the very one he sent. Now see, this is man by nature.
This is all of us by nature. Then look at verse 39, search
the scriptures, for in them you think you have eternal life,
and they are they which testify of me. The record is all about
Christ. The witness of the scriptures
is all about Christ, beloved. All about Him. And again, God
has not left Himself without a witness, beloved, and we have
a sufficient witness for a firm and strong faith in the Lord
Jesus Christ. All through this Word, God has
testified of His Son. Again, He said, this is my beloved
Son, in whom I am well pleased. That can be said of nobody else
but Christ. No one else but Christ. Now turn,
if you would, to John chapter three. Just a couple chapters
over. John chapter three. Now remember this too. God's
people, right? God's people, by God-given faith,
believe the testimony of God. We believe what the scriptures
say and say. We believe it. We believe the
witness of God concerning his son. We believe the record of
God concerning his son. Look at this in John chapter
3. John chapter 3, and here's the
words of John the Baptist. John chapter 3, verse 25 to 36. John chapter 3, verse 25. Then there arose a question between
some of John's disciples and Jews about purifying, and they
came unto John, and said unto him, Rabbi, he that was with
thee beyond Jordan, to whom thou bearest witness, behold, the
same baptizes, and all men come to him. John answered and said,
A man can receive nothing, and note there that John testified
of him. He bearest witness of Christ.
In verse 26 there, verse 27, John answered and said, a man
can receive nothing except to be given him from heaven. Now
look at that. You cannot receive salvation except to be given
to you from heaven. You cannot receive Christ except
to be given to you from heaven. See, salvation's of the Lord.
It's all his doing, beloved. It's all him. It's all him. Ye yourselves bear me witness
that I said I am not the Christ, but that I am sent before him.
He's the forerunner. He that hath the bride is the
bridegroom, being Christ, and we're his bride. But the friend
of the bridegroom, which standeth and heareth him, rejoices greatly
because of the bridegroom's voice. This my joy therefore is fulfilled. He must increase, but I must
decrease. He must have all the preeminence.
Every believer wants Christ to have the preeminence. He must
increase and I must decrease. Oh, my. He that cometh from above,
look at this, is above all. Well, he came down from heaven,
didn't he? He died a substitute for his people on Calvary's cross,
and he went right back up to heaven, glorified. He that is
of the earth is earthly. That's us, natural man. And speaketh
of the earth, He that cometh from heaven is above all. And
what he hath seen and heard, that he testifieth. And no man
receiveth his testimony. Look at that. Only by God-given faith do we
receive the testimony of Christ. Only by the regenerating power
of the Holy Spirit of God. He that hath received his testimony
hath set to his seal that God is true. and set there is certified. For
he whom God hath sent speaketh the words of God, for God giveth
not the spirit by measure unto him. We have the spirit by measure.
Remember I mentioned that a few weeks ago? He doesn't have the
spirit by measure. He's full of grace and truth, beloved.
He's full, he's the God-man, mediator. The Father loveth the
Son, and hath given all things into his hands. 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."
My! So beloved of God, we know that
God has invested all salvation in Christ alone. All the fullness of salvation
that man may receive is in Christ and Him alone. His brother Scott
Richardson said, I like this quote, God has put all his eggs
in one basket and that is Jesus Christ our Lord. The God-man mediator who came
to this world to save his people from their sins. To save us? My. It's a wondrous message,
isn't it? Wondrous message of salvation
and grace of the gospel. It's absolutely wondrous. Wonderful. Let's now consider verse 10 here.
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. So we see here that
God's people, again, by God-given faith, regenerated by the power
of the Holy Spirit of God, believe the witness that God has given
of his Son. We believe it. We believe the
scriptures. We believe it. We don't understand
it all. And we probably never will in
this lifetime. I don't know anybody who's ever
found all the truth in the scriptures. But the little bit that we know,
we just marvel in. We just marvel in it. And we
believe it. We believe it, beloved. We believe
the witness that God has given of his son. Why? Because the
spirit of God is in us. It's in us. Look at that verse
again. He that believeth on the Son
of God hath the witness in himself. The Holy Spirit of God, beloved.
The very author of the Scriptures. Oh my. We believe the testimony that
God gives concerning His Son. Look at verse 13 and 14 in chapter
4. Go over to 1 John. Chapter 4,
look at verses 13 and 14, look at this. Hereby know we that
we dwell in him, and he in us, because he hath given us of his
Spirit. And we have seen and do testify
that the Father sent the Son to be the Savior of the world.
Oh my, we believe what God says, because the Holy Spirit in us.
It's wonderful. It's absolutely wonderful. So
the commandment there, Look at the commandment goes forth in the Scriptures to believe
the testimony of God. Concern in His Son. And we know
that if we believe the Gospel, then all credit must be given
to our great sovereign God. Because there's none that understand
it. There's none righteous. There's none that seek it after
God. So all the credit has to go to God if we believe the testimony.
It all goes to Him, beloved. Salvation is of the Lord from
beginning to end. Christ is called the Alpha and
the Omega, the beginning and the end in Greek, of our salvation. And He is. He is. And we believe also that the
Lord Jesus Christ is God incarnate in the flesh, the very Word of
God. The very Word of God sent by the Father, the second person
of the Trinity, sent by the Father, came in the flesh, and obeyed
and honored the Law of God for us, and established a perfect
righteousness in our place. Hallelujah! What a Savior! It's wonderful! Absolutely wonderful. My! And He is the One who's brought
an everlasting righteousness. Everlasting righteousness and
everlasting justification for us. We'll never not be justified
before God because we're clothed in the perfect spotless righteousness
of Christ. Isn't that wonderful? It's absolutely
wonderful. And our faith is not just a religious
creed. No, it's a heart experience.
We've been given a new heart that hungers and thirsts after
righteousness. We don't just believe a set of
facts, but we believe the living Lord. We don't just believe a
set of facts about Him, we believe the living Lord. We trust the
living Lord, we rest in Him. And it's being revealed to us
by the Holy Spirit of God. The believer in Christ knows
that we've sinned against God, we know that. And we know our
insufficiency of our own righteousness, right? We know our righteousness
is nothing before God. We know we have no ability to
please God in our natural state or anything we do. We cannot
atone for our sin, not even one, not even one. And we know the
truth of the scripture. We believe what our master said
in John 15. Without me, you can do nothing. And we praise God. We believe the record that he's
given of his son, and we rejoice. We rejoice. The born-again, blood-washed
believer has experienced the peace that passes all understanding.
We have found true joy, beloved, and true rest True joy and true
rest from our labors, which labors there is trying to gain merit
and favor with God. We found rest from that. We know
we could never gain merit and favor with God. We found true
rest, and it's in Christ. It's in Christ alone. And he
is our all in all, like Paul wrote, isn't he? He's our all
in all. Again, he's the one in whom the
Father is pleased. And think of this. The Father
is pleased with us if we're in him. Isn't that wonderful? This is the best news for a sinner. The best news for a sinner. All
my sins are forgiven. The Father is well pleased in
me because I'm in Christ. Oh my. It's wonderful. Now take note of the chilling
words of the latter part of verse 10. Look at this. Look at the
chilling words here at the latter part of verse 10 in 1 John 5.
He that believeth not God hath made him a liar, because he believeth
not the record that God gave of his son. Now think of this.
We preach that salvation, as the scripture proclaims, is all
in Christ, not one work of man. Because that's the record that
God has given us in the scripture, isn't it? And we believe that,
we believe that. And the gospel preacher proclaims
that. Now take note again what's written
here to those who do not believe on the Lord Jesus Christ. They
are guilty of the greatest blasphemy as it is to God, not man, that
he does not believe. And he has made the God of truth
to be a liar because he refuses the heavenly witness concerning
Christ. Now, think of all the false teachers
out there who add works to the completed work of Christ. Now
think of that. Think of the billions who do
not believe the record which God has given of his son. They're
making God a liar. And then think of our natural
state, beloved. And how we did not believe the
record. We did not believe the testimony that God has given
of his son at one time. And then think of the mercy and
grace which we have received. Think of the mercy and grace
which God has shown us. And the only one who has made
us to differ from the unbelievers spoken of in the latter part
of verse 10 is God. My. The only one who's made us to
differ is God. Our great sovereign God. We are born again by His
almighty power. We're given faith to believe
on the Lord Jesus Christ. We have repentance before Him.
We're washed clean in the precious blood of the Lord Jesus Christ.
We're opened in His perfect spotless righteousness. And the only one
who's made us to differ is God. Oh, what mercy. What mercy we
have received, beloved. And God Himself has borne witness
that salvation is in Christ and Christ alone. And this is why
He condemns unbelief so severely, beloved. is the glory of God
is implicated in this because the sin is against God. The sin is against God who has
borne witness that salvation is in Christ alone all through
the scriptures. So for a person to hear the gospel
and not believe is not just taking up and opposing religious opinion,
as some men think. No, to refuse to believe the
gospel is first to disobey the command of God. It's rebellion against God, beloved. It's rebellion against God. And
we see that in our text. It's slander against God. It
makes him a liar. It makes him a liar. So we can see that the unbeliever
does not have the spirit of God dwelling in them, because they
don't believe the record that God has given of his son. Praise God, if you believe the
record that God has given of his son. And the Holy Spirit
dwells in you, because it's only God who's made you to differ.
It's only God, nobody else. We believe on the Lord Jesus
Christ by God-given faith. Therefore, we can conclude that
unbelief is denying the record that God has given us. Unbelief there is rejecting the
gospel, rejecting Christ. We struggle as believers with
unbelief, don't we? That's a whole different story.
That's a whole different story. But remember, that does not change
our status with God. because his everlasting love
has been set upon us and we are clothed in the perfect spotless
righteousness of Christ. That's what makes you marvel.
Remember what Peter wrote? Lord, help my what? Unbelief. Nah. That's Peter. Oh my. Let's read now verses
11 and 12. And this is the record that God
hath given us, given to us eternal life and this life is in his
son. He that hath the Son hath life, and he that hath not the
Son of God hath not life. See the word record there? This
is the record that God hath given to us eternal life, and this
life is in the Son. He that hath the Son hath life,
and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life. The word
record there in the Greek means evidence given. Evidence given,
judicially or generally. The record, the report, the testimony,
or the witness. And the word witness there means
certification, testimony, that which someone witnesses or states
concerning a person or a thing. Such as when John the Baptist
said this, and this is the record of John when the Jews sent priests
and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, who art thou? And he
confessed and denied, but confessed, I am not the Christ. He gave
witness, he said, I'm not the Christ, but there's one coming.
There's one coming. also the declarations of our
very Lord and Savior concerning himself. He says this, if I bear
witness of myself, my witness is not true. There is another
that beareth witness of me, and I know that the witness which
he witnesses of me is true. John chapter five, verses 31
and 32. And then a couple of verses down, a declaration of
a witness who speaks with authority of one who knows. Again, our
master says in John 5, verse 34, he says this, but I receive
not testimony from men. Remember we looked at that earlier?
I receive not testimony from men. Oh, but these things I say
that she might be saved. And then look at 1 John 5, 9
to 11. John here refers to the record
of witnesses as being the fact that God in his son has given
eternal life to believers. Look at this. Verse nine, if
we receive the witness of man, the witness of God is greater,
for this is the witness of God which he hath testified of his
son. 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. And this is the record that God
hath given to us eternal life And this life is in His Son.
Now the record there again, that same Greek word is used over
in Revelation. Chapter 1, if you want to turn
there you can. Revelation chapter 1, let's do that. Revelation
chapter 1, verses 1 and 2. Look at this. Revelation of Jesus
Christ, which just means the unveiling of Christ. which God
gave unto him, to show unto his servants these things which must
shortly come to pass, and be sent and signified it by his
angel unto his servant John. Here we go. Who bear record,
same Greek word, who bear record, evidence, testimony, evidence
given of the word of God and of the testimony of Jesus Christ
and of all things that he saw. Then in verse 9 of Revelation
chapter 1, Look at this phrase is used again. Now note in Revelation
1-2, it says, and of the testimony of Jesus Christ. Then in verse
9, the same phrase is used again. I, John, who also am your brother
and companion in tribulation and in the kingdom and patience
of Jesus Christ, was in the isle that is called Patamos for the
word of God and for the testimony of Jesus Christ. Well, the testimony
of Christ, beloved, is the announcement of the gospel. It's a proclamation
of the Gospel. John was in prison because he
was preaching the Gospel. Or he was sent to the Isle of
Pilate because he was preaching the Gospel. The apostolic preaching of Christ
is determined by the Apostle's testimony of all things that
he saw. He testified of Christ. Remember, he's an eyewitness
and he's an eyewitness. He is proclaiming Christ and
who he is. And remember that the writer
is John, both in the epistle we're studying, in the gospel
of John, and the book of Revelation. And this testimony that he gives
concerns Christ. Concerns Christ and him alone.
Again, it's based upon, never let us forget this, it's based
upon personal knowledge. He saw him like we see each other.
He heard him like we hear each other. And I love that part, he laid
his head on his breast. My, and he's called the beloved
disciple. He never puts his name in there
when he says that in his gospel, but you know it's John. You know
it's John. And he gave witness to the things
that Christ did. Now look at here and also in
verse 11, look at this in verse 11. This is the record that God
hath given us, given to us eternal life, and this life is in his
son. Notice in verse 11, eternal life
is a gift, it's a thing given. Just again, we see it again,
salvations of the Lord. It's given. It's given. This is the record
that God hath given to us eternal life. That God hath given to
us eternal life. He's given it to us. Oh, praise
be to God. Praise be to God for the born-again
believer. And this life is where? In His
Son. The very object of our faith. The one who we look to each and
every day. And He's given this, He's given
eternal life, beloved, to those who are the sheep of the great
shepherd, the Lord Jesus Christ. And the people of God have been
given eternal life through the gospel and the evidence of that
life's existence is faith, beloved, which is also a gift from God.
And that faith rests and trusts and believes on the Son, the
Son of God, based upon the record that God has given Isn't that
wonderful? It just keeps doing full circles
right back to our great God, doesn't it? Right, everything.
It all goes back to Him. And remember, Christ is God incarnate
in the flesh. Now let's read verses 11 and
12 one more time. And this is the record that God
hath given us, given to us eternal life, and this life is in the
Son. He that hath the Son, look at that, hath the Son. Oh, we
have the Son. By faith we look to Him, and
we're His by purchase. We have the Son. He has us, more
importantly, doesn't He? And he that hath not the Son
of God hath not life. Look it. He who hath the Son
hath life, and he who hath not the Son of God hath not life.
So we see that eternal life is only in Christ. It's only in
Christ Jesus, our Lord. The one whom God has witnessed
and declared to be in His eternal record, in His work, beloved. We believe the record. By God-given
faith, we believe the record that God has given of His Son.
And we see it clearly and plainly brought forth here in verse 12. It states plainly that he who
has the Son has life. He that hath the Son hath life,
and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life. So the
truth is that Christ, the Son of God, is life. He is the bread
of life that came down from heaven. He's the bread of life. And in
him is eternal life. He's the life of the believer.
Listen to this in Colossians chapter 3. Just to back that
up, Paul writes this. For ye are dead and your life
is hid with Christ in God. When Christ, who is our life,
is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him
in glory. Oh, what a blessing. What a blessing. So let the words of verse 12
bless your soul, you who rest and trust in Christ. But let
us also sound the warning forth that he that hath not the son
of God hath not life, hath not life. They're still dead in trespasses
and sins. Still dead in trespasses and
sins. And this is the record that God has given us, beloved,
that eternal life is in Christ, is in his son. Oh, if you do
not believe this, may God grant you faith to believe on the Lord
Jesus Christ. Heavenly Father, again we thank
Thee for the wondrous record in Thy Word of Thy Son, the testimony
that You give of Your Son. Oh, and we who are believers,
we believe the record only because of God-given faith, only because
of the power of the Holy Spirit of God wrought in us, and because
the Holy Spirit dwells in us. And we trust and rest in He who
you bear record of, Father, the Lord Jesus Christ, our great
Savior and our Redeemer. And, O Lord, we praise Thee.
We praise Thee for coming to this earth and redeeming our
souls, O Lord, paying everything that God demanded. And You who
knew no sin was made sin for us. Oh, our sins were imputed
to Thee, O Lord. And yet, in Your life and in
Your death, You are totally spotless, sinless. You died just for the
unjust. We marvel and we praise Thy mighty
name. And You alone are our hiding
place, Lord. You alone are our refuge, our
shelter from the storm, oh Lord. Glory to Your name. We praise
Thee and we love You because You first loved us. In Jesus'
name, amen. Let's close with a shelter in
a time of storm. And that's what our king is.
That's what our king is to us. Oh, he's a shelter in the time
of storm. Let's sing 263, shelter in the time of storm. And let's just stand up and sing
this in closing. A shelter in the time of storm. The lords are rotten, in him
we hide. ? A shelter in the time of storm
? Secure whatever will be tied ? A shelter in the time of storm
? Oh, Jesus is a rock in a weary land ? A weary land, a weary
land ? Oh, Jesus is a rock in a weary land A shelter in a time
of storm. A shade by day, defense by night. A shelter in a time of storm. No fears of art, no foes of fright. A shelter in a time of storm. Oh, Jesus is a rock in a weary
land, a weary land, a weary land. Oh, Jesus is a rock in a weary
land, a shelter in a time of storm. The raging storms may
round us beat, a shelter in a time of storm. We'll never leave our
safe retreat, a shelter in the time of storm. Oh, Jesus is a rock in a weary
land, a weary land, a weary land. Oh, Jesus is a rock in a weary
land, a shelter in the time of storm. O rocky, viable refuge,
dear, A shelter in a time of storm. Be thou our helper ever
near, A shelter in a time of storm. Oh, Jesus is a rock in
a weary land, a weary land, a weary land. Oh, Jesus is a rock in
a weary land, a shelter in a time of storm. Glory be to God. I'll see you next time.