The Witness Of God

For a scripture reading this morning, turn with me to 1 John chapter 5. 1 John chapter 5. Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ is born of God. And every one that loveth him that begat loveth him also that is begotten of him. By this we know that we love the children of God when we love God and keep his commandments. What are the commandments of God?

Everything God says. He's absolute, sovereign, potentate. If he says a thing, that's it. He doesn't make suggestions, he commands. We keep his commandments. For this is the love of God that we keep his commandments, and his commandments are not grievous. It's not grievous for a believer to obey God.

He understands the wisdom of God, the power of God, all these things. 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? This is he 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. And there are three that beareth witness in earth, the Spirit, and the water, and the blood, and these three agree in one.

If we receive the witness of men, the witness of God is greater, for this is the witness of God which he 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. 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 you may know that you have eternal life, and that you may believe on the name of the Son of God. And this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He heareth us. And if we know that he hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we shall have the petitions that we desired of him.

If any man see his brother sin a sin which is not unto death, he shall ask and he shall give him life for them that sin not unto death. There is a sin unto death. I do not say that you shall pray for it. All unrighteousness is sin. and there is a sin not unto death.

We know that whosoever is born of God sinneth not, but he that is begotten of God keepeth himself, and that wicked one toucheth him not. He not deceived by Satan or antichrist's religion. And we know that we are a God, and the whole world lieth in wickedness. And we know that the Son of God is come, and has given us an understanding that we may know him that's true, that we're in him that's true, even in his son, Jesus Christ. This is the true God in eternal life.

And having stated all of these things, the difference, chapter four and chapter five, the difference between spirits that are of the world and that spirit which is of God, he said, little children, keep yourselves from idols. Don't follow after these strange gods. Don't listen to them. Don't bow to them. Don't listen to their ministers. Keep yourselves from idols.

Amen. I invite you again this morning to turn with me to 1 John chapter 5. I want us to look at verses 7 through 13 on this subject, the witness of God. Now, before we begin to consider our text here in 1 John 5, I'm going to ask you to turn with me to 2 Timothy chapter 3. While you're turning, I'll say a few words.

It has been my experience that when folks hear the preacher, a preacher, any preacher, When they hear him speak, they weigh his words in the light of what they think they know. And what they think they know is an accumulated knowledge which they've gained over time. It's a kind of mental porridge with a cup of experience and two tablespoons of religion, a dash of superstition, and a pinch of truth, just for taste. Isn't that what it is? It's a forage, isn't it? You never know what you're going to get. This is the recipe for natural reasoning. When I'm talking about natural reasoning, that's what I'm talking about.

Now I found a few folks who hear and weigh your words in the light of Holy Scripture. And to all such, I say this. Blessed are your ears, for they hear. Someone said one time to Henry, said, God said it, I believe it, and that settles it. That was a famous saying among Southern Baptists years ago, and a lot of independent Baptists. Henry said, no, sir. He said, God said it, and that settles it, whether I believe it or not. My faith has nothing to do with the veracity of God. All gospel preaching, now hear me, is founded upon the word of God.

It's not how you feel, and it's not how you think. It's what he says, and he says it in common language most of the time with one-syllable words. Occasionally, he'll have a a larger word, but most of the time it's just one-syllable words and simple illustrations that a child, isn't that what he said? A child cannot err therein. A child can understand this.

God chose a people in Christ. Who don't understand that? We may not like it, it may not go along with our thinking, but it doesn't change what God says. And faith is built upon what God says, not what we think. There's a way that seemeth right unto a man, and the end thereof is destruction.

The wise man Solomon said that twice in the book of Proverbs. He meant for us to hear it. In 2 Timothy 3 verse 16, he said, all scripture is given by inspiration of God. And there's two things here. First is the fact that it was given at all. Scripture's given of God.

This book is not the accumulation of men's writings who just were very intelligent men and who jotted down the problems and so on of their day. I've had many people tell me, That's the writings for that generation back then. We're not under that. Not what it says in the Book of Acts.

So first of all is the fact that it's given, all scripture is given by inspiration of God. It's given to us of God. And where would we be without the Holy Scripture? There'd be no end to the arguments. It'd be like trying to teach math without a math book. And people say, well, that's not right. You've got nowhere to go to prove that it's right.

Where would we be apart from the Holy Scripture? Well, we'd be exactly where the world was in the heathen nations before the scriptures were made known. We'd be dancing around a totem pole or laying our children red-hot hands of some iron god made by men.

And then secondly, I want us to see here that they were written. They were written by inspiration of God. They were written. They were recorded. He put it in a book. Holy men of God, Peter said, spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost. Now listen to me.

Back in 2 Timothy 3.16, all scripture is given by inspiration of God and it's profitable.

Some of you have a business. You know what's profitable and what's not. Some things work and some things don't. All scripture is given by inspiration of God and it's profitable. Now, you can spend your time doing other things. You can argue and go to philosophy and science, and you can do all kinds of things, things that you think ought to be done. But the only thing profitable is Scripture.

It's substantial. In what? Doctrine. Well, it just don't seem to me like election could be so. Well, that's not profitable. That's what seems right. I know where that's going to end. It's profitable for doctrine. You want to know the doctrine of God? Open this book. Study this book. It's profitable for doctrine, and my doctrine is not dictated by my family's religion, no matter how well they seem to fare on it. We're built, Paul said, on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief cornerstone. It's profitable for doctrine.

What else? For reproof. What's that? Reproof is an expression of disapproval. I'll tell you what, when I was a kid, I'd do something and my dad would look down over his own glasses at me. I knew what that was. Disapproval. That's reproof. And it's profitable for correction. It always gets gain for correction.

And being the foundation of faith and the rule of life, It alone is the basis of correction. And the man who will not be corrected by Scripture has no faith, no matter what he says. And beware, because the just shall live by faith, and faith is built on the Word of God.

You see what I'm saying? And then lastly, all Scripture is profitable for instruction in righteousness. This world, you can't instruct this world as to imputed righteousness. You can't do it, but you can a believer. He'll be instructed, and the Word of God's profitable to him. When he said Christ is the end of the law for everyone that believes it, he's the end of the law for righteousness to everyone that believes it. He can be instructed. That man will follow his instruction. All right, now watch this, 2 Timothy 3, 17. Why? Why is this this way? That the man of God, who's that? That's both preacher and hearer, teacher and student.

The man of God, that man born of God, taught of God, called of God, quickened of God, saved of God. that man of God may be perfect. And I know that this word means complete, but it also means perfect. It means exactly what it says. Without flaws, spotless before the presence of his glory.

How are we made that way? By the word of God. I don't have any other proof of that. Do you? I believe God. Abraham believed God. It was counted to him for righteousness. Well, how can that be? From understanding from the word of God concerning our union with Christ and understanding this union, we are truly furnished unto all good works. You don't need the law for good works. What you need is an understanding of our union with Christ. That's what generates love in the heart, forgiveness in the heart, That's what generates those things, our understanding of our union with Christ. That's the basis by which he says, I love you, through his gospel. God's words are born of love and gratitude, not just being instructed in duty.

And then one more thing, the preacher. Preacher, Paul, that'll leave him out. We're in 2 Timothy chapter 4 now. Look here in verse 1. Paul said, I charge thee therefore, based on what I just said, I'm going to make a holy charge. I charge thee before God and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead in his appearing and his kingdom.

To do what? Preach the word. Don't stand up and tell me about some points that was established 400 years ago at the Senate of Dole. Tell me what the Word of God says. You want me to believe in election? Show it to me in the Word of God. You want me to believe in predestination? Show it to me in the Word of God.

Preach the Word, Timothy. He said, study to show thyself approved of God, a workman that needeth not be ashamed. That's the only way you can do it, through the word of God. And be instant. What's that mean? That means you have that word imprinted on your heart. Be instant. I don't care what the situation is.

Be instant, in season, out of season, and reprove, rebuke, exhort with all long-suffering and doctrine. Why? For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine. But after their own lust, they shall heap to themselves teachers having itching ears and turn their ears from the truth.

Now, I don't care who you are, how smart you are, or what level or station that you've reached in this world. Our standing before God is based on the word of God alone. Not the word in your experience. The word of God alone. Let me be quick to say this. If I can't teach you, reprove you, correct you, or instruct you in the word of God, I'm in serious doubt of your standing before God. With good reason. Now go back with me to 1 John chapter 5. All through this blessed epistle, John writes using these words over and over, and we know, and we know.

How did he know? From God. That's how he knew. John, as did all our Lord's apostles, recognized Jesus Christ as the eternal Word. In the beginning, he said, was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God, and the Word was made flesh. All communication that God ordained to do between himself and men, he committed to his son. The old prophets, they spoke of him that was to come. They all gave witness to Christ.

And then he said in Hebrews 1, in these last days, that he's spoken unto us in the Son. And so he did. His Son appeared. His Son lived. His Son died. His Son raised from the dead. His Son ascended unto heaven and sat down at God's right hand. The Lord Jesus Christ is the key to understanding the Word of God. He is, in fact, the incarnate Word. The Word, John said, was made flesh. And the very last thing that John writes in this epistle is that we know that the Son of God has come and given us an understanding that we may know Him that's true. That we're in Him that's true, even in His Son, Jesus Christ. This is the true God and eternal life. Now back in chapter four, John tells us about and warns us about false prophets and teachers which are accepted and approved by the world. Multitudes run after them. Their churches cover several city blocks in the larger city. They run after them, they support them, they promote them. They are of the world, he says, therefore speak they of the world and the world heareth them.

Paul calls them the ministers of Satan, transformed into ministers of righteousness, self-righteousness. But he said, we are of God, and he that knoweth God, heareth us. He that's not of God, heareth not us. And he said, hereby we know the spirit of truth and the spirit of error. And then he gets down to it, 1 John chapter 5, verse 5.

Who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God? That's not just talking about giving assent to the fact that Jesus of Nazareth is the Son of God. It has to do with why is Jesus Christ God incarnate? Why must he come into the flesh? Why must he appear in this world? Well, here's why, because salvation's in a person.

Don't ever stray from that. Salvation's in a person. Don't start putting your trust in what you say and what you do and what you think. Put your trust in Him. In Him, Paul said, dwelleth all the fullness of the Godhead bodily. We're complete in Him. He's the head of all principality and power. And when God anointed Christ as the one mediator between God and men, he made him a full provision for all his elect. Nothing wanted, everything supplied in him.

So how do I know this is so? Well, let's begin here, verse seven. For there are three that bear witness in heaven, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost, and these three They all bear witness concerning salvation in Christ alone. It pleased the Father that in him should all fullness dwell.

And the Spirit, he said, will not speak of himself. I'm going to give you the Holy Ghost when I send to the Father. That's going to be my gift to the church. And when he comes, he's not going to speak of himself. You hear these preachers, these Pentecostal preachers, and they preach the Spirit, the Spirit, the Spirit. They don't know the Spirit. The Spirit don't speak of Himself.

He takes to the things of Christ and shows them unto us. That's what He does. The Holy Ghost is sometimes called in Scripture the Spirit of Christ. And in Revelation 19, it says the testimony of Jesus is the spirit or spiritual understanding of prophecy. All prophecy. So in heaven, the true testimony is secured in God. All three persons of the Godhead. There's three that bear witness in earth, he says, verse 8, 1 John 5.

The spirit. Now notice, I want you to look at your Bibles, I want you to look at this. Notice that the word spirit here is not the same as the spirit who's in heaven. This has got a little s on it. That has to do with spiritual knowledge, spiritual understanding, a spiritual testimony. There are three that bear witness in earth. The spirit, what did he tell you over here in chapter four? Believe not every spirit.

What in the world is he talking about? He's talking about preachers. What are they doing? They're bearing witness of the Son of God. And he said there are three that bear witness in earth, the Spirit, that spiritual understanding, that gospel of Jesus Christ, What's he talking about? He's talking about God's testimony, the one who bears witness in earth. It means that there are spiritual witnesses in the earth, and then he uses this word that bears witness, water.

What's he talking about? He's talking about water baptism. We baptized Brother John here not too long ago. That's a witness. It's a witness of salvation in Christ. That's what baptism is. It's a witness. There are three that bear witness in earth. Here's the preacher. He's preaching spiritual wisdom, spiritual revelation to the people. Now here's another witness, water baptism.

It's a witness of salvation in Christ. It's the public confession of it before men and God. And thirdly, the blood, both the blood of Christ, which testifies of God's purpose to save sinners, and the blood of the martyrs who suffered for the sake of the gospel. Blood is the testimony of God.

So how do I know this word spirit is talking about men preaching the gospel, being a witness of Christ in this world? Very next verse, verse 9. If we receive the witness of men, the witness of God is greater, far exceeds anything concerning a man. Either a man speaks for God, being sent of God and given a message of God, or he speaks being sent of this world, having the message of the world, and being of an Antichrist spirit.

He tells you that over there in 1 John 4. All right. Now, I said all that to say this. Here in 1 John 5, the apostle paints for us a spiritual picture of a great courtroom, a heavenly courtroom. False prophets have made accusations concerning the veracity of God. God said, it's this way. And they said, no, it's not. No, it's not. They've made accusations concerning the veracity of God.

They've questioned his right to save whom he will, how he will, and when he will, and by such means as please him. And so John paints us a picture of this high court, the loftiest bar, heaven itself. And our God, being understood as a trinity, calls all three persons to sit on the stand.

And you know what? They all agree in one. They all agree. There's no disagreement in the trinity. The Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost, and their minds, and their testimony are one. These three are one. One God, one purpose, one testimony, one way.

And God's not left himself without a witness even in those heathen nations back in the Old Testament. Paul says over in Acts 14, 17 that God did not leave himself without a witness. He told them, he said, God sent this rain down on your crops, caused that crop to grow so you could bake bread and eat it. And he did it while you were worshiping idols. God didn't leave himself without a testimony. He's not left himself without a witness.

Man's conscience, God's revealed it to you and in you and creation. All right, so if this is the testimony of God, what does God have to say? Verse 11. Now hear me, God's on the throne. God gave his testimony. And he said, down here where all the trouble is, I'm going to send my witness and he's going to tell you what the record states in heaven. He's going to tell you what God has testified in glory.

He's going to tell you things that you couldn't possibly know or hear. And it's going to be an end to all strife because it's his sworn testimony. Read about it over in Hebrews chapter 6. And because he could swear by no greater, he swore by himself. Isn't that what he told Abraham? This is not just God. saying how it is, this is God swearing by His name. He puts His name on the life. He signed this covenant with the blood of His Son. There's no doubting where this comes from. And He sends His witness into the earth to tell men this. This is the record that God has given to us, eternal life, and this life is in His Son. Now, he that hath the Son hath life, and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life.

Whatever else he has, he don't have life. You can have religion and not have life. Preachers just have one message, Jesus Christ and him crucified. He's the way, the truth, the life, and no man, he said, cometh unto the Father but by me. He died, Peter said, that just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God. The holy God, the true God, the living God, the only God there is.

Well, how is this saving knowledge of God given to men? Through the witness of God, testified of man. This is the witness of God which he hath testified of his son. And he tells you, here's a man, you believe him? the witness of God greater than him. But he has the witness of God. This is the witness of God which he testified of his son. Now watch this, verse 10. He that believeth on the Son of God hath the witness in himself. He's embraced it. He understands it. He rejoices in it. And he guards it as a treasure. And he promotes it any way he can. He that believeth not doth. This is the man who won't have it.

I'm not going to listen to the witness. I'm not going to be reproved by his word. All these witnesses of God, I'm just going to exclude them. Believe it or not, God, and here's the outcome no matter what your reasoning is, here's the outcome. He's made God a liar. He didn't sink off into this vacuum to think about it. He's made God a liar. Why? Because he believeth not the record that God gave of his son. He won't bow to the word of God. He won't do it.

He gave us his son. He gave us the word of God, the spirit of truth, The preachers he sends, he's given his church, evangelists, pastor, teachers. Their message is established, founded on the apostles and prophets. And our Lord said to his disciples, my words are spirit in their life. And everybody packed up and left, because they thought he was preaching something vile. And the Lord turned to his disciples, and he said, will you go too? Doors open. Why are you hanging around for? Where are we going to go? They said thou hast the words of eternal life. That's what this book is.

He says this word is implanted in us. They have the witness in themselves. Paul said, He revealed His Son in me that I might preach Him among the heathen. Verse 13, These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God, that you may know you have eternal life. That's why I'm writing these things, he said. I'm not trying to stir up a division. I'm not trying to start an argument. He said, I'm writing these things to you that believe on the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life, and that you may believe on the name of the Son of God. That's why they're written.

All right, well, what about you? Do you believe in Him? Do you believe God? That's what faith is, believing God. It's not believing certain things, it's believing God in all things. Do you believe God? If you don't, you've made him a liar. That's the consequence. Will you receive the testimony of God? And I say, oh, may the Lord cause every one of us here this morning to answer in the affirmative. Yes, I believe. Yes, I believe.

The Witness Of God

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