The Truth about Jesus – Who to Believe
1 John 5:6-12
Slide
Our Youth kids went to the Dare2 Share Survive conference this past weekend.
It had some great speakers who were talking about the importance of sharing the good news of Jesus Christ with their friends and family who don’t know Jesus.
They equipped them with the gospel message and also encouraged them in their own faith as they talked about the reality that Jesus is going to be coming back so this should encourage us to live in a way that we are glorifying and worshipping Him.
The challenging part of sharing your faith with others is that there are so many beliefs and views about Jesus and who He was, about God and what He does and how He does it.
There are those who have views of Jesus as a prophet or a great teacher while Christians believe that He is God come in the flesh.
Is this just our opinion versus their opinion?
Are Christians intolerant for thinking that there is only one way to God, through Jesus Christ?
Can’t there be different truths for different people?
Why can’t all faiths lead to God, if people are sincere about their belief?
Now, if you are honest with yourself, one or more, or perhaps even all, of these thoughts have crossed your mind at some point in your life.
The fact is, however, that most faiths, in their essential beliefs, have some doctrines and beliefs that are directly contradictory to one another, which makes it impossible for them to all be true at the same time.
The only options are that
they are all false or
one is true in the essential teachings and that the rest are false.
And
depending on where we are in our faith,
depending on if we have dealt with the truth of what we believe,
these thoughts in our head can be a hindrance to us in sharing our faith with others.
Not only that, but if we on the edge of Christianity ourselves, these thoughts along with the vocal chorus of people who try to teach that there cannot be only one way to a relationship with God, can lead us astray and onto a path of destruction.
Because as our kids learned at the Survive Conference this weekend, if Christianity is true, then Jesus will be coming back, and we have only this lifetime to make our decision about what we believe about Jesus and who He is and what He has done.
Thankfully, the apostle John faced some of these same issues.
Turn with me to
1 John 5:6-12
Slide
In our study of 1 John, the apostle has been writing to refute some of the false teachers that have come into this church and were trying to teach things opposed to Christianity and lead these people astray.
They people have known some of these false teachers and are challenged with who to believe.
We tend to think of false teachers as mean and nasty and think how could anyone ever believe or follow a false teacher.
But that is not hardly ever the case.
The Bible tells us that Satan masquerades as an angel of light.
Those Satan uses are not going to come across externally as raving idiots, either.
Thankfully, Christianity is faith of truth, and Jesus tells us that the truth will set us free.
So as John’s readers were faced with the dilemma of who to believe about Jesus, John turns to some other facts that testify to the truth of who Jesus is and what He did.
Let’s read
1 John 5:5-12
5 Who is it that overcomes the world? Only he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God.
6 This is the one who came by water and blood-Jesus Christ. He did not come by water only, but by water and blood. And it is the Spirit who testifies, because the Spirit is the truth. 7 For there are three that testify: 8 the Spirit, the water and the blood; and the three are in agreement. 9 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. 10 Anyone who believes in the Son of God has this testimony in his heart. Anyone who does not believe God has made him out to be a liar, because he has not believed the testimony God has given about his Son. 11 And this is the testimony: God has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. 12 He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life.
Ok, John talks about 3 witnesses that testify to the truth of who Jesus is as the Son of God.
There is no doubt that John’s original readers understood what he meant by the water the blood and the Spirit.
For us to figure out exactly what these things testify to about the Son of God is going to take a bit of digging.
First, we need to determine what John’s opponents, those John claims to be false teachers, were saying.
We have talked about some of this before, so let’s recap some of their views concerning Jesus and Christianity.
Jesus is man, Christ is God
They believed that Jesus was a prophet of God but they were teaching that Christ was God and while the Christ came upon Jesus at His baptism, Jesus was not the Christ, the Son of God.
It appears that they differentiated between Jesus the man, and Christ, the God.
The Christ did not die on the cross, Jesus did
These false teachers also claimed that the Christ, left Jesus before He went to the cross. They could not fathom God humbling Himself and suffering the humiliation of torture and death. Therefore, they did not think the death of Jesus played any important role in us being forgiven.
Resurrection was not bodily, but Spirit only
This could have also played into a false belief that the resurrection was not really a bodily resurrection, but just the Spirit of the Christ.
Understanding this, will help us have a better grasp of determining what John means when he speaks of the water, the blood and the Spirit and what it is they testify to.
Secondly, we need to understand what these witnesses are testifying to.
1 John 5:10-12
10 Anyone who believes in the Son of God has this testimony in his heart. Anyone who does not believe God has made him out to be a liar, because he has not believed the testimony God has given about his Son. 11 And this is the testimony: God has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. 12 He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life.
If eternal life is found in the Son, as John says, and if we don’t have the Son, we don’t have eternal life, we better find out what it means to be the Son of God and who that is.
Now our discussion of this today is not purely academic.
This is not just so we can know what John is claiming.
This is so we might know the truth and make the choice to believe that
Jesus is the Christ the Son of the Living God and receive Him as our Savior
And
so that we might be encouraged to share that truth with others so they might have eternal life as well.
So let’s take a look at what these three “witnesses” represent and testify to so that we might know who to believe about who Jesus is and who the Son of God is and what that means.
First,
Slide
What does the Water represent and what truth does this testify to about Jesus
This is a bit difficult for us to discern.
As I have studied this passage and read other commentators and pastors on the meaning of this verse, there have been a number of attempts at interpreting this.
I think there are 2 possibilities that both carry some weight and both fit into the context of what John says water testifies to.
The first possibility is that
Water represents the Water of Baptism testifying to the Humanity of Jesus as the Son of God
Slide
One reason that we could take water to represent the water of baptism is that there was a false teaching around at this time that was claiming that the Spirit of the Christ came upon the man Jesus at His baptism but departed before his suffering and death on the cross.
And it would seem that the opponents of John would not disagree that “water” in some respect, testified to the Christ being upon Jesus at his baptism.
That is why John says here in 1 John 5:6
6 This is the one who came by water and blood-Jesus Christ. He did not come by water only, but by water and blood.
It seems that these opponents have more of an issue with the blood part which we will get to in a minute.
So the opponents when they use the word water, may have probably meant the baptism of Jesus and they meant by that, that the Spirit of the Christ came upon Jesus at that point and not before.
So, the argument would go if John’s opponents are talking about the waters of baptism, he too in using it is also talking about the waters of baptism, but not in the same way they would be talking about.
He is saying that God confirmed the truth of Jesus’ Sonship at His baptism
Matthew 3:13, 16-17
13 Then Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan to be baptized by John.
16 As soon as Jesus was baptized, he went up out of the water. At that moment heaven was opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and lighting on him. 17 And a voice from heaven said, "This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased."
So John would say that the humanity of Jesus as the Son of God is testified to by the events that surround His baptism in that God spoke the truth about Jesus being His Son, that they was not a Jesus the man and a Christ, the Son of God that were distinct, but in fact that God had become flesh.
Another possibility is that
Water represents the Water of the Womb testifying to the Humanity of Jesus as the Son of God
Slide
Both of these options testify to the Humanity of Jesus as the Son of God, God becoming flesh.
The virgin birth of the Son of God into this world testifies to the fact that Son of God put on flesh and became human.
The false teachers were claiming that the Son of God was not really human.
The water testifies that Jesus was the Son of God and yet He was Man, he put on flesh.
One thing that John has proclaimed over and over in this letter is the humanity of the Son of God and that He is Jesus.
Listen to these
1 John 2:22
22 Who is the liar? It is the man who denies that Jesus is the Christ.
1 John 3:23
23 And this is his command: to believe in the name of his Son, Jesus Christ,
1 John 4:2
Every spirit that acknowledges that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God,
1 John 4:15
15 If anyone acknowledges that Jesus is the Son of God, God lives in him and he in God.
1 John 5:1
1 Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God, and everyone who loves the father loves his child as well.
1 John 5:5
5 Who is it that overcomes the world? Only he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God.
Not only that but in John 3:3-6, it appears that this is the meaning of water as John has used here as well.
John 3:3-6
3 In reply Jesus declared, "I tell you the truth, no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again."
4 "How can a man be born when he is old?" Nicodemus asked. "Surely he cannot enter a second time into his mother’s womb to be born!"
5 Jesus answered, "I tell you the truth, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless he is born of water and the Spirit. 6 Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit.
So John is saying that God became flesh in the person of Jesus who is the Christ, the Son of God, the water would mean the water of the womb and testify to the miracle of the virgin birth in God the Son coming into the world as a man, putting on flesh.
So those are the 2 best options for what water represents and regardless of which it represents, it testifies to the truth that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, God in the flesh.
What does the Blood represent and what truth does this testify to about Jesus?
Slide
Blood represents the Blood shed on the cross testifying to the Atoning Ministry of Jesus as the Son of God
1 John 5:6-8
These false teachers were claiming that the suffering and death of Jesus on the cross had no atoning value because “the Christ” had departed Jesus prior to the cross.
There was a man named Jesus who died upon the cross, but his death meant nothing and had no atoning value for our sin.
John has stressed this earlier in the letter as well.
1 John 4:10
10 This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.
In fact look at the facts surrounding the death of Jesus.
Luke 23:44-46
44 It was now about the sixth hour, and darkness came over the whole land until the ninth hour, 45 for the sun stopped shining. And the curtain of the temple was torn in two. 46 Jesus called out with a loud voice, "Father, into your hands I commit my spirit." When he had said this, he breathed his last.
The Spirit did not leave Jesus prior to the cross or prior to his death.
Jesus, as the Son of God, being very God in the flesh, the Christ, suffered and died on the cross as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.
Even a Roman centurion recognized Jesus as the Son of God on the cross.
Matthew 27:54
54 When the centurion and those with him who were guarding Jesus saw the earthquake and all that had happened, they were terrified, and exclaimed, "Surely he was the Son of God!"
It was Jesus the Son of God on the cross who shed His blood and died for our sins so they could be atoned for and we might have forgiveness for our sins
Hebrews 9:22
without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness.
The blood and the events around the shedding of His blood testify to the atoning ministry of Jesus the Son of God that He accomplished on the cross for us.
Finally,
What does the Spirit represent and what truth does this testify to about Jesus?
Slide
The Spirit represents the Holy Spirit testifying to the Deity of Jesus as the Son of God
1 John 5:6b
And it is the Spirit who testifies, because the Spirit is the truth.
How does the Spirit do that?
The Spirit testifies to the Deity of Jesus the Son of God through the Resurrection of Jesus in bodily form.
Romans 1:1-4
1:1 Paul, a servant of Christ Jesus, called to be an apostle and set apart for the gospel of God- 2 the gospel he promised beforehand through his prophets in the Holy Scriptures 3 regarding his Son, who as to his human nature was a descendant of David, 4 and who through the Spirit of holiness was declared with power to be the Son of God by his resurrection from the dead: Jesus Christ our Lord.
These false teachers were really teaching that the Christ was the Spirit and came upon Jesus at His baptism and departed before Jesus went to the cross.
So basically they were saying that
Jesus was not God,
His death on the cross had no atoning significance, and that
the Christ, the Son of God was not really man.
John puts forth these three witnesses that testify that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God. Jesus is not separate from the Son. He is the Son. And if you don’t believe in the Son, who is Jesus, and what He did, you don’t have eternal life.
Not only do we have all of these witnesses, but when we believe the testimony of these witnesses and believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the Living God and receive Him as our Savior, we then have the indwelling Spirit testify to the truth of these things and confirm that in us.
Romans 8:16 - The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children.
Jesus told us in
John 15:26
26 "When the Counselor comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth who goes out from the Father, he will testify about me.
Through this
external testimony of the water, blood and Spirit, as well as the
internal testimony that God provides for us through His indwelling
we can know and believe the Truth that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the living God and that He died to pay the price for our sins, and that He rose again.
When we believe this, we have the Son. If we have the Son, we have life.
If we don’t or won’t believe that, we do not have the Son and we do not have eternal life because we are calling God a liar in that this is the only way He has made for us to be saved.
Application
So hopefully through this message you have been able to learn something today, but how does any of this apply to us today?
First,
This stands as a warning against those who seek to teach you something different about Jesus.
I am not talking about people who necessarily believe something different about who Jesus is, I am talking about those who are trying to teach others something different about who Jesus is.
If someone is trying to teach you that there are multiple ways to heaven, they are deceivers, John would call them antichrists.
God has given evidence and testified to the truth of who Jesus is, the Christ, the Son of God.
Jesus tells us that He is “the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. (John 14:6)
If someone is trying to teach you that Jesus was just a good, moral man, but He wasn’t God, they are lying.
If someone is trying to teach you that whatever you believe is ok, just as long as you believe it sincerely, John would say they are wrong and that they are false teachers.
We need to be extremely cautious because there are people who seem so nice, and like they want to help that are leading people astray.
The Second part of this application is
Who are you going to believe about Who the Son of God is and what He did?
Are you going to believe those who are trying to tell you
Whatever you believe is ok, just believe it sincerely.
Jesus was a good guy, but you don’t need to be one of those Christians who believe He was really God.
I want to tell you that the world tries to define Christian in regards of what you do.
Be a good person. Give to charity. Do more good than bad.
Then you are a Christian and you will go to heaven.
The Bible defines a Christian in terms of believing in
Who Jesus is? - the Christ, the Son of God, God in the flesh, and
What Jesus did? - died on the cross for your sins
So you could be forgiven and go to heaven.
Now this belief certainly affects what you do, but it is the true belief in faith that brings salvation.
Do you believe
Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God
That He was God and Man and that He died for your sins and rose again from the dead in bodily form proving He is God?
If you really believe that then acknowledge that with your lips to God today.
I will give you a chance to do that in a second, but I want to ask you, to close your eyes and ask yourself, do I really believe that?
If you don’t then I want you to think about what it is you do believe and why you believe it.
If you do, then I just want you to quietly but out loud, to confess that belief to God regardless if you have made this confession and put your trust in Jesus before or not. It is always great to affirm the truth of what you believe.
I will lead you in it.
I believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the Living God and I receive Him as my Savior.
Keep your eyes closed.
If this is the first time you have acknowledged a belief in Jesus as your Savior, I just want you to look up and make eye contact with me and then close your eyes again.
I don’t want you to be embarrassed, but I want to be able to rejoice with you.
Open your eyes.
As the worship team comes up to close us out, I want to challenge each of you, whether you have been a believer for one minute or 50 years, to go and tell someone else about Jesus.
Recognize the truth of His word that He is coming back soon and those who do not have the Son do not have life.
Share the good news of Jesus with someone you know in the next 48 hours so that they too might have eternal life.
Let’s worship Him.
Word of God Speak
