A number of years ago, there was a very mean man who sold wood to his neighbors. He took advantage of them by cutting his logs a few inches short. Everyone grumbled, but he was the only lumberjack and wood splitter in town.
One day the report was circulated that the wood-splitter had been converted. Nobody believed the report, for they all declared that he was beyond conversion. One man, however, slipped quietly out of the crowd where the "conversion" was being discussed and soon came running back in excitement and shouted:
"It's so! He has saved!"
They all asked: "How do you know?" "Why, I have been over and measured the wood that he cut yesterday. Every piece of wood in the cord is exactly 18” long!!" That testimony convinced the crowd.
While this may seem like a simple incident, it brings out the important truth that the person who accepts Christ must first of all become a new man—his new faith must make a difference in his life.
—Rufus M. Jones
Source: Introduction is from an illustration found in a sermon titled, A Know So Salvation by Jerry Flury
I. He Who Believes Has A Witness 10-11
10 He who believes in the Son of God has the witness in himself; he who does not believe God has made Him a liar, because he has not believed the testimony that God has given of His Son.
A. The Believer Has An Internal Witness 10
1. From a strict interpretation, v.10 actually is the last verse from the preceding paragraph v.6-9.
2. As we learned last week there are three witnesses of Jesus Christ:
a. The Spirit
b. The Water
c. The Blood
3. We also learned last week that if we receive the testimony of men, we MUST receive the testimony of God – the testimony of God is far greater.
4. John tells us that God has borne witness to the life, death and resurrection of His Son!
a. The Spirit bears witness
b. The Water bears witness
c. The Blood bears witness
d. The Testimony of God bears witness
5. Therefore the believer now has a four-fold internal witness of eternal life!
B. The Believer Has An External Witness 11
11 And this is the testimony: that God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son.
1. From the same strict interpretation where verse 10 is the last verse from the preceding chapter, verse 11 is the first verse of this paragraph.
a. I can absolutely see why people have a hard time separating verse 10 and verse 11.
b. Both of them deal with the same trilogy or trinity of things.
i. Faith
ii. Testimony/witness
iii. Eternal life.
2. But where v. 10 looks back at the spirit, water and blood, verse 11 deals with a single topic:
a. The external testimony of internal and eternal LIFE!!
i. Way too many people believe that Christians are just a bunch of hypocrites playing church BECAUSE there are way too many Christians who have NO external evidence of a life changing touch by Jesus Christ!
ii. You CANNOT miss this if you read v. 11.
a. This is the testimony
b. God has given us eternal life
c. This life is in His Son.
iii. Remember what we studied Sunday night?
3 For we have spent enough of our past lifetime in doing the will of the Gentiles — when we walked in lewdness, lusts, drunkenness, revelries, drinking parties, and abominable idolatries.
—1Peter 4.3
iv. We have spent enough of our time engaged in sin!
v. Once we are saved, there should be:
a. An inward transformation of our heart, soul and character!
b. An outward transformation of our speech, education and actions.
b. This should be manifested in what John calls, Life lived in the Son of God!
C. Application To The Church
Illustration
II. He Who Has The Son Has Life 12
12 He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life.
A. Those Who Accept The Son Accept Eternal Life 12a
1. Let’s look at a famous example of someone who accepted Jesus and see if the above criteria applies:
2. The Philippian jailer
“And he brought them out and said, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?””
—Acts 16:30
a. He said, “What must I do to be saved?”
b. They said, “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved, you and your household.”
c. They spoke these same words to his household – they were all immediately saved and baptized.
d. That Jailer washed the stripes that he may have put on them!
e. That Jailer fed them and rejoiced in his new found salvation!
i. He had inward transformation of heart, soul and character!
ii. He had an outward transformation of speech and actions!
B. Those Who Reject The Son Reject Eternal Life 12b
1. Let’s look at famous example of someone who rejected Jesus and see if the above criteria applies:
2. The rich young ruler
“Now as He was going out on the road, one came running, knelt before Him, and asked Him, “Good Teacher, what shall I do that I may inherit eternal life?””
—Mark 10:17
a. He said, “What shall I do that I may inherit eternal life?”
i. Notice that he ran to Jesus – good!
ii. Notice that he knelt before Jesus – good!
iii. Notice that he asked the right question – good!
iv. But brothers and sisters, it goes downhill from here!
b. Jesus said, “One thing you lack: Go your way, sell whatever you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, take up the cross, and follow Me.”
i. People get hung up on Jesus telling this man
a. Follow the commandments…
b. Sell your goods…
c. Take up the cross…
d. Follow me!
ii. If we will follow Jesus, everything else will fall in place.
c. 22 But he was sad at this word, and went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions.
i. Do you think this is about his riches? It’s not!
ii. It’s about his heart!
d. He, like the Philippian jailer, asked what he must do to be saved!
i. But when Jesus gave him the choice to follow Him – He rejected the Savior of the World!
ii. And in so doing, he lost his life!
C. Application To The Church
Illustration
III. He Who Believes Knows 13
13 These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life, and that you may continue to believe in the name of the Son of God.
A. I Have Written That You Might Know 13a
1. If we stay with our same strict interpretation, John is writing and saying if you want to know for sure that you are saved:
a. Look at your internal witness!
b. Look at your external witness!
2. If you believe:
a. You have the witness of God Himself that you are saved.
b. You have the testimony of God that He has given you eternal life through Jesus Christ His Son!
c. You have the written Word of God to give you assurance when you doubt.
3. Do you think it is for naught that John has written:
13 These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life
a. Salvation is not an issue of I believe so, I think so, I hope so.
b. Salvation is a “know so” issue.
c. For this reason, John used the word “know” 39 times in this tiny letter!
B. I Have Written That You Might Continue 13b
1. Although this is not a new phenomena, there has been a recent spate of people who are rejecting their faith.
2. In case you think this is new:
having faith and a good conscience, which some having rejected, concerning the faith have suffered shipwreck,
—1Timothy 1:19
3. This clarion call against Shipwrecked Faith is sounded again by the Apostle John.
4. Knowing that you are in the faith, continue to believe and operate in that faith until the Lord Jesus Christ calls you home!
C. Application To The Church
IV. Conclusion
