Life Everlasting
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English Standard Version Chapter 5
That You May Know
(NRSV)
17 This is the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, because he abides with you, and he will be in you.
Much was made of witnesses when it came to the letter of the law in the early days. No one person could be considered a viable witness. Only the evidence of two or three witnesses could be considered. A triple human witness was considered to be fact. What this scripture is saying is that the witness of the Spirit is much greater than that of three humans.
(NRSV)
32 And John testified, “I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove, and it remained on him. 33 I myself did not know him, but the one who sent me to baptize with water said to me, ‘He on whom you see the Spirit descend and remain is the one who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.’ 34 And I myself have seen and have testified that this is the Son of God.”
(NRSV)
Witnesses to Jesus
30 “I can do nothing on my own. As I hear, I judge; and my judgment is just, because I seek to do not my own will but the will of him who sent me.
31 “If I testify about myself, my testimony is not true. 32 There is another who testifies on my behalf, and I know that his testimony to me is true.
The Letters of John and Jude The Undeniable Witness (1 John 5:9–10)
It is the Holy Spirit who gives us the conviction of the ultimate value of Jesus Christ and assures us that we are right to make this act of commitment to him. Those who refuse to do that are refusing the promptings of the Holy Spirit within their hearts.
This can be called the age old argument right, because many will say that there has to be another way to gain salvation. But this is a statement from God and His Son, not us. That You May Know/this is why the scripture speaks about testimony.
The gospels are called the good news and the reason for that is because before the good news we were doomed for destruction. The Old Testament is filled with the life stories of the chosen people who never made it to the finish line. Moses died before crossing the Jordan River into the Promised Land along with nearly all of the original chosen people. God chose to call his people out of bondage into life; a life filled with milk and honey. God gave instructions and guided them day and night but they fell short.
You know time and time again I hear people who get older question their salvation, perhaps I didn’t do enough, perhaps I wasn’t good enough. The questions rise to the point of being convinced that they are destined to fall short.
Salvation is all about belief. (NRSV)
10 Those who believe in the Son of God have the testimony in their hearts. Those who do not believe in God have made him a liar by not believing in the testimony that God has given concerning his Son.
So what is important about testimony? (NRSV)
12 Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life. Whoever has the testimony of the Son has life, whoever does not have this testimony does not have life. Life is salvation.