The Testimony of Three Witnesses Part 3
1 John • Sermon • Submitted
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The Spirit-
The Spirit-
I would like to call the Holy Spirit to the witness stand. This is the third and final witness we will be calling in this trial we have been participating in over the past few weeks.
As with any witness, it is important to know certain things about them. What is their reputation, are they truthful, are they reliable? Will they speak the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth. What I submit to you today, is that this final witness, is the truth. The Spirit of God is truth that does not ever lie. This witness is always in the business of speaking truth, and has effectively changed many, many, many lives.
6 This is he who came by water and blood—Jesus Christ; not by the water only but by the water and the blood. And the Spirit is the one who testifies, because the Spirit is the truth. 7 For there are three that testify: 8 the Spirit and the water and the blood; and these three agree. 9 If we receive the testimony of men, the testimony of God is greater, for this is the testimony of God that he has borne concerning his Son. 10 Whoever believes in the Son of God has the testimony in himself. Whoever does not believe God has made him a liar, because he has not believed in the testimony that God has borne concerning his Son. 11 And this is the testimony, that God gave us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. 12 Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life. 13 I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life.
6 This is he who came by water and blood—Jesus Christ; not by the water only but by the water and the blood. And the Spirit is the one who testifies, because the Spirit is the truth. 7 For there are three that testify: 8 the Spirit and the water and the blood; and these three agree. 9 If we receive the testimony of men, the testimony of God is greater, for this is the testimony of God that he has borne concerning his Son. 10 Whoever believes in the Son of God has the testimony in himself. Whoever does not believe God has made him a liar, because he has not believed in the testimony that God has borne concerning his Son. 11 And this is the testimony, that God gave us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. 12 Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life.
We have looked at the testimony of the water, which refers to the baptism of Jesus Christ, by John the Baptist. There we discovered the importance of that event, and a number of important lessons and assurances that we can take away from that occasion. It is important for us to remember that as Christ was coming up out of the water, something significant took place. The Spirit of God descended upon Him (like a dove) and God the Father proclaimed, “This is my Beloved Son in Whom I am well pleased.”
This is one of several place in Scripture where we see all three persons of the Trinity acting together as the One True God, in three persons.
As I stated today, our witness today, from John’s letter, is the Spirit of God.
Spirit- Person of the Trinity- the Breathe of God, the wind in our spiritual sails, which moves upon our hearts and souls, working inwardly to reveal God and the things of God upon our hearts.
Helper
Teacher
Guide
Convicter
Witness
Assurer
Regenerator
Sanctifier
16 The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, 17 and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him.
Truth
-
Equipper
We are adopted as sons and daughters, co-heirs with Christ
We are adopted as sons and daughters, co-heirs with Christ
15 For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, “Abba! Father!” 16 The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, 17 and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him.
Rom
Fearless Obedience-
We are sanctified and made new
We are sanctified and made new
9 Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality, 10 nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. 11 And such were some of you. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.
We have God- The Holy Spirit as our helper and counselor and guide
We have God- The Holy Spirit as our helper and counselor and guide
We are not without a guide to lead us
We are not without a guide to lead us
13 When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth, for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come.
8 I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you with my eye upon you.
8 I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you with my eye upon you.
We are ready and equipped for ministry through His work
We are ready and equipped for ministry through His work
4 Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit;
4 Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit;
4 Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit;
11 All these are empowered by one and the same Spirit, who apportions to each one individually as he wills.
15 For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, “Abba! Father!” 16 The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, 17 and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him.
In other words, we are gifted by the Holy Spirit, equipping us to do the work of God, which He has called us to do.
4 Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit; 5 and there are varieties of service, but the same Lord; 6 and there are varieties of activities, but it is the same God who empowers them all in everyone. 7 To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good. 8 For to one is given through the Spirit the utterance of wisdom, and to another the utterance of knowledge according to the same Spirit, 9 to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by the one Spirit, 10 to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another the ability to distinguish between spirits, to another various kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues. 11 All these are empowered by one and the same Spirit, who apportions to each one individually as he wills.
16 The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God,
We have a role in this process
We have a role in this process
We have a part in the effectiveness of the work of the Spirit in our lives. Though the Spirit indwells every believer, their is evidence throughout the New Testament, that some believers are filled with the Spirit, while others have grieved and quenched the Holy Spirit, by their disobedience and unwillingness to submit to God’s commands and His will.
GC Morgan wisely, and I believe, biblically suggests our role to be a two step process of Abandonment and Abiding
Abandoning our own selfish desires for the will of God
13 Do not present your members to sin as instruments for unrighteousness, but present yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life, and your members to God as instruments for righteousness.
There is no room for our sin or sinful and selfish attitudes, when we are filled with the Spirit. So often we want to sign on for Jesus, so long as we don’t have to abandon all of ourselves, but that is not what Christ said is required to be His disciple.
He said, we need to take up our cross daily and follow Him. Getting back to the testimony of the Spirit, Paul explains a bit more about our interaction with the Holy Spirit in Eph 4.
30 And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. 31 Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice.
Eph
Abiding in Christ
23 And this is his commandment, that we believe in the name of his Son Jesus Christ and love one another, just as he has commanded us. 24 Whoever keeps his commandments abides in God, and God in him. And by this we know that he abides in us, by the Spirit whom he has given us.
:
We are able to know God by His manifest presence, as we draw near to him with humble hearts as the Spirit of God testifies truth into our lives.
We are able to know God by His manifest presence, as we draw near to him with humble hearts as the Spirit of God testifies truth into our lives.
The Spirit of God is everywhere at all times.
Rom 8:
He is however described as being near and far, depending on the heart and attitude of the worshipper.
28 And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.
18 The Lord is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit.
verse, the Lord is close to those who . . .
9 Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality, 10 nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. 11 And such were some of you. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.
6 For though the Lord is high, he regards the lowly, but the haughty he knows from afar.
1 Cor 6:
Tozer points out the question
God Omnipresent
God Omnipresent
He is however described as being near and far, depending on the heart and attitude of the worshipper.
God’s Manifest presence (though not particularly described in that particular terminology) is taught throughout Scripture.
Explain Tozer’s interpretation and application of the question that God asked of Adam in the garden. (Where are you?) It wasn’t for God’s benefit, it was for Adam’s benefit, to allow him to realize that he was no longer in fellowship with God, he was no longer “compatible or similar” with God.
“Breathe on me, Breath of God,
Fill me with life anew,
Fill me with life anew,
That I may love what Thou dost love,
And do what thou wouldst do.
And do what thou wouldst do.
Breathe on me, Breath of God,
Breathe on me, Breath of God,
Until my heart is pure,
Until my heart is pure,
Until with Thee I will one will,
To do and to endure.
To do and to endure.
Breathe on me, Breath of God,
Breathe on me, Breath of God,
Blend all my soul with Thine,
Blend all my soul with Thine,
Until this earthly part of me
Glows with Thy fire Divine.
Glows with Thy fire Divine.
Breath on me, Breath of God,
Breath on me, Breath of God,
So shall I never die,
So shall I never die,
But live with Thee the perfect life
Of thine eternity.
Of thine eternity.
E. Hatch.
As we abandon our own desires and abide in Christ, we are not necessarily going to achieve perfection, but we become transformed in our inner beings.
As we are transformed, we also become willing to share about our own struggles with sin and selfishness, and also share about the victory that is discovered as we abandon our sinful desire and instead abide with Christ.
When God’s work is seen and testified of, whether it is directly from the person that the Spirit has been working in or as a result of others seeing a change in another person, which has been a result of the work of God, more and more people become encouraged to seek to set aside their sinful wishes and the Spirit testifies in our hearts and theirs, allowing us to become more and more like Christ.
This is an ongoing process of edification and sanctification, which takes place as the Spirit fills us, guides us and shapes us for His glory.
The spirit testifies that we are not the center of the universe, but we are His creation, and we have been made in His image, precious and worthy of bringing Him honor and glory.
Where have you witnessed God’s manifest presence in your life recently?
How has God revealed Himself to you lately?
What truth has the Spirit testified in your life in recent days?
Was it a time when He revealed to you some sinful habit that you need to set aside?
Was it in Him helping you to see the incredible love and mercy that He has shown you?
Have you seen Him at work in a loved one’s heart, as they have seen His provision and blessing in their lives?
The Spirit indeed testifies the truth, will you also testify of the truth that has been revealed to you through the Word of God and the work of the Spirit.
That is the example that we see all throughout Scripture. We saw it in the book of Ephesians, we have seen it in the book of Joshua, We have seen it in the lives of the disciples in the Sunday School hour.
I have personally experienced it, in recent weeks. God has been working in my life, revealing Himself to me and allowing me to observe His work in my heart, but also in the lives of people around me. .