The Witness of Christ

1 John  •  Sermon  •  Submitted   •  Presented   •  49:23
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1 John 5:6-9
1 John 5:6–9 (NKJV)
This is He who came by water and blood—Jesus Christ; not only by water, but by water and blood. And it is the Spirit who bears witness, because the Spirit is truth. For there are three that bear witness in heaven: the Father, the Word, and the Holy Spirit; and these three are one. And there are three that bear witness on earth: the Spirit, the water, and the blood; and these three agree as one.
If we receive the witness of men, the witness of God is greater; for this is the witness of God which He has testified of His Son.
v.6:
Cerinthus, who was a contemporary of John, was raised in Egypt. He led one of the first heretical sects of Christendom. The heretical teaching of Cerinthus and his followers:
They distinguished between ‘Jesus’ and ‘the Christ’.
They held that Jesus was a mere man, born of Joseph and Mary in natural wedlock, upon whom the Christ descended at the baptism and from whom the Christ departed before the cross.
According to this theory of the false teachers, Jesus was united with (led by) the Christ at the baptism, but became separated again before the cross.
Elements of this same teaching can be found in the 4th century Arian sect, the Jehovah's Witnesses and Mormonism.
It was to refute this fundamental error that John, knowing that Jesus was the Christ before and during the baptism and during and after the cross, described him as ‘the one who came through water and blood’.
The water refers to Jesus' baptism
The baptism marks the visible beginning of His ministry. This is when people would begin to recognize Him as the Christ. This event publicly identified Jesus as the Messiah.
It also fulfills the necessary historical basis of the statement the Jesus "came" by water and blood, and effectively answers the claims of the false teachers.
He also came into the Most Holy Place by the blood of the cross.
Hebrews 9:12
Hebrews 9:12 NKJV
Not with the blood of goats and calves, but with His own blood He entered the Most Holy Place once for all, having obtained eternal redemption.
The water and blood were also confirmed at Jesus' death.
John 19:34
John 19:34 NKJV
But one of the soldiers pierced His side with a spear, and immediately blood and water came out.
Jesus Christ did not come by water only, as the false teachers believed. He came by blood as well. His ministry was not only a baptizing one, but also a sacrificial one.
He was the Christ from before birth, and still the Christ after the death and resurrection. He is the Christ throughout eternity.
Water and blood also became symbolic throughout Scripture.
This coming by water and blood is the basis of our salvation.
The coming by water confirms that Jesus is the Christ, and the blood confirms His sacrifice.
The third part of this is the Holy Spirit. He is the witness, it is He who testifies.
John 14:26
John 14:26 NKJV
But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you.
John 15:26
John 15:26 NKJV
“But when the Helper comes, whom I shall send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth who proceeds from the Father, He will testify of Me.
The Spirit bore witness in Jesus' baptism.
John 1:32-33
John 1:32–33 NKJV
And John bore witness, saying, “I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove, and He remained upon Him. I did not know Him, but He who sent me to baptize with water said to me, ‘Upon whom you see the Spirit descending, and remaining on Him, this is He who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.’
The Spirit continues to bear witness today.
v.7:
Ancient sale documents sometimes included the signatures of several witnesses attesting a sale. Likewise, the Old Testament courts always required a minimum of two dependable witnesses.
Deuteronomy 17:6
Deuteronomy 17:6 NKJV
Whoever is deserving of death shall be put to death on the testimony of two or three witnesses; he shall not be put to death on the testimony of one witness.
Deuteronomy 19:15
Deuteronomy 19:15 NKJV
“One witness shall not rise against a man concerning any iniquity or any sin that he commits; by the mouth of two or three witnesses the matter shall be established.
In modern terms, we could picture a courtroom scene, and witnesses being called to the stand (e.g. water).
John cites three witnesses whose reliability could not be in dispute.
This verse carries the clearest and the most explicit statement of the doctrine of the Trinity. However, it is only found in the Latin manuscripts, and the manuscripts of four Greek Bibles.
Because of this, many scholars believe it to be an addition or marginal annotation by ancient copyists.
If true, its not a major issue, since the doctrine of the Trinity does not depend on this verse. It is expressed elsewhere also.
Some Biblical support for the Trinity, beyond 1 John 5:7
Matthew 28:19
Matthew 28:19 NKJV
Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,
2 Corinthians 13:14
2 Corinthians 13:14 NKJV
The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all. Amen.
Genesis 1:2
Genesis 1:2 NKJV
The earth was without form, and void; and darkness was on the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters.
John 1:1-3
John 1:1–3 NKJV
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made.
Genesis and John together identify all three parts of the Trinity, not to mention the many other Scriptures that apply God's own attributes to the Holy Spirit.
Even so, this verse does fit perfectly in the context, and certainly does not read like an add on. In fact, the removal of the verse makes verse 8 largely redundant to v.6. However, with this verse, it flows very smoothly.
An alternative theory is that this verse was expunged from most of the available manuscripts during the height of the Arian controversy in the 4th century.
The Arian sect did not believe in the trinity. they were a relatively small sect, but they caused a great stir. They thrived in the area of Alexandria, Egypt.
Interestingly, many of the manuscripts in use today, date back to that time frame and that region. Those same manuscripts are the basis for most modern translations, from which this verse has been removed.
It would seem to make sense that someone who didn't believe in the Trinity or the inerrancy of Scripture would remove the verse.
One who believes in the trinity and the inerrancy of Scripture would seem far less likely to add to scripture.
Today, we can't know for sure, and this is not to cast doubt on the majority of the modern Bible translations (I find many of them very useful). It's simply to argue that this verse may well belong in the Scripture.
v.8:
Logically, this verse would seem to strengthen the case for the validity of the three heavenly witnesses in verse 7.
At the baptism of Jesus, the Father and the Spirit testified to the Son.
Matt. 3:16–17
Matthew 3:16–17 NKJV
When He had been baptized, Jesus came up immediately from the water; and behold, the heavens were opened to Him, and He saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting upon Him. And suddenly a voice came from heaven, saying, “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.”
The Holy Spirit testified throughout Jesus’ life as to his identity.
Both the baptism and the crucifixion of Jesus are strongly attested historical facts. They all testify to the same thing, creating a truly reliable witness.
We already know that the Holy Spirit, being God, is a person. By speaking of them being in agreement, the water and blood are personified, meaning that they are manifested in the person of Jesus Christ.
John's argument brings us right back to Jesus being the Christ.
v.9:
We often have no problem believing what men say. but the witness of God is greater. . . and it is more often rejected.
However, God's word reigns supreme. His word is final. God Himself testified of His Son, and faith in Him is necessary for salvation.
In reference to the false teachings mentioned earlier, if Jesus died only as a man, he could not have taken upon himself the sins of the world, and Christianity would be an empty religion.
It took a man to pay pay for man’s sins, but only an act of God could take away the punishment that we deserve for our sin (forgiveness). It is imperative that Jesus was fully man and fully God at the same time.
We can completely trust God's witness, and we need to reject any witness that contradicts it.
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