Life in the Son | 1 John 5:5–13
I invite you to turn in your Bibles to the end of the NT. We’ll be giving our attention to the letter of 1 John.
I was channel surfing for a Christmas movie. The only thing on was Home Alone 2. And I happened to drop in on the moment when Kevin McAllister has checked in to the Crown Plaza Hotel in New York City – by himself, using his father’s credit card. And he’s being shown his lavish and opulent suite of rooms, when the bell hop asks him if he needs help with the TV. And Kevin, in his characteristic precocious manner, responds, “I’m ten years old. TV is my life.” That is, “Not only do I know how to operate the TV. The TV, and all that it offers, is my joy. It’s my focus. It’s my comfort. It is what sustains me. It’s what fills the margins. It’s my life.” That movie came out 30 years ago. We used to say, some still do say, “My friends are my life.” “Sports are my life.” “Making money is my life.” Now we say, “My smart phone is my life.” “Social media is my life.” “Hot takes and Twitter quotes are my life.” “Gaming is my life.”
For the past month, we’ve sought to bring focus to this Advent season under the banner, “This Is My Son.” And today, Christmas Day, the culmination of that focus is the prayer that we all might say, “Jesus is my life.” Jesus is my joy. Jesus is my ambition. Jesus is my all, because there is none like Jesus. And for this to happen, there are things we need to know things about Jesus. We need to know that Jesus is God’s dearly loved Son. We need to know that Jesus is God’s divinely begotten Son. We need to know He is our great high priest and our matchless, unrivaled king. But even more, for Jesus to be our life, we need to taste and see and experience the glory of all that Jesus is. That is the point of our text today. So, if you are able, please stand and follow along, as I read 1 Jn. 5:6-13.
“This is he who came by water and blood – Jesus Christ – not by water only but by the water and the blood. And the Spirit is the one who testifies, because the Spirit is the truth.
For there are three that testify: the Spirit and the water and the blood, and these three agree.
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.
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.
And this is the testimony, that God gave us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. Whoever has the Son has life. Whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life.
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.
—1 John 5:6-13
We live in a world that aims to overcome us. And the way it aims to overcome us is by making us think that God and His ways and His commands are burdensome. The world aims to overcome us by making us think that God, and His ways, and His commands take life rather than give life. But John tells us that the way to overcome the world is by believing that Jesus is the Son of God. 1 Jn. 5:5 says, “Who is it that overcomes the world except the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God.”
And then it’s as if John stopped and thought and said, “For them to have life in the Son, I need to explain to them how they can be absolutely certain that Jesus is God’s Son.” And that’s precisely what he does in our text. In the first half of v. 6 John shows one reason we can know that Jesus is God’s Son is because
Jesus Came and Showed Us His Glory In History
And he showed us his glory in history, as recorded in the Bible. The first half of v. 6, “This is he (the one) who came by water and blood – Jesus Christ” (1 John 5:6a).
So one reason we know Jesus is the Son of God is because he came into the world. But what does it mean that he came by “water and blood”? Some think that refers to the water and blood which poured from Jesus’ side when the Roman soldier stuck a spear into Him. But it doesn’t make sense that he “came” by water and blood which flowed from his side.
More compelling is the perspective that the “water and blood” refer to the bookends of Jesus’ public ministry. It began with his water baptism. It ended with his bloody death on the cross. So, we can know that Jesus is the Son of God, because he showed us his glory in history, as it is recorded in Scripture.
We began this Advent series with Matt. 3:16-17.
“When Jesus was baptized, immediately he went up from the water, and behold, the heavens opened to him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and coming to rest on him.
And behold, a voice form heaven said, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.”
—Matthew 3:16-17
And Jesus’ death on the cross showed that he was the Son of God. Mark 15:39 says, “When the centurion, who stood facing him, saw that in this way he breathed his last, he said, “Truly this man was the Son of God!”
So, the historical events of Jesus’ baptism, and Jesus’ death, as recorded in Scripture, both show that He is God’s Son. And this is why Christmas is so important.
Think of a two-story house. The bottom floor is the earth where we live. The second story is heaven where God lives. Since we can’t get to the second floor from the first floor, we could conclude that we can never learn anything for sure about God. We could think that the best we can do is imagine what God is like – or believe nothing about God.
But what John is telling us is that in the person of Jesus Christ, God actually walked down the stairs from the second floor to the first floor. And it happened in Palestine around the year 30 AD. And we have four historical documents based on eye witness accounts of what happened when God the Father, in the person of God the Son, came down to the first floor where we could see him, and watch him, and listen to him.
So as we read about Jesus, living with incredible freedom, and love, and truthfulness, and power – we see God’s Son. We see the begotten Son. We see the generation of God himself. And when we read about Jesus, healing the sick, and multiplying the loaves and fishes, and calming raging storms, and raising the dead, we are seeing the glory of God Himself in the glory of God’s Son.
Do you see how remarkable it is that we have in history the actual presence of the Son of God? Do you see how different this is from every other religion? Buddha talked about God. Jesus was God. Mohammed talked about God. Jesus was God.
So, one reason we can know Jesus is God’s Son, is because he came and showed us his glory in history, as recorded in the Bible. Now, as strong as that reason is, and it’s really strong, John says God does something to make our confidence even stronger.
God’s Spirit Testifies to Us of the Glory of Jesus
And God’s Spirit does so through what we see of Jesus’ glory as recorded in the Bible. Look at the end of v. 6. “The Spirit is the one who testifies, because the Spirit is the truth” (1 John 5:6b).
Now John is talking about the person and work of the Holy Spirit. And John says that God, the Holy Spirit actually testifies to us that Jesus is the Son of God.
I can think of at least a couple of occasions when I’ve heard someone say, “I’d believe if God came down to earth and told me himself. If God himself came and told me that Jesus was the Son of God, that would do it. I’d be persuaded.” John says, that’s exactly what God does. This is an awesome truth. By the Holy Spirit, God Himself testifies to us that Jesus is the Son of God. How? Look again at v. 6.
“The Spirit is the one who testifies, because the Spirit is the truth. For there are three that testify: the Spirit and the water and the blood, and these three agree.”
—1 John 5:6b-8
Do you see that in v. 6, it is the Spirit who testifies. But then in vv. 7-8 John explains how the Spirit testifies. He says the Spirit testifies together with the water and the blood. In other words, the Spirit testifies with what the Scriptures teach about Jesus. Or to say it another way, what the Spirit does is to reveal to us the glory of Jesus as seen in the events recorded in the Bible.
So, it’s one thing to read, for example, about Jesus’ baptism, in Mt. 3, and conclude that Jesus was the Son of God. “Hey, that was written by an eyewitness. I can believe that. Jesus IS the Son of God.” That’s one thing.
But it is entirely different to read Mt. 3, and as you read to have the Holy Spirit supernaturally reveal to you the glory of Jesus in that passage. To see the glory of Jesus humbling himself to be baptized by John. To see the glory of Jesus receiving the Holy Spirit. To see the glory of Jesus in the pleasure and affection of God the Father.
So, the way the Holy Spirit testifies is by revealing to us the glory of Jesus in the Words of Scripture. J.I. Packer writes, “The Spirit makes known the personal presence in and with the Christian and the church of the risen, reigning Savior, the Jesus of history, who is the Christ of faith . . . And he does it in order that Christ may be known, loved, trusted, honored, and praised, which is the Spirit’s aim and purpose throughout as it is the aim and purpose of God the Father.”
That means the ongoing work of the Spirit is to make Jesus our life. It’s not that the Holy Spirit gives you chills while you read the text of Scripture. So you think – “I guess those chills show me that this is true.” No. Nor is it that the Holy Spirit comes and tells you something separate from the text. It’s not that the Spirit whispers, “Mt. 3:16-17 is true.” And so, you believe Mt. 3:16-17 is true. No.
What the Holy Spirit does is show you the glory of Jesus in Mt. 3:16-17. It’s like the words of that text become a window through which you see the actual glory of Jesus. It’s like the words of Mt. 3 become a door through which you experience the actual glory of Jesus. And when you see and experience the actual glory of Jesus, it’s not a matter of drawing logical inferences from historical records. You see the actual glory of Jesus. In 2 Cor. 4, Paul explains the same thing.
“God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.”
—2 Corinthians 4:6
Paul is describing how God saves someone. And there are two things involved. 1st Paul mentions knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ. That would be facts, such as Jesus’ baptism, or death on the cross. Those facts are essential. You cannot be saved without the facts of Jesus. But being saved involves more than just agreeing to facts.
Because, 2nd, there is light – the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ. Why does Paul talk about the “light” of this knowledge? Well, as John is saying, it’s one thing to agree that Jesus is glorious. It’s another to sense it, and taste it, and feel the actual glory of Jesus. In 1 Jn 5, John is saying that the Spirit Himself testifies. The Spirit Himself joins with the water and the blood, and testifies. And what this means is that the Spirit reveals to us the glory of Jesus in the pages of the Bible.
So, the reason we believe that Jesus is God’s Son, is not JUST because he fulfills the foreshadowing type of Melchizedek. The reason we believe that Jesus is God’s Son, is not JUST because he fulfills the prophecy of an unrivaled, matchless king. Those things ARE true. But, loved ones, we have more. By the Spirit we can see the very glory of Jesus in those Scriptures. By the Spirit we can see Jesus Himself as God’s Son in the Scriptures.
Now I need to mention that this testimony of the Spirit is not always strong. Sometimes it is. Other times it’s not. And this testimony is not always there. It can come and go – depending on your sleep schedule, or sin in your life, or your practice of the habits of grace, or the devil sitting on your face – or any other number of variables.
But if God has saved you – saying, “Let light shine in the darkness,” then by the Spirit you will see the very glory of Jesus in the Scriptures. You will see His glory in His baptism. You will see His glory in His healing the blind, and the lame, and the lepers. You will see His glory in His suffering and death on the cross. You will see His glory in His resurrection, and His eternal intercession on your behalf before the throne of God above. And this brings us to a 3rd reason for our confidence that Jesus is the Son of God.
God’s Testimony Is the Greatest Testimony
What could be greater than God himself giving us the gift of personal experience of the glory of Jesus? Look at verse 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.”
—1 John 5:9
We all live our lives based on man’s testimony. The weatherman says, “A high of minus 10, 40 mph winds, blowing snow, whiteout conditions.” We limit our travel. A friend says, “Plaza Azteca, it’s the best.” So we try to go there. The challenge these days is that we just don’t know who we can believe.
And that’s why God’s testimony is the greatest testimony. Why? “For THIS is the testimony of God that he has borne concerning his Son.” What is “this”? “This” refers to the dual and separate testimonies given by God. God has given us testimony concerning Jesus through His birth, His baptism, His miracles, His teaching, His death and resurrection, the prophecies. But that’s not the only testimony God gives. John says that God also gives us the testimony about the testimony He has borne/given concerning His Son. And that’s why God’s testimony is far greater than the testimony of man.
God not only gives testimony to Jesus here in the Bible. God also gives testimony to the truth of the Words of the Bible. And He does so by having the Holy Spirit give us the actual experience of the glory of Jesus, His Son, in the Words of Scripture.
Which means that God’s testimony is the greatest testimony. God’s testimony is the only absolutely certain testimony. And it’s absolutely true for everyone. How so? Because God’s testimony is the only testimony that breaks into your experience from God Himself. God supernaturally shows you that Jesus is His Son by showing you Jesus’ glory. And it doesn’t come from you. It doesn’t come from your parents. It doesn’t come from your friends, or your church. It comes to you from God. Nor is it a cultural thing, or an ethnic thing. Tree worshippers along the Amazon have seen that Jesus is the Son of God by this testimony. Muslims in Iran have seen that Jesus is the Son of God by this testimony. Worshippers of the volcano goddess in Polynesia have seen that Jesus is the Son of God by this testimony. And by this testimony you will be as sure that Jesus is God’s Son, as you are sure you are sitting in this room. You will know it by immediate experience. Your certainty will not rise merely on deductions, or inferences, or logic. You will have seen the glory of Jesus in the words of Scripture, and you will know certainly that He is God’s Son. And here’s a 4th observation –
This Spirit-Given Testimony of Jesus’ Glory Is What Produces Faith
The miracle of the Spirit’s testimony of Jesus’ glory is what produces the miracle of believing. Look at v. 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.”
—1 John 5:10
When John talks about believing in the Son of God, he is not talking about intellectually agreeing that Jesus is God’s Son. He’s not talking about doctrinal affirmation. When John talks about believing in Jesus, he means that Jesus is your life. He means that Jesus is your joy. Jesus is your ambition. He means that your time and your energy and your money and your relationships and your work are all devoted to enjoying the glory of Jesus. That’s what John means when he talks about believing in Jesus. And that kind of believing is a miracle. And where does that miraculous kind of “believing” come from? According to v. 10, “Whoever believes in the Son of God has the testimony in himself.”
That kind of believing comes from the testimony God gives you, plants in you through the Spirit-given revelation of Jesus. You see Jesus’ glory. You sense Jesus’ glory. You feel Jesus’ glory in you. And the result is that you trust Him. You believe in him as the Son of God. And as you continue to receive this Spirit-given testimony, you continue to believe in Jesus as the Son of God.
Do you see how serious it is that we receive, and pursue, and nurture this testimony given by the Spirit? If we do, we will trust in Jesus. We will rely on Jesus. Jesus will be our life. But if we don’t trust Jesus, rely on Jesus – if Jesus is NOT our life – we essentially call God a liar. “Nope. I don’t trust you. The testimony you have made concerning your Son, it just doesn’t do it for me.” And then John restates it all one more time in v. 11. “And this is the testimony, that God gave us eternal life, and this life is in his Son” (1 John 5:11).
Up to now, John said that when God gave us His testimony, He revealed Jesus to us. But now he says that when God gives us His testimony, He gives us eternal life. I believe this means that when we see the glory of Jesus as God’s Son, we are beginning to experience eternal life. Because eternal life is seeing the very glory of Jesus. “Whoever has the Son has life. Whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life” (1 John 5:12).
The life God gives us is experiencing the glory of the Son. It’s found in beholding the glory of Jesus, in tasting the glory of Jesus – in adoring the glory of Jesus. If you have the Son, if you behold His glory, then you have life. But if you do not have the Son, if you are not beholding His glory, you do not have life. “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” (1 John 5:13).
Just let that sink in. The Christian life means regularly having the Holy Spirit supernaturally reveal to you the glory of Jesus in the Scriptures. Where you don’t just agree that Jesus is glorious. But you sense the glory of Jesus. You taste the glory of Jesus. You feel the glory of Jesus. And this Spirit-given testimony of the glory of God’s Son is our life.
Maybe it’s been a while since you’ve experienced this. Perhaps you’ve never experienced it. Perhaps you experience it often. But on this Christmas morning, I believe God wants to stir up some of us who have not experienced this for a while. It’s an awesome truth that God, through His Word, and by His Spirit, will give us a sense of the very glory of Jesus. Make a fresh commitment to seek this glorious work of God. Let’s pray.