As we studied I John 5:1-7, we saw that there are three that bear witness to Christ and prove that He is the Son of God, the God-man. These three witnesses, the water, the blood, and the Spirit, are specifically mentioned in verses 6 and 7.

The Three Witnesses of Christ's Deity

In verse 8 of I John 5 we have this statement, "For there are three who bear witness, the Spirit, and the water, and the blood: and the three agree in one." The Spirit, that is the Holy Spirit, is mentioned last in verse 6, but in verse 7 He is given the pre-eminence by being mentioned first. The water is mentioned next and is followed by the blood. As already noted in a former study, the Holy Spirit bore witness to Christ on many occasions and in different ways. According to Romans 1:1-4, He proved and demonstrated the fact that Jesus is the Son of God by raising Him from the dead. This fact was the crowning testimony which the Spirit gave regarding Christ's being the Son of God in a peculiar sense.

On the Day of Pentecost—the first Pentecost after the resurrection of Christ—the Holy Spirit came and made His presence known by tongues parting asunder like as fire; which sat upon the apostles, and by a peculiar noise like the sound of rushing of a mighty wind (Acts, chapter 2). Then the Spirit spoke through Peter and the apostles the message recorded in Acts, chapter 2. Whenever any of the apostles preached, it was not they who were doing the talking, but the Spirit speaking through them. Thus the Spirit constantly bore witness to the Sonship of Christ.

Jesus came by water and by blood. As we have already seen, the expression water refers to the events connected with the baptism of Jesus. When He was baptized, the heavens were opened and the Holy Spirit in the form of a dove descended and alighted upon Him; then a voice out of heaven declared, "This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased." Thus at the baptism of Jesus the Holy Spirit bore witness to him as the Son of God.

Christ came, as John tells us, not only by water but by blood. The expression blood is an echo of the crucifixion; because, when He was crucified, He poured out His blood for our redemption. According to Leviticus 17:11 it is the blood which makes atonement for the soul. The reason that it does is that the life is in the blood. Thus the Apostle Paul speaks of Christ as entering upon His personal ministry by the term water, and the close of it by the expression blood.

These three—the Spirit, the water, and the blood—are three in one. There is perfect unity in what each signifies, and to which each testifies.

Testimony of God Greater than the Witness of Men

"If we receive the witness of men, the witness of God is greater: for the witness of God is this, that he hath borne witness concerning his Son." All events and facts of history are supported by credible witnesses. Historical evidence is unlike mathematical demonstrations. All historical matters must be supported by the testimony of truthful and capable witnesses, whereas a mathematical demonstration is conditioned upon principles. All that we know of Socrates, Plato, Aristotle, Alexander the Great, Julius Caesar and others is dependent upon human testimony. What we know of the historical Christ is dependent upon the testimony of capable, truthful witnesses who saw, heard and handled the Word of life (I John 1:1-4). Those who accept Jesus Christ, in deed and in truth, have the experience which we call the new birth, the regeneration of the heart. This experience gives one additional evidence concerning the Son of God.

John states that, if we receive the testimony of men regarding material things and earthly experiences, the testimony of God is greater. Some of the testimony of men is distorted, fabricated, added to and taken from; hence is not absolutely reliable. Some testimony of men has a ring of sincerity and truth, and we accept it at its face value. As a rule we believe what we are told unless the story on its face value suggests doubt; but, generally speaking, we accept the testimony of men. Since the testimony of God is greater than that of men, without question we should accept it. There are no distortions, or additions, or subtractions as to what God says.

    "The words of Jehovah are pure words;
     As silver tried in a furnace on the earth,
     Purified seven times" (Psalm 12:6)

Since God's Word and testimony are pure, as this verse states, men can afford to accept this testimony without any mental reservation.

"… for the witness of God is this, that he hath borne witness concerning His Son" (verse 9). The witness to which this passage refers doubtless is the testimony of which he has spoken in the verses above, viz., the testimony of the water, the blood, and the Holy Spirit. As we have already seen, God bore witness to Christ at the time of His baptism in a most conclusive and impressive manner. In addition to the circumstance surrounding the case God spoke from Heaven saying, "This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased." At the crucifixion of Christ everything pointed in the direction that He was the Son of God. Someone has said that Socrates died like a man, but Jesus Christ died like a God. The situation was such that the Roman centurion at the execution could say, "Truly this was the Son of God." Jesus was executed and buried. On the third day His body was re-vitalized and immortalized. He then came forth from the grave the conqueror over death. In His resurrection the Holy Spirit demonstrated that He was the Son of God. These testimonies which I have just enumerated probably are what John refers to in this verse.

One believes historical facts because of the testimony of others. He believes and acts accordingly. If we accept and receive the testimony of men, we should without question receive the testimony of God concerning the Lord Jesus Christ, who purchased our redemption by His blood.

There is an abundance of testimony concerning the Lord Jesus Christ. According to the law of Moses judicial matters were to be established by two or three reliable witnesses. Acting upon this principle, God gave us three records of the life of the Lord Jesus in the form of the synoptic gospels, Matthew, Mark, and Luke. In addition to this testimony He gave us the Gospel of John, which was called by one of the early church fathers a spiritual gospel. The gospel writers gave their testimony concerning the Lord Jesus in such a plain, straightforward manner that it carries conviction to the heart of all honest truthseekers that Jesus was and is the Son of God.

The Apostle John lifts his eyes, as it were, and sees that the testimony concerning Jesus is the message of all the prophets, "For the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy" (Rev. 19:10).

The Witness Regarding Christ in the Soul of the Believer

"He that believeth on the Son of God hath the witness in him: he that believeth not God hath made him a liar; because he hath not believed in the witness that God hath borne concerning his Son" (I John 5:10). According to this statement he who believes on the Son of God "hath the witness in him." What is the significance of this statement? Everyone who has truly and genuinely been born again, been regenerated by the Spirit of God, understands this language. Concerning the new birth the Apostle Paul declared, "Wherefore if any man is in Christ, he is a new creature: the old things are passed away; behold, they are become new" (II Cor. 5:17).

I recall my feelings, emotions, attitudes, outlook, and actions before I was saved. I also can recall very vividly that there was a marvelous and supernatural change that came over me when I accepted Christ as my Saviour. Things that I once loved, I then hated; and the things that I did not care for prior to that time, I loved. When I accepted Christ I had the experience mentioned by Paul in the passage just quoted. The old things passed away; behold all things became new. A new power came into my soul; new life began. Constantly bubbling up in my soul was a new joy that I had never experienced. A peace and a calmness came over my heart. These changes in my innermost soul were the result of my being made a new creature in Christ Jesus by the Spirit of God. I, therefore, had the witness in my heart, to which John refers in this passage.

Furthermore, John declares that "he that believeth not God hath made him a liar." Those who had heard the testimony of God concerning Christ, and who had rejected it, virtually by disbelieving, made God a liar. The evidence was so clear and conclusive that the one who was not for Christ was against Him. The same thing is true today. We also have the written testimony—unimpeachable. If we neglect or refuse to consider this testimony, by so doing we virtually make God a liar. Providentially, God has brought the truth before the world, and men and women are going to be judged by the attitude which they take toward Christ. It is a serious matter to neglect or to reject the testimony which God has borne concerning His Son.

Eternal Life of the Believer

"And the witness is this, that God gave unto us eternal life, and this life is in his Son" (I John 5:11). God has borne witness not only to the deity of Christ but to our having eternal life, which is in His Son from whom we receive it. This testimony is in harmony with Christ's statement, "Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth him that sent me, hath eternal life, and cometh not into judgment, but hath passed out of death into life (John 5:24). The one, therefore, having the Son hath eternal life; the one not having the Son does not have this life.