Jesus is the Christ of God

Was grab a Bible to go to first John chapter 5 and try to finish that up in the next week or two.

We were in first John on Sunday night and when I finish first Timothy we just moved it over Sunday morning. I love singing about. I love studying about the holiness of God. That's the character trait. That's it really a composite of all of God's attributes and I like the fact that it's too great for our comprehension. This notion today that we suddenly saw to bring God down to where he's a lot like us just bigger and more powerful is blasphemy is not a lot like us anyway. These holy he trends CN everything that we are in everything that we can understand our contemplate like he's spirit and he's eternal and he is omnipresent in all know we could go. That's why when you really study the Bible, you really preach the word. Things should come out about God where you say that shocks me know God was like that is a godly data heavens are not like you know like what you think.

Aren't you glad we got the perfect record of the revelation of God in the Scriptures. This is where we find out who is God and what is the life will in our text today. John is wrapping up this letter. John's in the older apostle is writing to the churches.

He's combating the error harassing the false teaching that tried to creep into the church and he's trying his best to keep the churches anchored in truth like that phrase that's where trying to keep and its dignity and unending vigilance that we have to have the keep out these creeping liberal and biblical ideas. We have a couple of African-American pastors coming to the conference the true church conference this year you may have heard of the just thinking podcasting on of them talking about and that these two brothers are. I think they're brilliant and they leave no stone unturned as they expose the un-biblical aspects of a lot of what's called Christian woke is Omar social justice movement are the black life matters movement and these costs are straightforward, thoroughly biblical and they're going to help us at the conference. Understand how to keep outside would all stay outside of the church kind of doctor, and that's part of what John still here. There's this stuff floating around out there in the culture, much of which calls itself Christianity keeps trying to give the church how to know if I can say without fail, but almost always without fail. Anytime I false teaching begins to stir around when it comes to its final resting place at rest, usually right here. Rejecting the deity of Christ rejecting the holiness of Christ as Savior. Those two aspects that I may start way over here in the teaching well were not real sure that mother is probably not bad. That's a new emphasis is probably not that big a deal, then you open the door. New Lydian and when he gets done. You have whole denominations ruin death is the foundational doctrines are undermined. Eventually, including the deity of Christ in the holiness of Christ is our salvation. While his look at it together.

John chapter 5 verses six through 13 John writes this is the one who came by water and blood.

Jesus Christ out with water only, but with the water and with the blood.

It is the Spirit who testifies, because the Spirit is the truth. For there are three that testify the spirit and the water in the blood and these three are in agreement. If we receive the testimony of me and the testimony of God is greater the testimony of God is this, that he has testified concerning his son, one who believes in the son of God has the testimony in himself one who does not believe God has made him a liar because he because he is not believe in the testimony that God has given concerning his son, and the testimony is this that God has given us eternal life, and this life is in his son Hugh has the son has the life and he does not have the son of God does not have the life these things I have written to you who believe in the name of the son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life of John says here. There are three that testify the spirit. The water and the blood, but I like to back up and pulled out from the text that actually there are four testimonies given here that all center in this truth.

Jesus is the Christ of God, and that's what we battled this all four testimonies set forth the premise if you will be unwrought the beyond the unaffordable and changeable foundation rock that Jesus is the Christ of God, Christ, the anointed one, that is, he is the Savior look within the board. Christ is not meeting his name. It means the office the whole Jeff the pastor you say well he's Jesus the Christ. He holds the office of the Christ, the only true Savior of the world now. First of all this, break it down this way I.

The sun's testimony and affect the sun came, he lived on the earth and testified himself that he is course the Christ, the text where did this way. This is the one who came by water and blood.

There's some discussion over know what does it mean that he testified through water and through blood. I believe it's his baptism and his death at his baptism, he inaugurated his work in the office as the Christ. I'm not saying he wasn't the Christ before that point.

But that is the point when he began he initiated his work through the office of Christ and then the climactic aspect of his work as the Christ was his death, his blood being shed on the cross so will be the water, his baptism, which initiated his work is the Christ, his death on the clock cross which was the pentacle pinnacle if you will of his work as the Christ on behalf of his children mount the context here is Gnosticism Gnostics well was a lot of complication and dynamic to all Gnostic doctrines of antiquity. But one thing that seems to be a common doctrine of the Gnostics of this day was that the true Christ could not of had a physical body that the real Christ was this spirit being that came on Jesus when he was baptized and in the spirit being the left Jesus are left Jesus when he died.

What John is saying is that's pure heresy. God sent his son to be the Christ, and he had to become fully holy.

A human being to be the Savior of the world. He had to become man that we know as the theologians teach us in the Bible teaches very clearly that Jesus was God as if he were not man at all at the same time he was man as if he were not God and all he was both at the same time, the God man, but John here I think is wanting to emphasize his humanity. He was in a human body. He received the baptism to initiate his earthly ministry in a human body heat. He hung and he suffered any bled and he died as a human man and therefore he could redeem the children so John testifies to the historical veracity of Jesus Christ. Jesus was born a little baby. He lived and grew up as a literal boy and a teenager.

He lived as a literal young man in the earth.

He slept like a literal person he rose up in the morning and had to eat like a literal person.

He suffered and bled and died like a literal person that's who he wants in all of these teachings.

John says that are circling around their want to chip away at the humanity of Christ. Our role Jesus had to be fully human couple cross-references in a first John 11.

Notice how John begins again attacking this Gnostic heresy that Jesus didn't have a true physical body first on 11.

What was from the beginning what we have heard what we have seen with our eyes. Notice the this specificity here.

What we have looked at what we have touched with our hand concerning the word of life. He wasn't just a spook. He was a literal person. Hebrews 214.

Therefore, six. The children share in flesh and blood, he himself likewise also partook of the same, that through death he might render powerless him who had power.

The power that that is the devil. So here we have Christ testimony the sun's testimony that he is the Christ. He fulfilled the office through his initiating and beginning the office the baptism and his dying on the cross water and through blood. The second thing here. II the Spirit's testimony, he says here the last part of verse six. It is the Spirit who testifies, because the Spirit is truth that we know the spirit continually testifies that Christ Jesus rather is the Christ of God the Holy Spirit is active on the earth today and he was active when Jesus was ministering on the earth 2000 years ago. He simply says it is the Spirit who testifies just a few historical aspects of this we know in Matthew chapter 1 verse 20 the spirit bore witness to Jesus birth to Joseph he said Joseph the child will be born of the Holy Spirit and to Mary in Luke 135 and in the Holy Spirit told Simeon in Luke chapter 2 that he himself would see the Christ event in Matthew three and in Luke chapter 3 during Jesus baptism we have the Spirit descending on Jesus, the Bible says like a dove. Jesus said himself in John 663. The words I speak are spirit and are life. During his earthly ministry. The spirit was testifying over and over and over again.

This one this is the only one who is the Christ, the promise Savior sent from God couple cross-references in John 1526 when the helper comes at the Holy Spirit, whom I will send to you from the father.

That is the spirit of truth proceeds from the father.

He will testify about me.

Well, the helper has come, and he to this day, even to you sitting here at this moment in this building. The spirit of God is working the testify to you. Jesus is the Christ of God. Romans 815 and 16 not received a spirit of slavery leading to fear again. You've received a spirit of adoption as sons by which we cry out Abba father Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are the children of God. So we as believers in Jesus Christ have the Holy Spirit living inside of us and it is he the third person of the Godhead. He continually bears and affirms to us the lesson using the Scripture using the Bible to say to us over and over, Christ, Christ, Christ is your hope in Jesus is the Christ of God. Sometimes you can God in this world you got a little wishy-washy. You got to Waverley, but in your faith but you open the Bible again in the spirit that resides in you affirms in your soul again. Jesus is the Christ of God, no one outside of him.

There's no hope. Outside of him. The Bible says here in verse six because the Spirit is the truth and notice the union with Jesus.

And that statement Spirit is the truth. Jesus says I am the way the truth and the life both the spirit and Jesus have their essence in truth, so we have the sun's testimony, he came himself and testified and preached and taught, and through his water baptism and through his blood, has testified I am the Christ of God, the Holy Spirit of God during Jesus earthly ministry and continued up to this moment is testifying to the world to individuals that Jesus is the Christ of God, and actually become the III to the one who's in back of all of this. The father's testimony is in really in reality and the flow of the context you could say that these are all parts of the father testifying that his son Jesus is the Christ of God. It is both and is not one of the other, but he is he is rather all the truths we've unfolded so far are included in the father's testimony. Verse eight of the father's testimony, the spirit and the water in the blood and the three are in agreement and the height breaks it down in those three aspects of spirit in the water and the blood and they're all in agreement we saying he is the father is behind all of these and all of these agree to that one grand truth.

Jesus is the Christ of God by going the reason it's mentioned like this is John's a Jewish man and in Jewish tradition. All facts were to be confirmed by two or three witnesses. Sometimes they would use inanimate objects.

We have an example from Genesis 31 of Jacob and Laban putting together this monument of stones as a witness of their agreement are there covenant between themselves and so the Bible lays out you have not only the water you have the blood and the continual testimony of the Holy Spirit. You have three witnesses from God the father. Jesus is the Christ of God. We know in the Old Testament if you're going to bring a charge against someone you had to have two or three witnesses and bid in the New Testament in the practice of church discipline before someone could be brought before the church you had have two or three witnesses before bringing an accusation against the church elder. You can't just take the statement of that statement are this room are that rumor. The Bible requires two or three witnesses, and so the Bible says God has also offered these concerning his son, now unimportant cross reference here. John chapter 5 verses 32 through 37. Look at this a very very important insight. I think of this text in John five 3237 here's what Jesus is. There is another who testifies of me. I know I not know that the testimony which he gives about me is true you have sent to John and he has testified to the truth that what you say is John's testified of me and that's important.

Notably, John the Baptist, Jesus goes on to insist verse 34 but the testimony which I received is not from man but I say these things so that you may be saved. He John was the lamp that was burning and was shining and you are willing to rejoice for a while in his life is like, rather know 36 but the testimony which I have is greater than the testimony of John for the works known such a keyword. The works which the father has given me to accomplish the very works that I do testify about me that the father has sent me. Here's what Jesus saying these works that I have done these other works.

The father gave me to do to fulfill the office of Christ Messiah, our Savior is these that are the father's very witness to you that I am he. He has perfectly rather Christ has perfectly fulfilled the office of Christ, so he must be God's sent God's Savior, God's Christ and what the text is saying is in this way since Christ perfectly perform the works required of the one in the office of Christ. He therefore has to be the one sent from the father. He did it he fulfilled the accomplishment he did it perfectly so he must be sent from this perfect father through the spirit, the water and the blood was the voice of the father is at the Jesus baptism his transfiguration and right before his triumphal interest in entry into Jerusalem. God has borne this witness and medevac John in our text here uses the perfect tense which means there is a continual witness our testimony of God about his son Jesus being the Christ of God, brothers and sisters when anybody any time anywhere with any kind of the powerful are persuasive discourse, tries to get you away from us and to make simple faith in Christ and Christ alone. They are denying the testimony of God himself. That's the point of the text. That's the point of the text in verse 10 of verse John again were back in first John fibers Tian, the one who believes in the son. This isn't just a shallow intellectual consent. This is a full trust and confidence in Jesus Christ and by the way, it means continual when you come to Christ in faith. You didn't just do something you became something you didn't just place faith in Christ.

Listen to me you became a faith in Jesus Christ. It means that as we live our lives, we are constantly casting our whole our hearts or minds back on Jesus.

I don't know if you're like me-that's a lie is rhetorical. I do know you're like me and that is as we live our lives. We consulate sale Christ will Christ if you're not my hope today every moment I'm sunk again. Fail again I fall short again and again. I'll stumble again that dirty attitude again that ugly spirit of Christ to you continually in faith to be the remedy. The propitiation for my sins, the Savior of my wicked simple so we didn't just believe we started believing we didn't just paste place faith week to get me a faith in Jesus Christ. That's with the teacher made a continual abiding rest. Our belief in Jesus Christ and it is the Holy Spirit who bears witness from without us now has begun to bear with the witness within us that we are the children of God, notices a in verse 10 again one who believes in the son of God has the testimony in himself that the first it was outside of us shouting at us. Jesus is the Christ. Jesus is the Christ now within us. There is the witness of the Spirit think Jesus is the Christ of the last part of verse 10.

The one who does not believe God has made him a liar because he is not believed in the testimony that God has given us concerning his that he says anyone who does not believe Melissa and he does a good thing. Anyone who does not believe Jesus Jesus anyone who does not believe God.

You see, your problems, not Jesus your problems. God, God has clearly borne witness. Jesus is the only Savior it's God the father here rejecting when you reject his son Jesus Christ because there would be those who say no love God not believe in the Old Testament Scriptures, but I can't go with Jesus being the true and only Christ of God, then you reject God, you reject the God you claim you bring us you cannot reject his son and not reject him because he is the one who bears witness of the son, anyone who does not believe in Jesus has rejected God's testimony concerning Jesus when he rejects God's testimony, he says, in effect, God is a liar.

This is a serious offense to reject God's royal authority, the false teachers of this day rejected the birth of the Christ in the death of the son of God. We need to remind ourselves that unbelief is not a misfortune to BPD. It is a sin to be deplored. Bring your unbelief this day is not ignorance your unbelief this day is rebellion.

Your unbelief is not because you can't believe it's because you won't believe in your you're taking an affront to God himself is what Johnson said this is my son, the Christ of God, what's the foundational issue when someone rejects Jesus Christ as their only Lord and Savior was the foundational issue. Three simple words love sin sin.

It's because we love sin.

We loved the sins that we want to coddle and embrace and worship and enjoy and we push away Christ. John Calvin said in his commentary on this text. A man in other parts of his life may be an angel.

Yet his sanctity is diabolical as long as he rejects Christ the ladies we use this language. Sometimes she is so sweet. She is the kindest and most thoughtful person she is so wonderful and an unselfish, but if she rejects Christ and Christ alone is Lord and Savior. She's a demon and so is any man key.

Do you know Christ the greatest form of evil is our good works that we substitute for the new birth and believing in Jesus Christ. Did you hear me the greatest form of evil is good stuff that people rely on in the place of casting themselves as bankrupt sinners at the feet of a blood across and trusting in Jesus Christ. So it's the father who bears witness, but I will amplify this a little bit God the father has not only adequately substantially borne witness concerning his son that his son Jesus is his Christ is only Savior, God has also borne substantial witness against you as a center. He's given you the testimony of creation.

The Bible says you can look at creation itself and say there's a God that you fall short of that, you need to make right with you can't do that. The Bible says he's given you the conscience. Your conscience condemns you that you broken God's law, combined with the fact that he's written the law of God in every man's heart to testify against you, but your center that you fallen short that your transcript is lawless that you stand guilty before him. He's given us the holy Scriptures, which bear out very clearly that were dead in trespasses and sins. No one does good. The Bible says no that will and by the way, this is a continual process. The witness keeps going. The witness keeps going.

The witness keep going and there's the Holy Spirit that's constantly bearing witness with your conscious with the law. That's right in your heart with the holy Scriptures like you're guilty you're falling short, you're going to God, your transgressor you are guilty in God's judgment abides upon you. Still, you may leave the service. I'm glad I got away from that loud, red-faced preacher, the spirit of God says you're guilty is it defined not right with God, all you eat your lunch in the spirited you're guilty you go turn on the television of the Dallas Cowboys called to lose again your kind to send you closer to your guilty followed their unclean God hold you accountable content you get does not begin until it's too late and when it does, and you're done. If you have turned to Christ. I don't care if you're the sweetest 10-year-old boy or girl in this auditorium on the most respected senior general motor society lady in our town. Vince loved and admired.

I'm telling you, if you haven't settled with Christ, the spirit of God testifies you are guilty of the judgment of God. If you reject Christ you reject God's testimony you call God a liar. Johnson when God says your center you need. My only hope my son Jesus, who is the Christ is not sure I want to do that what you're saying is got, I think your liar think I'm right and you're wrong you call God a liar is not my words are John's words. It's interesting to think about the word testimony comes comes Armada courtroom scene of a witness just in our minds.

There's a there's a lawyer in a courtroom, any summons God to the stand to be a witness and a longer look setting and logger says do you know this man before the court today. God says yes you know I'm omniscient. I know everything I know everything about as fast on everything but his future know everything about him all things he doesn't know about himself because I'm God on the mission the longest as well. Do you know the facts of this case, God says oh yes I do. I'm not only omniscient, omnipresent, I'm everywhere one time. There's never a place where I'm not you know God's inhale gobble never leave health. He's only there in his wrath and fury and judgment. He's in you.your problems will be God. The lawyer says well do you you have any responsibilities in this man's case before the court today and God replies yes because nothing happens without my permission. I'm omnipotent and divine sovereignty. I order all events, of all things for all time and all eternity, omniscient, omnipresent and on omnipotent loggers as well. Do you yourself, bear any responsibility for the crimes. In this case, God's is no I'm holy and I'm righteous.

No one can justly accuse me of guilt or sin lawyer bows his head humbles himself self and very sheepishly looks at God on the witness stand and says God you know what you shouldn't be the witness you should be the judge in God replies, you're right, but my divine providence.

I have a set period of time for everything. And right now I'm a witness in the world right now I'm in the world, bearing witness that my son Jesus is the Christ and man must turn to him. But there is a day coming.

It will not be long that I will put on the judge's robe, and I was soon to micro and I will judge all men and everything on the earth through my son, Jesus Christ. Jesus, who is the Christ and all who are in him will be judged worthy of everlasting eternal life in glory, and all who are outside of him will be judged as worthy of eternal condemnation and wrath. I am the judge and that day is coming.

But right now I'm in the world as a witness that my son Jesus is the Christ.

One final thing.

Notice Romans five the saints testimony verse 11 and this test of and in the testimony rather is this that God has given us eternal life in this life is in the sun who has the son has the life he does not have the son of God does not have the life these things I've written to you who believe in the name of the son of God so that you may know that you have it send you now eternal life.

The testimony is now in you, the word knows a strong word.

It means sure and certain God wants you know if you've rested your trust on Jesus the Christ of God, you can know that everlasting life, eternal life living forever has already been deposited in you manifest your now I testimony of it to the rest of the world you can know you have the life now it's initially there right now. The old Puritans and others refuse the word germ you have the germ of it in you right now.

I like to use the word seed. The new life is there maybe just insane, but it's there. It begins to grow so throughout this earthly pilgrimage, you have the life partially so to speak but then when Jesus returns were glorified with him. We will all have it perfectly. Do you know Jesus… Only know about it on the auto meeting say will I respect the historical record of Jesus dying on the cross. Rose again go back to you or me.

Are you resting in him as the Christ of God as your only hope of salvation. If you don't then God himself will bear witness against you on the last day, but if you do, God will be your advocate law your judge in the center on the last day. Jesus is the Christ of God, there is no other