Exploring 1 John: The Testimony of God
1 John 5:9-10 - I BELIEVE the Testimony of God about His Son Jesus!
“If we receive the testimony of men, the testimony of God is greater; for the testimony of God is this, that He has testified concerning His Son. The one who believes in the Son of God has the testimony in himself; the one who does not believe God has made Him a liar, because he has not believed in the testimony that God has given concerning His Son.”
1 John 5:9-10 NASB1995
John now tells the believers about the testimony of God regarding His Son, which is greater than any testimony of men. Think about how many times during the day you take someone at their word or you “trust” other humans to do something right. We hope that the other driver is paying attention, we trust that the check that is in the mail will be delivered by the post office, we put our lives into the hands of two (or maybe three) individuals flying the aircraft and the unseen air traffic controllers, we honor the status updates we receive from co-workers on a crucial project. But as we know from human behavior and our sinful lives, humans are often not trustworthy in their testimony, which is why there are jury trials and witnesses and judges and appeals courts. People lie to cover their failures to perform, to keep from being honest with someone, or for many reasons. Man’s testimony is certainly not great.
But those who do not believe God’s testimony concerning His Son make Him a liar. For believers, the Holy Spirit confirms and bears witness to Jesus and to our status as Children of God. This Commentary from Enduring Word talks about why it is wrong to not believe God; there are some great and pithy Charles Spurgeon excerpts in this:
He who does not believe God has made Him a liar: When we refuse to believe on Jesus, we reject the testimony God has given of His Son. Therefore, we call God a liar with our unbelief.
John here exposes the great sin of unbelief. Most everyone who refuses to believe God (in the full sense of the word believe) doesn’t intend to call God a liar. But they do it nonetheless. “The great sin of not believing in the Lord Jesus Christ is often spoken of very lightly and in a very trifling spirit, as though it were scarcely any sin at all; yet, according to my text, and, indeed, according to the whole tenor of the Scriptures, unbelief is the giving of God the lie, and what can be worse?” (Charles Spurgeon)
What if one says, “Well, I want to believe, but I can’t.” Spurgeon answers such a one: “Hearken, O unbeliever, you have said, ‘I cannot believe,’ but it would be more honest if you had said, ‘I will not believe.’ The mischief lies there. Your unbelief is your fault, not your misfortune. It is a disease, but it is also a crime: it is a terrible source of misery to you, but it is justly so, for it is an atrocious offense against the God of truth.”
What if one says, “Well, I’m trying to believe, and I’ll keep on trying.” Spurgeon speaks to this heart: “Did I not hear some one say, ‘Ah, sir, I have been trying to believe for years.’ Terrible words! They make the case still worse. Imagine that after I had made a statement, a man should declare that he did not believe me, in fact, he could not believe me though he would like to do so. I should feel aggrieved certainly; but it would make matters worse if he added, ‘In fact I have been for years trying to believe you, and I cannot do it.’ What does he mean by that? What can he mean but that I am so incorrigibly false, and such a confirmed liar, that though he would like to give me some credit, he really cannot do it? With all the effort he can make in my favour, he finds it quite beyond his power to believe me? Now, a man who says, ‘I have been trying to believe in God,’ in reality says just that with regard to the Most High… The talk about trying to believe is a mere pretence. But whether pretence or no, let me remind you that there is no text in the Bible which says, ‘Try and believe,’ but it says ‘Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ.’ He is the Son of God, he has proved it by his miracles, he died to save sinners, therefore trust him; he deserves implicit trust and child-like confidence. Will you refuse him these? Then you have maligned his character and given him the lie.”
Such rejection of God’s testimony over time can lead to a place where a person is permanently hardened against God, to the place where they may be one who blasphemes against the Holy Spirit, as Jesus warned in Mark 3:28-29. What hope can there be for the one who persists in hearing what God says, and calling Him a liar?
I can say without hesitation that it scares me to death NOW to know where my head and heart were about 20 years ago (same for Steve) I was dangerously close to the “blasphemy of the Holy Spirit” phase of arrogant unbelief. But because God loves us so much, He never gave up on us and I can testify that His testimony is GREATEST!
This one is a bit short because I have an eye appointment shortly for a persistent eye problem so I had to write it quickly. My next planned devotional in two days (God willing, if I don’t have to have eye surgery) will be on 1 John 5: 11-12 - The testimony is Eternal Life. Your prayers are appreciated!
Heaven on Wheels Daily Prayer:
Dear Lord - It is with eternal and undying gratitude that I thank You for finding us in the wilderness and bringing us back to belief in the promise of Your Son. Amen.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Commentary from Enduring Word by David Guzik is used with written permission.
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