On this is an amazing truth that John is writing here in 1 John 5:6-12.
This is the One who came by water and blood, Jesus Christ; not with the 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 and the blood; and the three are in agreement. 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. And the testimony is this, that God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. He who has the Son has the life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have the life.
The Greatest Testimony
John is saying that Jesus came with water and blood. The water reminds us of His baptism, where His public ministry kicked off (see Matthew 3:13–17; Mark 1:9–11; Luke 3:21–22), and the blood points to His sacrificial death that brought our redemption. Those are the two bookends of this earthly ministry, and the Spirit’s evaluation of it is “absolute perfection”.
It was the Spirit that testified at these events. The Spirit that testified at the baptism, declaring He is well pleased in Jesus, and the Spirit descended on Jesus that day. Also, by the blood, because if Jesus’s blood that was poured out for us wasn’t perfect, it couldn’t be used for our redemption, but it was. Thus, the Spirit along with the water and blood testify to this in agreement. The convergence of these independent elements strengthens the claim about Jesus’s true testimony- the greatest ever!
The Greatest Testifier
If man’s testimony can be accepted when adequately attested (Deut. 19:15), God’s testimony, being greater, ought also be accepted. He has testified like this about no other, but Jesus. He cannot lie, and when He says something it is!
The Greatest testimony is here
There are three key testimonies that the Spirit gives us. First, the Spirit points to the perfect life of Jesus while He was on earth. Second, it testifies that eternal life dwells in the Son. And third, it confirms that when we have Jesus in our hearts—when we’re truly born again—we have eternal life right here and now. This isn’t just about living a long life; it’s about having a divine, God-infused quality of life because of Christ. Jesus isn’t just a part of our story; He is eternal life. Remember how He talked about rivers of living water flowing from within us (John 7:38)? That’s the life of God, bubbling up through our Spirit. It’s crazy how some folks claim that eternal life only kicks in after we die and go to heaven. I wish they’d step outside their denominational bubbles and see the truth: the Spirit is saying loud and clear that God has already given us eternal life through His Son. You can’t pick and choose which part of the testimony to accept—the same Spirit that vouches for Jesus’s perfection is saying, “He who has the Son has life!”
That Testimony is Your Testimony
John makes a stunning claim- If we have the Son, we have Jesus, and if we believe in the Son of God, we have the testimony in us. What is the testimony? The same testimony of Jesus Christ. If you have Jesus in your life, then His testimony becomes your testimony. That is why Paul says in 2 Cor 5:16 “Therefore from now on we recognize no man according to the flesh;”. If someone is a born again Christian, they have the perfect testimony, the testimony of Jesus. What are the testimonies of Jesus? We already saw that the three testimonies are:
- Jesus lived a perfectly righteous life on earth.
- Jesus has eternal life.
- Whoever has the Son has eternal life.
Is it possible that someone who has the Son, having eternal life does not have the same testimony as Jesus did? No! Because John says here that the one who believes has the testimony in himself. Wow! It is not like God is like looking at us and saying I am so disappointed in you. What you have done with my eternal life? No! Rather, your testimony is the same as that of Jesus. Why? Because the life between his bookends, his baptism and death, is our life on earth. That is our life. And guess what? We did awesome! And lived the most perfect lives ever. We did amazing! Thank you Jesus! God looks at me now and he says “this is my beloved son, in whom I am well pleased”. This testimony will never change.
This Testimony Transforms
This isn’t just a “nice idea” that we nod along to—it’s life-changing! This testimony transforms the one who believes. The greatest thing about this testimony is that once you believe, it changes you inside out. This is because when you believe that Jesus is the Son of God and that He died for our sins at the cross, and accept His Lordship over our lives, we are saved, unified with Christ, placed in Him, abide in Him, righteous as perfect it can be, holy, sanctified and everything that He is. As John has been repeatedly pounding for the last few chapters, that love becomes perfected within us and we start to love. Some people think that once saved nothing changes and that we are just a sinner saved by grace. That is a lie. We WERE sinners saved by grace, but not anymore. Now we are the righteousness of God in Christ Jesus. Everything has changed within us, and the fruit naturally comes out from us. All of a sudden, when we walk by faith, we see that things happen.
An incident that showed me who I am
Let me share a quick personal story: I was in Italy late one night with my wife and my another friend when suddenly, a drunk girl lunged at my friend, and started choking him (boy, was she strong!)—even though he was already nursing a broken arm! I remembered the authority I have in Christ, grabbed her hand, and said, “In the name of Jesus, let him go!” Even though she probably didn’t understand my words, something in her shifted, and she froze unable to move. As John reminds us, the Spirit in me is stronger than the spirit in her. She eventually let go, and it was a clear reminder of the power we have through faith. When you’re changed from the inside out, you literally have solutions for every problem. It’s like waking up one day and realizing you’re suddenly as strong as your favorite superhero—ready to tackle whatever comes your way because you’re living life just as Jesus did, full of love and action. And remember, if you don’t believe, you’re essentially choosing a path that distances you from that life.
Why is this all connected?
Remember Romans 2:6–8? It reminds us that God will repay each person according to their deeds—rewarding those who persist in doing good with glory, honor, and eternal life. The Spirit confirms this eternal truth: if you persevere in doing good, you receive eternal life. We by just being in Christ, because Jesus did seek for glory and honour and immortality, and guess what, we sought it with him- and guess what we reap the benefit – eternal life. On the flip side, those who reject this truth aren’t just missing out on life—they’re basically calling God a liar and setting themselves on a course toward judgment. Everything is interconnected: our actions, our trust in God, and the eternal testimony all weave together to show that having Jesus isn’t just about a future promise—it’s about living a transformed life right now.
This is a matter of trust
All this boils down to whether you trust Him. If you believe God’s testimony about Jesus., why would you reject His testimony about you? Are you believing the flesh that sets you on a course of religious performance based mindset? Or the devil who tells you are damned and haven’t done enough? Don’t! Just as we accept a person’s word when it’s backed up by enough witnesses (see Deuteronomy 19:15), God’s testimony—being infinitely greater—should be accepted without question. John points out that if you reject this testimony, you’re calling Him a liar. Think about it: the same God who is pure, righteous, and holy declares that you are the righteousness of God in Christ Jesus, and that you are perfect. So not believing isn’t just a matter of opinion—it’s a sign that you’re not trusting the One who is beyond perfect.
So let’s renew our minds to what God says about us, and whose testimony we believe changes how we behave on earth.
Leave a Reply