1 John 5:6-12: Confidence of Salvation

1 John 5:11.. "And this is the testimony, that God gave us eternal life, and this life is in his Son."

How many of you have absolute confidence in your salvation this morning? How many of you, without a doubt, are fully assured of your salvation? How many of you can boldly say that if you were to drop dead right now that you know that you would be in the presence of your Lord within moments? Perhaps you have this confidence already--that's great, but perhaps you don't. Either way, let us be even more encouraged this morning as we look at the great confidence of our salvation.

In 1 John 5:5 (the verse proceeding the passage we looked at yesterday), John asks this rhetorical question: "Who is it that overcomes the world except the one who believe that Jesus is the Son of God?" (emphasis added). The obvious answer is "no one," which refers to the fact that the only way we can overcome sin and gain eternal life is by beliving that Jesus is the Son of God. But that raises a question: how do we know that Jesus is the Son?

John answers this question with not one answer, but three, to enable us to be confident in our answer. Firstly, John points out that both "the water" and "the blood" testify that Jesus is the Son of God (1 John 5:6). "The water" refers to Christ's baptism, and "the blood" refers to Christ's death on the cross. Perhaps these testimonies might not make perfect sense to us, but we must remember that John is writing this book sometime between 70 A.D. and 95 A.D., when the stories of the life and legacy of Jesus Christ are still spreading like wildfire. Specifically, the story of Jesus' baptism and blood tell of great evidence that he was not only the Savior, but also the Son of God, as through both of these instances we saw his humanity tied to his deity (I could explain this, but the text of literature would then outlast you enjoying your morning pastry, so I'll skip it for now.).

However, there is a third and living testimony of God: the Holy Spirit that lives inside of us. John has already alluded to how the Holy Spirit gives us confidence of eternal life (1 John 3:24, 4:13), but here he also says that the Holy Spirit testifies to us that Jesus is truly the Son of God. This testimony of the Holy Spirit is not only true but also inside of us if we believe that Jesus is the Son (1 John 5:10). Furthermore, John says, this testimony of the Holy Spirit is a greater testimony that Jesus is the Christ because it is a testimony of God not of man (1 John 5:9). And this testimony given us by the Holy Spirit that Jesus is the Son only leads to one logical conclusion: assurance of our salvation.

"And this is the testimony," John says, "that God gave us eternal life, and this life is in his Son" (1 John 5:11). Not only does the Holy Spirit testify that Jesus is God, but that all who believe in him overcome the world and have eternal life in Christ. All who have the Holy Spirit inside of them can have assurance of their salvation, because through the Holy Spirit they can know (1) that Christ is the Son of God and (2) that that Son came down and offered salvation for all who call upon the name of the Lord (Romans 10:13). Jesus is the Son of God, and the Son of God gives life--this is the testimony of the Holy Spirit, in order that we might have confidence of salvation.

So, are you feeling more confident this morning? Perhaps you were already confident of your salvation, but you needed confidence elsewhere. Dear reader, "he who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things?" (Romans 8:32). If God has given you confidence of the life of the Son through his Holy Spirit, what could he not give you confidence in? So go, and be confident, not only because Christ has saved you, but also that he is working everything for the good of those who love him (Romans 8:28).

Also, for extra confidence, feel free to listen to this song. It comes directly from the text we spoke of this morning, and it's one of my favotites.