The internal proof of salvation is found in the witness of the Spirit, the water, and the blood, as described in 1 John 5:8-10. The Holy Spirit applies the Word of God (the water) and the atoning blood of Christ to convict believers of their need for salvation and assure them of eternal life. This divine witness resides within the believer, confirming that those who receive Christ possess eternal life. Rejecting God's testimony about His Son makes one a liar and leads to eternal judgment, while believing honors God and secures salvation.
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Beloved friends, we welcome you to the continued study on that blessed scene, the assurance of salvation. We study it from the inspired and the infallible Word of God. We have already stated in our preceding messages that God in and through His precious Word reveals three sources of assurance to every believer in the Lord Jesus Christ of their salvation. There is an external proof. There is an internal proof, there is an evidential proof. But let us continue and conclude the second source that we have been considering, that internal proof whereby the believer in the Lord Jesus is assured of salvation.
In the written word of God, we saw the external proof, whereby the believer rests upon the promises of eternal life as it is written in the word. We have also considered in great measure the internal, by noting some scriptures which definitely tell that the indwelling of God's Holy Spirit takes place when every sinner trusts the Lord Jesus as his or her Savior. May I repeat again with emphasis, without the indwelling presence of the Spirit of God, no one can say, I am saved.
For did we not learn from Romans eight, nine? No one can claim to belong to Christ without possessing the Spirit of God. If any man have not the Spirit of God, he is none of his. We raise the question, my friend. Do you really belong to Christ? Are you genuinely saved? But we would like to follow another scripture which confirms the indwelling proof that the believers can rejoice in an eternal salvation. We go to the first epistle of John. We would like to read some verses that are found in chapter five, verses eight through to ten.
John writing by the Holy Spirit declares, there are three that bear witness in the earth the Spirit and the water and the blood. These three agree in one. Now if we receive the witness of men, the witness of God is greater, for this is the witness of God, which he testifies of his Son. He that believeth on the Son hath the witness in himself. First John chapter five, verses eight through ten. Please let me point out, God by the Spirit through his servant John mentions three things, the Spirit of God. He mentions water.
He mentions blood. And in this eighth verse, these three are spoken of as being God's witness. In one united testimony, for may I point out to you, does not the Holy Spirit deal effectively with our souls in order to save us by that which the water typifies the Word of God, and the power of the word of God, bringing us the message of the gospel. And then does he not also apply the precious blood of Christ? Please let me repeat it very simply. It is the Spirit of God who takes the water of the word of God, the gospel of our salvation, the message of salvation.
And he points us to the message and he preaches we need to be saved and he convicts us of that need. And then he tells us that only the precious blood of Jesus can take away our sins. And thus the Holy Spirit apprised the word of God on the ground of the Savior's death. Now this, the Apostle writes, is God's witness to all the world. That through the death of his Son, eternal life is given to all who receive that Son. This is the witness of God which he has testified of his Son. my beloved believer you and I have believed what God said about his son and God's given the testimony and that witness of what he has said is in our heart now let me refer to verse eleven if you please of this same chapter of first John listen this is the record that God hath given to us eternal life and this life is in his son this could never be more plain God hath given to every Christian Eternal life.
And this life is in his Son. And these are words of blessed assurance. God's own witness to the believer and in the believer. Testifying that every believer, born of the Spirit, converted and regenerated by the word of God and washed in the blood of Christ, possesses eternal life. This, my beloved friend, is God's witness. an internal proof to those who receive the Savior of salvation. How do we receive it? Again, we raise the question, it's a good one, by believing the record that God gave of his Son.
Now, I want you to know something. In the context of our Scripture, I raise the question first. My friend, have you believed God's record about his Son? Have you believed God's testimony concerning its son? For know very carefully that in our scripture God refers to those who have not. In verse ten, let me quote the words. He that believeth not God hath made God a liar, because he believeth not the record that God gave of his son. Let me quote the words again. I'll insert another word, which is the proper word, and it means it. He that believeth not God has made him a liar, because he believeth not the witness that God gave of his Son.
Let these words sink deep into your heart, my own say, friend. They solemnly declare the seriousness of rejecting and refusing God's message. His witness about his Son. Everyone, please let me repeat it carefully. Everyone who rejects God's witness concerning Christ, his Son, through whom God offers eternal life, everyone who insists on rejecting Him, makes God a liar. Let me read the words again from verse ten, the last part. He that believeth not God hath made him a liar, because he believeth not the witness which God hath witnessed concerning its Son, which is the plain translation, and the unbeliever dishonors God.
rejecting the gift of eternal life to his or her own eternal perdition and judgment. Oh, my beloved friend, do not do this. Accept God's testimony. Receive the witness concerning eternal life being found only in his Son and through faith in that Son redeeming death. For the believer honors the Son. The believer believes the record that God has given concerning the Son. The believer receives eternal life. And each believer, within that believer, God plants the witness that Christ lives within him and within her. And Christ, in life eternal, is in the youngest babe that has trusted the Savior.
They shall never perish. My unbelieving friend, why should you perish? Why should you reject any longer the love of God in sending its son? Why reject the one who tasted death for you upon the cross? Has he not always shown good to you? And yet, what have you shown to him? You probably have neglected and disliked him. You may have rebelled against him as far as you could. Oh, my friend, do not that any longer. Now believe what God says concerning its son. And if you believe what God says concerning its son, you will have that son. For it is impossible to have the Son of God and not have eternal life.
He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life. But he that believeth not the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abideth on him, is the word of God. Now may I please recapitulate, summarizing, if I can, possibly clearly, what we have studied thus far. It is to the one who believes on the Lord Jesus Christ, to the one who receives him as his or her Savior according to John chapter one verse twelve and I quote it but to as many as received him Christ to then gave you the right the power the privilege the authority to be called the sons or the children of God even to them that believe on his name and thus according to the word of God we have an external written source God says in his word when I believe When I take Christ, He assures me of salvation.
And I can say I know. I'm assured that I am saved. God says it. I believe Christ did it on the cross. And my faith rests upon it. And that settles it. But second, we have also learned that upon believing, the indwelling Spirit of God takes up his abode within me. Please let me repeat it again. let me say faithfully it is not a subsequent experience which should follow my conversion as many falsely teach but upon believing the moment I believe on the Lord Jesus Christ I am saved and sealed with that indwelling spirit of promise to dwell within me also Let me be reminded, I can never belong to Christ unless He's in me.
Please let me state again, if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he's none of his, writes Paul in Romans eight and verse nine. And further, God who witnesses and bears record concerning his Son, in whom is eternal life, when one believes upon that Son, he puts that witness of that record into my heart. telling me, he that hath the Son hath life. For he that believeth hath the witness where? In himself. My beloved, what joy it is on the authority of God's word.
I can state within my heart dwells the Holy Spirit of God, having believed upon the Lord Jesus Christ as my Savior. What about you, my friend? What about you? Are you saved? Let me once again emphasize, tis not the mental agreement or assertion, mentally acquiescing to the fact God gave His Son upon the cross, but it is the receiving of that Son to the heart. Let me quote Romans ten, nine and ten. If thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and believe where? In thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead.
Thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto salvation. And with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. First, my beloved, make sure you believe in your heart. And Christ is in your heart. Then open your mouth wide and tell others you have the Savior. Oh, blessed Father. May God the Holy Spirit who alone can bless and convict. Do his work today in Jesus' name. Amen.