The Three Witnesses

The Three Witnesses THE THREE WITNESSES”
By W. D. C AMPBELL

Beloved, I shall quote these words of the inspired John, as introductory to an address on “The Three "Witnesses”: “Who is he that overcomcth the world but he that be- lieveth that Jesus is the Son of God? This is he that came by water and blood, even Jesus Christ; not by water only, hut by water and blood; and it is the Spirit that beareth witness, because the Spirit is truth. For there are three that bear record in heaven; the Father, the Word, and the Holy Spirit; and these three are one. And there are three that bear witness in earth; the Spirit, and the water, and the blood, and these three agree in one."

I have quoted from the first Epistle of John, fifth chapter, verses five to eight inclusive. The seventh verse is not found in the Revised Version, nor in the oldest versions. It is considered an interpolation, that is, it has been added to the sacred Text, and yet it is in harmony with inspired teaching. The apostle had just emphasized the subject of faith, faith in Christ; and as faith has to do with testimony, and testimony with witnesses, the inspired John naturally introduces the constantly testifying witnesses of Christ. Under the law, two or three witnesses wdte required to constitute adequate testimony, and thus we read, “in the mouth of two or three witnesses shall every word be established.” The apostle further reasons, “If we receive the witness of men (which we.do), the witness of God is greater” concerning his peerless son. The Christian system is based upon one great fact, one superlative truth, so great that it affects heaven and earth and regulates angels and men. This truth is the centre of attraction in Christianity, and at the same time the only foundation of hope to the ruined sons and daughters of men. This great truth comes to us in the confession first made in its divine fullness by Simon Peter. When Jesus with a sadness, which we can almost feel, as we read his words addressed to the twelve at Capernaum : “Will ye also go away?” Jesus had spoken plainly the words of truth, -and as a result, “Many of his disciples went back and walked no more with him.” It follows that the Lord Jesus, during his earth life, had disciples who were not true to him. We should not be surprised that professed disciples now prove untrue to the teaching of the Christ of the New Testament. Jesus turned to the chosen twrelve, with the question, “Will ye also go away”? Peter answered, “Lord, to whom shall we go?” Thus implying that Jesus was the only one to whom he could go. If we leave Him, to whom shall we go? If we leave the Church, which he has purchased with his own blood, where shall we go? The warm hearted Peter said, “Thou hast the words of eternal life, and we believe and are sure that thou art that Christ, tha Son of the living God.” This is the great truth of Christianity. Everything in the Christian religion grows out of it. The church of the New Testament was built upon this great proposition. The inspired testimonies or narratives of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John were written to convince mankind that Jesus of Nazareth is the Christ, the Son of God; and the only source of light and life to a benighted, and ruined world. It was according to God’s purpose and plan, that his son should come, and tabernacle in a human body, live among men, and in serving humanity prove his power to live human nature up from its depths of wemkness, and wretchedness, and carry it successfully through the severest conflicts of sin to a glorious victory. This Jesus did. He was God manifest in human flesh. The very manifestation of God in the flesh; bringing God down to the plans of human want, and woe, so that he could say, “He that hath seen me, hath seen the Father.” He was, arid is the Son of God; as divine as the Father, but he was also the son of man, and as a man his life was one grand series of proofs of God’s power to save. For he revealed his father’s willingness to save, by his own unselfish life, which he gave as a ransom for many. There can be no longer a doubt in the human mind, whether sin can be conquered; whether there is a life beyond the grave, since Jesus has demonstrated it by his life, his death, and his triumphant victory over death and the grave. The facts are recorded by Matthew, Mark, Luke and John; which should lead us into this sublime faith, a faith Which frees the human heart from doubt, and fills it with the light of hope, and the love of God. I have- already intimated unto you that all Christianity rests upon one great fact or proposition concerning the aonship, and Lordship'of Jesus of Nazareth. This proposition is' a historical onb, and rests updn testimony. Is Jesus, of Nazareth the son of God, and the only savior of men; God be thanked for the revelation, which he has given of lis peerless son, “The Prince of the kings of the earth,” and the witnesses, which prove his divine claims.
In keeping with the importance of this proposition is the testimony upon which the truth .witnessed. This testimony is given to us, by three grand witnesses. The Spirit, the water and the blood, all concurring together to present to the eye of faith, the Lord Jesus in all the excellency of his person, the dignity of his character, and the purity of his life; his unselfish love; his death, burial, resurrection, and ascension to the place of honor at the right hand of God in heaven. I wish to present as briefly as possible, the testimony of these three wit-nesses in the order in which we have them placed before us in the sacred Text. “And there are three that bear witness in earth; the Spirit, and the water, and the blood, and these three agree in one. That is, they bear testimony to the same end or purpose in proving the di-vine Sonship of Jesus of Nazareth as the Christ of God. Let us examine the testimony of the Holy Spirit, the first witness: “And it is the Spirit that beareth witness- because the Spirit is Truth." That is the Spirit of truth, because he is the author of the word of truth, as truly as Jesus is the author of the blood of the New Covenant. The Spirit bears witness, but how? A witness usually testifies in words. Jesus said to his disciples, “When the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which proceedcth from the Father; he shall testify of me.” In Acts 5:32, we have these words: “And we are his witnesses of these things, and so is also the Holy Spirit, whom God hath given to them that obey him.” These inspired state-ments make plain that the Holy Spirit is a witness. We know that the business of a witness is to testify. Jesus said of the Spirit: “He shall testify of me.” I have al-ready said that a witness usually gives testimony in words. He speaks, so the Holy Spirit in bearing testimony to the claims of Christ, speaks, glorifies Jehus as Lord and Christ. Listen to these inspired words: “Howbeit, when he, the Spirit of truth is come, he will guide you into all truth, for he shall not speak of himself, but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak; and he will show you things to come. He shall glorify me.” This in brief is the sublime mission of the Holy Spirit as a witness to the Savior. That he testifies, and that he testifies by speaking. But how does he speak? Not in vague, and mystical communications, not in the mysterious teaching of internalism or the inner light theory. This is a question of much importance “To the law, and to the testimony.” “What saith the Scriptures?” Jesus made certain promises to his apostles. That when they would be brought before governors and kings for his sake, they were to take no thought, how, or what they should speak, for said Jesus, “It shall be given you in that same hour, what ye shall speak; for it is not ye that speak, but the Spirit of your Father which speaketh in you.” Could words be plainer? The Spirit bears witness by speaking, and he speaks through the apostles.

Thus the apostles were commanded to tarry in the city of Jerusalem until they were endued with power from on high, the power of inspiration. They waited in the capital city of the Jews until the day of Pentecost had fully come. And God poured out his spirit upon them. They were baptized in the spirit; filled with the spirit, and began to speak as the spirit gave them utterance. And thus the first Pentecost after Jesus died, the spirit bore Witness through the apostles with mighty power, that the despised and rejected Jesus was made Lord and Christ. The Holy Spirit testified ,in words addressed to the understanding, for the object of testimony is to pro-duce faith. Listen to these words of the Holy Spirit, speaking through Peter: “Ye men of Israel, hear these words. Jesus of Nazareth, a man approved of God among yon, by miracles and wonders and signs which God did •by him in the midst of you, as ye yourselves also know. ,]Eim‘ being delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God ye have taken, and by wicked bands have crucified and slain. This Jesus hath God raised up; whereof we are witnesses.’' Was ever testimony concerning Jesus of Nazareth more direct, eon- ,cise, convincing, simple and yet sublime than this? Do you wonder that Paul wrote, “The Spirit speaketh expressly?” In Nehemiah 9:30, we read:- “Yet'many years didst thou forbear them, and testified against them by the spirit in thy prophets.” Holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Spirit under the Old Testament, as well as the new. In this sense the Spirit testifies, and is a witness for Christ on earth. This we can understand. What he does more, we do not know, and we should not seek to become wise above that which is written. The next witness is the water. John wrote: “This is he that came by water, and blood, not by water only, but by water and blood.” The water here refers primarily to the baptism of Jesus, at the beginning of his personal ministry, when he was made manifest to Israel. That Jesus was manifested in some way through his baptism is clearly set forth in these words of John the Baptist: “And I knew him not, but that he should be made manifest to Israel, therefore am I come baptizing "With, or in water.” John knew not Jesus as the Mes-
siah. He knew him as his cousin, and as a pure, good' man. God revealed to John that he should baptize the long looked for Messiah, and gave him a sign. The sign was that the Spirit would descend and remain upon the candidate. By this sign he would know the Messiah, and introduce him to the waiting people. One day as John was baptizing the pentitent Jews, there was seen coming down the hillside, a plain looking man, having the appearance of a Judean peasant. He was none other than Jesus the Nazarene. He had come all the way from Nazareth to obey his Father’s command, by submitting “unto John’s baptism.” The fearless prophet of God, who could boldly stand before kings and priests, and denounce them for their sins, bowed in1 deep humility in the presence of the sinless, peerless man Christ Jesus. “1 have need to be baptized of thee, and cometh thou to me,” said the harbinger. Our Lord answered, “Suffer it to be so now, for thus it becometh us to fulfill all righteousness.” As the baptist raised Jesus up from the water of the Jordan, the skies were parted, a,nd the spirit came descending like a dove and lighting upon Jesus. John the Baptist said, “And I saw (the sign) and bear record that this is the Son of God.” ft was while in the water of the Jordan, that Christ was manifested to Israel, and we will see presently that the Holy Spirit makes baptism a monumental institution, a silent but nevertheless, a divine witness testifying to the facts of the gospel. But I wish to defer this thought until after I place before you the testimony of the third witness, namely, the blood. The blood of the New Testament is meant To what does the blood of Christ bear witness? To a most important fact in the great remedial system, the death of Christ. If Jesus had not died for our sins according to the Scriptures, we would still be under condemnation, under the penally of a broken law, and exposed to death. If the new covenant had not been sealed, and consecrated by his blood, the new and living way to God would never have been opened up for sinful humanity. “He is the mediator of the New Testament, that by means of death for the redemption of the transgressions, that were under the first testament, they which are called, might receive the promise of eternal inheritance. For where a testament is, there must also of necessity be the death of the testator.” “For without the shedding of blood, there was no remission of sins under any covenant. And no sacrifice short of that of the Son of God could take away sin. The sin offerings under the law were only shadows pointing down to the one great sin offering; the Lamb of God. Paul wrote, “But now once in the end of the world, hath he (that is Christ) put away sin by the sacrifice of himself.”

How important then it is, that this fact, the Lord’s death, should be sustained by testimony, supported by an unchanging witness, that publishes or testifies to the world the death of Jesus “till he come.” This witness is the Lord’s Supper. Of the fruit of the vine emblematical of his blood, Jesus said: “This is my blood of the New Testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins.” Paul said, “As oft as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do show the Lord’s death till he come.” More than eighteen hundred years have passed away since Jesus established this institution, yet it still speaks in the church of God, and as a silent witness testifies to the facts of the gospel. Men and times have changed; world empires and earth’s heroes have crumbled and gone to dust, but this insti-tution remains unchanged. Jesus said, “Do this in memory of me,” and it has stood through all'the years, “a monument more durable than brass.” And its inseption still testifies in words addressed to the heart, rather than the eye; “in memory of Jesus.” It is a sad fact, that this silent witness is not permitted to testify in many so-called churches in our land upon the first day of the week, and thus publish the death of Christ, and assure believers of his coming again. Mr. Leslie in his little book entitled, “A Short Method With Deists,” lays down certain marks, as to the truth of matter of fact in general, that where these marks all meet; the matter of fact cannot be false. First: the fact must be such thaf men’s outward senses can judge of. Second: the fact must be performed publicly before witnesses. Third: certain monuments or actions must be established in memory of the fact; and fourth; these monuments or actions must be established, and commence at the time of the fact. By way of illustration, let me apply this reasoning to the crossing of the Jordan. Joshua said to the people, “Sanctify yourselves,. for tomorrow the Lord will do wonders among you.” The Jordan flooded, looked like a raging sea before them. But the order was given: March, the priests going ahead bearing the ark of Godr and the people following. As the priests entered the water, suddenlj' the whole bed of the rived was dried up; and they stood still in the river bed, while the peo-ple passed over. Two stone memorials were erected, one in the river bed, and the other at Gilgal. All ofnLeslie’s marks meet in the passage of the Jordan. Joshua said, as he pointed to the monuments of twelve stones, “When your children shall ask their fathers in time to come, wha’t meanoth these stones”? then shall ye let your children know, saying, “Israel came over this Jordan on dry land.” The passage of the river was something that the people's outward senses coulcr judge of. It was performed in broad daylight in the presence of a great army. The memorial stones were set up as a monument of the fact, and at the very time, that they crossed the Jordan on dry land. Was the passage of the Jordan ever called in question by the Jewish people? We have no record that they ever doubted it. The beautiful Detroit river divides Michigan from Canada; Detroit from Windsor. Could you get an intelligent man in Michigan or Canada to believe, that a hundred years ago, the current of this noble river stopped flowing, and that the river bed was dry, so that a large company of Detroit people crossed over on dry land into Canada, and then the water flowed on as before? You know you could not. If a man would make such a claim, the people at once would say, “Where is the record of such an event?” History makes no mention of it; what monuments point to such a crossing? And there is absolutely no testimony of those that had witnessed it. Not so of the passage of the Jordan; the people then believed, because they witnessed it, and Jewish history repeats it, and succeeding generations never called it in question. It is a proof of the divine authenticity of the Bible. So the Lord’s Supper is a proof of the death of the Lord Jesus. Mr. Leslie’s four distinct marks meet in this monumental institution, and as a silent witness'•testify to the facts of the gospel. Although the death of Christ is of such transcendent importance, yet .if the great scheme of human redemption had ended at the cross, the world had forever remained unsaved. Upon what could we build our hope of eternal life, if our Lord had remained in the prison house of the dead ? If he had not broken the power of death, and arose on immortality’s side of the tomb? To this important fact, namely, the resurrection of Jesus, the water bears testimony. It speaks in a monumental and positive institution of the gospel, the ‘'one baptism.” That Christian baptism in its action was intended to represent the burial and resurrection of Christ there can be no reasonable doubt in the mind of a well informed student of the sacred text. Paul wrote to the Christians at Rome these words: ‘‘We were buried therefore with him through baptism unto death; that like as Christ was raised from the dead, through the glory of the Father, so we also might walk in newness of life” (R. 'V.). Again in Colossians 2 tl2, we have this language: ‘‘Buried with him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with him through the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised him from the dead.” 'This monumental feature constitutes to my mind, a stronger argument in favor of immersion as the only Scriptural baptism than even a true definition of bapto, or baptidzo; and those good people who practice sprinkling or pouring for baptism not only destroy its sublime significance, but also silence one of the essential witnesses to the facts of the gospel. That a burial implies a death must be clear to you.

Baptism is called a burial by' the Holy Spirit Then it follows that its subject has died; died to sin' and the old life by faith; buried with Christ in the watery grave, and raised together with him in the same institution to walk in a new life. Thus between! the old life of the believing, obedient, penitent one, and the new life, the Christian life, we have a death, burial, and resurrection. Conybeare and How- son, learned Episcopalians, testify in these words in commenting on Colossians 2:12 : “This passage cannot be understood unless it is borne in mind that the primitive baptism was by immersion,”—and the good Wesley said of Romans 6:4 : “The apostle alludes to the ancient manner of baptizing by immersion.” In the light of this teaching, every time you witness the baptism of a believing penitent, you are reminded of the death, burial and triumphant resurrection of Jesus, and further assured, that although we we go down to death and the grave, we shall rise again to a new and immortal life.

I have now placed before you the testimony of the three witnesses. John said, “He that believeth on the Son hath the witness in himself,” that is in his changed heart and life. That the believer loves Jesus supremely, and earnestly desires to serve him, and please him; he knows in his own consciousness. He would doubt his own existence as soon as doubt this purpose of soul. May I ask you what is it in Jesus, that draws mankind to him with a love that increases as the years go by? What is it, that makes men and women nulling to forsake all, and follow him? Is it his wonderful teaching? “No man ever spake like this man.” Is it the record of his miracle-working power? Is it even his perfect life? There is power in his teaching; and beauty in his life ? But these would fail to draw men, without his unselfish love. Yes, love is the secret of his drawing power—we sing, “Love Lifted Me,” “The Love of Christ Constrains Us,” and “I, If I Be Lifted Up From the Earth, Will Draw All Men Unto Me.” He came to reveal God’s love for mankind. He loved you dear sinner friend; even to giving his life for you. “God commendeth his love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.” Do you believe that Jesus lived and loved? That he loved you? Then I ask you will you not love in return the man who died? Love begets love. “If you love me,” said Jesus, “keep my commandments.” “He that hath my commandments and keepet.h them, he it is that loveth me.” Your obedience is the measure and proof of your love. “Jesus, Oh, how sweet the name; Jesus every day the same; Jesus, let all saints proclaim; The worthy name of Jesus.” Will you confess this name before men, and make Jesus the Lord of your heart? If you will, the dear Savior will confess your name before his Father, and the angels. No better Savior will ever be offered to you. He is God’s last and best gift to a ruined world. Will you accept him and be saved through him? Come and sanctify in your hearts Christ as Lord, by confessing his divine name.