The Real Gospel

A Rolex watch for $19.99? Not likely. An offer too good to be true is just too good to be true.

We live in a world of fakes, frauds and knock-offs, don't we?

Little wonder these days that our holy faith too suffers from fakes and frauds, sometimes “as seen on TV”! The conflict between true and false religion runs throughout the Bible from Cain and Abel at the start, to Christ and Antichrist at the end.

The apostle John warns us of this danger in his First Epistle (2:18-19; 4:1-3; 5:18-21). And in 1 John 5:5-13, he sets forth “the real Gospel” which is ours to have and hold forth to a lost world.

The Record puts it down (v. 11-13). Our real need as fallen sinners, who “abide in death” as “children of the devil” (3:10, 14) is for “eternal life.” (v. 11) God has freely, graciously “given us eternal life” we were helpless and undeserving to win, “and this life is in His Son.” “He was manifested to take away our sin, and in Him is no sin.” (3:5) By simple, personal faith, “he that hath the Son hath life”(v. 12), receiving and believing the love of God which sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins, the Saviour of the world (4:10, 14-16). We have direct access to know and trust Christ Jesus through what His apostles and prophets have “written, that ye may believe… that ye may know.” (v. 13; 1:1-4). “This is the message…. The Blood of Jesus Christ, God's Son, cleanseth us from all sin” (1:5-7).

The witness backs it up (v. 5-8). Two strands of witness prove the reality of the real Gospel. The eternal witness of the Triune God stands behind it (v. 7; Eph. 1:3-14). “The Father, the Word and the Holy Ghost” who “are one” bear witness “in heaven” in the plan (1 Pe. 1:2-3) the provision (Luke 3:2-6, 21-22) the purchase (Heb. 9:14) and the partaking (1 Th. 2:13) of salvation. The historic witness of the Saviour's life, death and resurrection rests beneath it (v. 5-6, 8) The “water” speaks to His incarnate life and ministry (cf. Mt. 3:17; Jn. 2:1-11, 4:1-42, 5, 7, 9; Mk. 4:25-41, 6:45-52); the “blood” of His vicarious suffering and death (Lk 2:21, Rom. 15:8-9, Gal. 4:4; 22: 19-20, 39-46; Mk. 15: 15-20; Jn. 19:1; Mt. 27:33-52); the “Spirit” of His Messianic anointing without measure (Lk. 1:26-38; Mt. 3:17; Jn. 3:34; Mk. 3:22-30; Lk. 4:1-32; Acts 10:38; Heb. 9:14; Rom. 1:3-4; Acts 2:32-36; Jn. 16:7-14). This witness centers upon Christ crucified at Calvary (Jn. 19:31-37). Heaven and earth bear witness to Christ.

Have you got the record? Have you received the witness? The witness of God is now before you. You may believe the record God has given of His Son now (v. 10, 13) from the pages of the open Bible. You may receive in your own heart the witness of “the water, the blood and the Spirit” on earth certified by the witness of the “Father, the Word and the Holy Ghost” in heaven, as you believe on the Son of God and have eternal life (v. 9, 13). This is the real Gospel -

I am coming, Lord! coming now to Thee!
Wash me, cleanse me in the Blood, that flowed on Calvary!