“He that believeth on the Son of God hath the witness in himself: he that believeth not God hath made him a liar; because he believeth not the record that God gave of his Son” (1 John 5.10).

God the Father declared audibly from heaven that Jesus of Nazareth was his divine Son: “This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.” He gave his personal testimony as to the identity and nature of our Lord. A man who believes this testimony does so, not at happenstance, but because of a testimony that exists “in himself.” It is an internal witness that agrees with the external witness. The external witness might be the preached gospel, the Bible, or even the audible voice of God mentioned above; but in any case what is declared externally finds an agreement and communion with what is declared internally.

If a man, for whatever reason, refuses to believe that external testimony, then he has rejected the witness of God. He has placed himself squarely in opposition to the record that God gave of his own darling Son. In other words, he has made God out to be a liar, whether he realizes that fact or not. Obviously, this is a very serious matter. If a child of God should be in such a confused and rebellious state that he places himself in opposition to God (in this or any other matter), he may expect the chastening rod and the absence of the joy and comfort that he might have had in believing. If the person who does not believe does not do so because he is not born of the Spirit, then he evidences the enmity against God that exists in his heart.

What is abundantly clear from this verse is that IF a man believes, he does so because of “the witness in himself.” Brother Paul called it “Christ in you, the hope of glory.” If a man feels a hope or expectation of heaven, then it is because the Spirit of Christ dwells in him. Without this indwelling, it is certain that he never would have nor could have believed.