"There are three that bear record in heaven." Bear record of what? That Jesus is the Son of God? No. Heaven needs no evidence of that! These three bear record in heaven that God has given us eternal life, in strict accordance with his just and righteous law, by the merits of Christ's obedience and death as our Substitute. The three Persons of the Holy Trinity bear record in heaven that Christ has accomplished redemption for God's elect by his blood atonement. "There are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one."
1. GOD THE FATHER BEARS RECORD THAT REDEMPTION IS ACCOMPLISHED BY HIS ACCEPTANCE OF CHRIST AS OUR REPRESENTATIVE AND SURETY (Heb. 1:1-9; 6:19-20; 10:11-14). When the Father raised Christ from the dead and received him back into heaven as our Mediator, he accepted all his elect in Christ and bare record that redemption's work was done (Eph. 1:6; John 17:1-5).
2. GOD THE SON, THE LIVING, ETERNAL WORD OF GOD, THE SECOND PERSON OF THE BLESSED TRINITY, BEARS RECORD OF HIS PEOPLE'S RIGHT TO ETERNAL LIFE BY HIS PERPETUAL ADVOCACY AND INTERCESSION AT THE FATHER'S RIGHT HAND (Rom. 8:34; 1 John 2:1-2; Heb. 7:24-25; Heb. 6:20). The record he bears, which secures the eternal salvation of God's elect, by which we merit heaven and eternal life, is twofold: his righteousness as our Representative and his satisfaction as our Substitute.
3. GOD THE HOLY SPIRIT, THE THIRD PERSON OF THE HOLY TRINITY, BEARS RECORD OF THE ACCOMPLISHMENT OF REDEMPTION, BY EFFECTUALLY APPLYING THE BLOOD OF CHRIST TO THE HEARTS OF GOD'S ELECT IN EFFECTUAL CALLING (John 16:14; Heb. 9:13-14). The Spirit of God takes the merit of Christ's blood and righteousness and reveals to God's elect their acceptance with God by the gospel. In effectual calling chosen, redeemed sinners hear the gospel. But they hear more than the bare word of the gospel. They hear the Spirit of God speak in their hearts! Each one hears God speak pardon to his own soul by the gospel of his salvation (Eph. 1:13). "AND THESE THREE ARE ONE." The three Divine Persons are one God. But more, the record of the Father, the record of the Son, and the record of the Spirit are one. What is that record? REDEMPTION IS ACCOMPLISHED BY CHRIST ALONE!