1 John 5:6-13

Outline A. The Water And The Blood What is the “water”? What is the “blood”? B. The Spirit’s Witness C. A Disputed Passage D. Three Agree E. God’s Witness F. Life In the Son

The Water And The Blood Four Views are suggested for the meaning of this phrase. 1. Baptism and The Lord’s Supper 2. The spear wound produced water and blood 3. The natural birth process 4. “The “water and blood” refer to the terminal points in Jesus’ earthly ministry: his baptism (water) 190 and his crucifixion (blood). This is the best interpretation and is followed by most scholars. Historically, Jesus “came” into his power by the “water” of his baptism and even more so by the “blood” of his cross” 190 New American Commentary

What is the “water”? Christ’s earthly ministry began with John’s baptism. Christ did not need to repent This was a symbol where God announced His Son’s identity

John 1: And John bore witness: “I saw the Spirit descend from heaven like a dove, and it remained on him. 33 I myself did not know him, but he who sent me to baptize with water said to me, ‘He on whom you see the Spirit descend and remain, this is he who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.’ 34 And I have seen and have borne witness that this is the Son of God.”

What is the “blood”? Christ’s earthly ministry culminated in His crucifixion His shed blood was the atoning sacrifice

The Spirit’s Witness Jesus is fully God and fully man He was born the God/man and He died the God/man He lives today the God/man This is the truth as delivered by the Spirit of God

John 14: And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever, 17 even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, for he dwells with you and will be in you.

John 16:13 13 When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth, for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come.

John 15:26 But when the Helper comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth, who proceeds from the Father, he will bear witness about me.

A Disputed Passage 1 John 5:7-8 Sometimes called the Johannine Comma Sometime in the 14 th. century a phrase was added “there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one.” Some suggest it was to emphasize the Trinity We should be careful about adding anything to Scripture. (Revelation 22:18)

The Triune God Well established in Scripture Probably do not need the added words in 1 John 5 “This is not a question of the inspiration of the text but of the transmission of the text.” Daniel L. Akin

Three Agree The witness of the Holy Spirit, The witness of John’s Baptism The witness of the cross of Christ

God’s Witness Vs Two or three witnesses are required to establish fact We take man’s witness God’s witness is GREATER Anyone who refuses to accept God’s witness is calling God a liar!!!!!!!!!! “And this is the testimony, that God gave us eternal life, and this life is in his Son.”

“There is no room for ignorance or misconception. To reject the witness is to deny the truthfulness of God. He has spoken and acted deliberately, and with absolute clearness. The testimony has been borne. The things were not done in a corner. The witness must therefore either be accepted or rejected. It cannot be ignored or explained away.” Brooke, Johannine Epistles, p. 139

Life In the Son Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life. It can’t be any more plain Do you have the Son? Jesus said “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father but by me.” John 14:6