1 John 5:6-12
6 This is he that came by water and blood, even Jesus Christ; not by water only, but by water and blood. And it is the Spirit that beareth witness, because the Spirit is truth.
Now there are two understandings of this first section of verse 6, when it talks about Jesus coming by water and blood. The first is that it is speaking about Jesus from His baptism to his crucifixion. So it is taking into account Jesus within what would be considered His ministry years.
The second understanding of this would be that it is only talking about his crucifixion and specifically when His side was pierced to insure that he was dead.
Why the second comes into play is that if you remember a little ways back when we discussed that at this time there were false believers in Christ who thought that Jesus was only Spirit and was not man in the flesh at all. Understanding this then the fact that when His side was pierced and both water and blood came out it indicated that He was not only Spirit but was as well man in the flesh.
The second part of verse six indicates that the Spirit Himself bares witness to this fact about Jesus, because it says the Spirit is truth.
See if it is truly the Spirit then only truth can come from the Spirit because the Spirit is as well God and God has no attribute that would allow Him to lie.
7 For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one.
If you wanted a verse to show people the truth of the Trinity I would say you are not going to get a better one than this. But we know that if you are well read in the scriptures it is plain to see throughout that there is in fact a Trinity and there is no mistaking it, it is clear.
8 And there are three that bear witness in earth, the Spirit, and the water, and the blood: and these three agree in one.
In heaven it is Father, Son and Holy Spirit. On earth it is Holy Spirit and the water and the blood. So we need to again reflect on what we discussed in verse six about what the “water and blood” means.
Honestly I think either makes sense and both are a reference to the same person and that is Jesus. So on earth those who bear witness are the Holy Spirit and Jesus.
9 If we receive the witness of men, the witness of God is greater: for this is the witness of God which he hath testified of his Son.
The testimony of the disciples and apostles about Jesus is extremely important but that is the witnesses of men.
The unbeliever looks at only man for truth because rarely is truth revealed to unbelievers by God, we see it on occasion but again rarely.
But to us who are saved we see it clearly, or we should. It has been reveled to every believer who Jesus is, so again we should see it clearly.
To not see it clearly is a cause of great concern if you say you are a believer in Christ.
10 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.
Why do we as believers have this faith in Jesus? The witness or the Holy Spirit is in us it says in the beginning of verse ten, and we already read that the Spirit is not a liar and cannot lie but is only truth.
The question is when do we know it is truly the Spirit assuring us? We know it is truly the Spirit when it is in harmony with the scriptures. That's why it is vital to know scripture.
The second part of verse ten says that anyone who does not believe in Jesus is saying that God is a liar. I can tell you this, God does not like to be called a liar.
11 And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son.
The record states salvation only comes by faith in Jesus and that faith is a gift of God.
Ephesians 2:8 ~ For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God
Can you believe in Jesus without faith? Can we have faith in Jesus with the Spirit in us intensifying that Jesus is true?
12 He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life.
There is only one way given for eternal life and that is Christ!
