God’s Testimony About His Son

1 John 5:6-13

OutlineA. The Water And The Blood

What is the “water”?What is the “blood”?

B. The Spirit’s WitnessC. A Disputed PassageD. Three AgreeE. God’s WitnessF. Life In the Son

The Water And The BloodFour Views are suggested for the meaning of this

phrase.1. Baptism and The Lord’s Supper2. The spear wound produced water and blood3. The natural birth process4. “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”

New American Commentary

What is the “water”?Christ’s earthly ministry began with John’s

baptism.Christ did not need to repentThis was a symbol where God announced His

Son’s identity

John 1:32-3432 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

crucifixionHis shed blood was the atoning sacrifice

The Spirit’s WitnessJesus is fully God and fully manHe was born the God/man and He died the

God/manHe lives today the God/manThis is the truth as delivered by the Spirit of

God

John 14:16-1716 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 16:1313 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 15:26But 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 Passage1 John 5:7-8Sometimes called the Johannine CommaSometime in the 14th. 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 TrinityWe should be careful about adding anything

to Scripture. (Revelation 22:18)

The Triune GodWell established in ScriptureProbably 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 AgreeThe witness of the Holy Spirit,The witness of John’s BaptismThe witness of the cross of Christ

God’s Witness Vs. 9-11Two or three witnesses are required to

establish factWe take man’s witnessGod’s witness is GREATERAnyone 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 plainDo 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