1 John Chapter 5 Pt. 2 Listening To God's Witness About His Son, Jesus Christ.

The Spirit bears witness that Jesus is the Son of God.

1 John 5:6  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. 

The Spirit of God guided John to forcefully defend the deity of Jesus Christ. Jesus was attested to be the Son of God and promised Messiah by water at His baptism. 

John tells us that the Spirit of God came down from heaven upon him, and the voice from heaven said, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. 

Jesus Christ came also by blood. He shed His blood for the sins of the world, and this was in accordance with all that the prophets had written concerning Him. 

John declared that the Spirit witnessed that Jesus Christ came not only by baptism in water but with blood. 

Jesus was baptized in the waters of the Jordan river by John the Baptist. Then, Jesus baptized others in His own name that they might be His followers and disciples. 

Jesus came as God in the flesh, and shed the blood of God, without which the world could not be saved (Acts 20:28). 

The Spirit of God witnessed that Jesus was the Son of God at His baptism. The same Spirit through the prophets witnessed that Messiah should die a cruel, yet a sacrificial death. 

The Spirit of God is here to bear witness, because he is the Spirit of truth.

The witness of the Father, the Son, and the Spirit. 

1 John 5:7-8  For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one. 8)  And there are three that bear witness in earth, the Spirit, and the water, and the blood: and these three agree in one.

The Father, who bears testimony to his Son, who bears testimony to the Father. The Holy Ghost bears testimony to the Father and the Son. 

And these three are one in essence, and agree in the one testimony, that Jesus came to die for, and give life to, the world.

We are inwardly and outwardly defiled. Inwardly, by the power and pollution of sin and our fallen nature. For cleansing from this, we need spiritual water that can reach the soul and transform us. 

The washing of regeneration & renewing of the Holy Ghost.

Titus 3:4-7  But after that the kindness and love of God our Savior toward man appeared, 5)  Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost; 6)  Which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Savior; 7)  That being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life. 

Accordingly, there is in and by Christ Jesus the washing of regeneration and the renewing of the Holy Ghost (See Titus 3:5-6).

The washing of regeneration imparts spiritual life to a heart deadened by sin. The renewing of the Holy Ghost cleanses us from all defilement in our heart. 

The blood of Jesus Christ redeems us from our sins. 

1 Peter 1:18-19  Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers; 19)  But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot: 

We are defiled outwardly, by the guilt and condemning power of our sins. By this we are separated from God, and banished from his presence for ever. 

From this state we must be purged by Christ's atoning blood. It is the court of heaven which determined that without shedding of blood there shall be no remission (See Hebrews 9:22). 

Our Savior from sin therefore must come with atoning blood.

And He did! Jesus shed His precious blood to redeem us. 

The word redeem means “to buy out.” The term was used specifically in reference to the purchase of a slave’s freedom. 

The application of this term to Christ’s death on the cross is quite telling. 

If we are “redeemed,” then our prior condition was one of slavery. God has purchased our freedom, and we are no longer in bondage to sin.

Related to the word "redemption" is the word "ransom." Jesus paid the price for our release from sin and its punishment (See Matthew 20:28; 1 Timothy 2:6). 

Jesus' death was in exchange for our life. The Bible is quite clear that redemption is only possible “through His blood,” that is, by His death (See Ephesians 1:7; Colossians 1:14).

Blood and water flowed from Christ's wounds.

John 19:33-35  But when they came to Jesus, and saw that he was dead already, they brake not his legs: 34)  But one of the soldiers with a spear pierced his side, and forthwith came there out blood and water. 35)  And he that saw it bare record, and his record is true: and he knoweth that he saith true, that ye might believe. 

At the death of Jesus Christ, when His side was pierced by a soldier's spear, water and blood gushed out from His body. John witnessed this and he is the only gospel writer to record this truth. 

What God says about His Son cannot be disputed. 

1 John 5:9  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. 

We routinely receive the testimony of men and women in court room proceedings. God set forth principles to ensure that testimony given in a trial, is truthful and accurate. 

What John has recorded is the testimony that God gave about His Son, Jesus Christ. The testimony of God is perfect, truthful, reliable and unimpeachable. 

Modern man rejects the testimony of God. 

KJV 1 John 5:7  For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one. 

ESV 1 John 5:7  For there are three that testify: 

This text in 1 John 5:7-8 are omitted or called into question by many modern Bibles. 

The ESV, NASB, NIV, and NRSV, along with many others, omit the last 12 words of this verse. 

A man named Origen changed his copy of the scriptures, and removed the words in question, because he rejected the doctrine of the trinity. 

This resulted in 1 John 5:7-8 being attacked by modern scholars, as being added to the verse in later years.

There is a large number of manuscripts that omit the words. Most of those were copies of manuscripts that were corrupted by Origen.

However, 1 John 5:7-8 is found in several older foreign translations of the original Greek, and they include the disputed words.  

The rejected words are also found in many first century church lectionaries. Lectionaries were used in churches for readings for church services. 

There is a solid number of manuscripts containing the omitted words. In addition, the words are contained in several foreign language translations, that are older than any manuscripts which reject the words.

Many church fathers who quoted from 1 John 5, quoted the words that have been omitted in many modern Bibles.  

1 John 5:10-12  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. 11  And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. 12  He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life.  

This is God’s witness to a truth, the most important and vital truth for all mankind to understand. 

God witnessed that whosoever believes on his Son shall be saved, and have everlasting life. They shall have the witness of salvation in themselves, with the Spirit bearing witness that he is a child of God. 

Thoughts to Ponder...

To know this eternal truth, and to know our sins are forgiven, and to have the testimony of this in our heart from the Holy Spirit himself, is the privilege of every true believer in Christ.

This is the great truth to which the Spirit, the water, and the blood bear testimony. God hath given us eternal life, a right to endless glory, and the righteousness required. 

And this life is in his Son; it comes by and through him; he is the author and the purchaser; it is only in and through Him.

Bob