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More I John commentaries

I John 2:1-6
Tests of true knowledge

I John 2:7-11
God’s people are to love one another

I John 2:12-14
Three categories of believers

I John 2:15-17
Worldliness is a matter of the heart

I John 2:18-22
The opponent of Christ

I John 2:23-25
Jesus and God are one

I John 2:26-29
Twisting the Scriptures

I John 3:1-3
A clear description of God’s Children

I John 3:4-8
Reasons why Jesus died on the cross

I John 3:9-12
I have two dogs living in me

I John 3:13-15
Don’t be surprised if the world hates you

I John 3:16-18
Love is an action, not a feeling

I John 3:19-24
Doctrine and love are both needed

I John 4:1-3
Don’t believe everything you hear

I John 4:4-6
Sure tests for true teaching

I John 4:7-12
Love is an action

I John 4:13-16
The relationship of belief to love

I John 4:17-21
Pretending is not a mark of maturity

I John 5:1-5
What must I do to be saved?

I John 5:6-12
Proof that Jesus is God

I John 5:13-17
Instrument for getting God’s will done on earth

I John 5:18-21
Given over to the worship of Idols

Proof that Jesus is God

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I John 5:6–12
» View this passage in NIV (Bible Gateway)

People often say, “I wish I could have faith!” But everybody lives by faith! All day long, people trust one another. They trust the doctor and the pharmacist; they trust the cook in the restaurant; they even trust the fellow driving in the other lane on the highway. If … More

Trust

A person who trusts Christ is born of God and is able to overcome the world (v. 6). It appears that the term “water” is a reference to the baptism of Jesus by which His public ministry was initiated (Matt. 3:13-17). “Blood” refers to His death, by which His earthly work was terminated. John’s insistence that Jesus did not come by water only, but by water and the blood, suggests that He was refuting a false teaching by some that Jesus was “the Christ” only between His baptism and His death. Meaning that He was merely human until he was baptized and then he became human again before His death on the cross. They had even called Him a liar and a deceiver (Matt. 27:63) and suggested He was a religious fanatic, a madman, or perhaps a Jewish patriot who was sincere but sadly mistaken.

John refutes this false teaching and presents three witnesses to prove that Jesus is God: (vv. 7-10)

  1. First Witness - The water (v. 8). This refers to His baptism in the Jordan river, when the Father spoke from heaven and said, “This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased (Matt. 3:13-17).
  2. Second Witness - The blood (v. 8). When Jesus was on the cross the Father spoke audibly to Him from heaven, and said, “I have both glorified (My name), and will glorify it again.”
  3. Third Witness - The spirit (v. 8). The Holy Spirit is the only person active on earth today who was  present when Christ was ministering here. “The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are the children of God (Rom. 8:15). If we don’t have the Son we don’t have life (vv. 9-12).

Application

Only God could take away the punishment that I deserve for my sin and I’m so thankful to Him.

I John 5:6-12 (English Standard Version)

This is he who came by water and blood--Jesus Christ; not by the water only but by the water and the blood. And the Spirit is the one who testifies, because the Spirit is the truth. For there are three that testify: the Spirit and the water and the blood; and these three agree. If we receive the testimony of men, the testimony of God is greater, for this is the testimony of God that he has borne concerning his Son. Whoever believes in the Son of God has the testimony in himself. Whoever does not believe God has made him a liar, because he has not believed in the testimony that God has borne concerning his Son. And this is the testimony, that God gave us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life.

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