3 Witnesses—Earth, 3of3

~ A Trinity On Earth—The Blood ~

There are three Witnesses on Earth (a second “Trinity” in this passage—the first being the Trinity in Heaven—see 1 John 5:6-13).

The Scripture  ~  “Who is he who overcomes the world, but he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?  This is He who came by water and blood—Jesus Christ; not only by water, but by water and blood.  And it is the Spirit who bears witness, because the Spirit is truth.  For there are three that bear witness in heaven: the Father, the Word, and the Holy Spirit; and these three are one.  And there are three that bear witness on earth: the Spirit, the water, and the blood; and these three agree as one” (1 John 5:5-8).

The Third Witness On Earth Is The Blood  ~  “And according to the law almost all things are purified with blood, and without shedding of blood there is no remission” (Hebrews 9:22).  Without the shedding of innocent blood there is no atonement or salvation.  We know that in the New Covenant the blood of Jesus Christ—the only sinless perfect life—there can be no permanent forgiveness of sin. 

This aspect of salvation has to do with the expiation / propitiation aspects of salvation.  It relates to the judicial aspect of salvation where God The Father can accept the death of an innocent One as payment for our sin.  The washing with water related to the man-ward side of salvation and the blood relates to the Godward side of salvation. 

additional comment  ~  We see the water and the blood at the Cross of Calvary.  “Therefore, because it was the Preparation Day, that the bodies should not remain on the cross on the Sabbath (for that Sabbath was a high day), the Jews asked Pilate that their legs might be broken, and that they might be taken away.  Then the soldiers came and broke the legs of the first and of the other who was crucified with Him.  But when they came to Jesus and saw that He was already dead, they did not break His legs.  But one of the soldiers pierced His side with a spear, and immediately blood and water came out.  And he who has seen has testified, and his testimony is true; and he knows that he is telling the truth, so that you may believe.  For these things were done that the Scripture should be fulfilled, ‘Not one of His bones shall be broken.’  And again another Scripture says, ‘They shall look on Him whom they pierced’” (John 19:31-37).

concluding thought  ~  In the first trinity presented by the Apostle John in this chapter we find the God head—all three members of the trinity in heaven.  In this second trinity John presents a trinity on earth which includes the Spirit of God, the Word of God, and Jesus Christ’s blood shed on the Cross of Calvary. 

Notice that God, The Father, never came to earth directly.  He sent His Word, His Son Jesus Christ, and the Spirit of God to earth.  In the First Covenant God’s Spirit was poured out on individuals at various times.  Later Jesus Christ came to earth by water and by blood.  Since that time the Spirit of God has been on earth dwelling in believers and exercising a restraining force on evil.  These three witnesses are united in testimony—a trinity affirming the same truths.

additional comment  ~  You may also be interested in two related topics:

The three part ALN post about the “3 Witnesses—Heaven” (October 27-28-29, 2015).

The three part ALN post “3 Tests” of 1 John (see January 20-21-22, 2015).

~ Robert Lloyd Russell, ABUNDANT LIFE NOW

NOTES:

(1)     The current TOP 10 ALN posts are listed at the very bottom of this home page.

(2)     There is an INDEX of all ALN posts accessed by scrolling down the left column.

(3)     You may LINK to any ALN posts on your own blog or website. 

(4)     You may COPY any ALN post, but please credit ALN as the source by prominently displaying the following statement:  Reprinted from “Abundant Life Now,” a free blog which offers inspiring moments, thought-provoking comments, and solid Biblical insight at http://RobertLloydRussell.blogspot.com/ .

3 Witnesses—Earth, 2of3

~ A Trinity On Earth—The Water ~

There are three Witnesses on Earth (a second “Trinity” in this passage—the first being the Trinity in Heaven—see 1 John 5:6-13).

The Scripture  ~  “Who is he who overcomes the world, but he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?  This is He who came by water and blood—Jesus Christ; not only by water, but by water and blood.  And it is the Spirit who bears witness, because the Spirit is truth.  For there are three that bear witness in heaven: the Father, the Word, and the Holy Spirit; and these three are one.  And there are three that bear witness on earth: the Spirit, the water, and the blood; and these three agree as one” (1 John 5:5-8).

introductory comment  ~  There have been more than half a dozen reasonable interpretations of what the water is in this passage.  What is presented below in my opinion represents the best of the interpretations when the context of 1 John and the whole of Scripture is kept in the forefront. 

The Second Witness On Earth Is The Water  ~  Water has to do with the cleansing aspect of salvation, the morality aspect and the man-ward side of Christian life and our salvation.  The Psalmist understood the cleansing power of the Word of God.  “Your Word I have hidden in my heart, that I might not sin against You” (Psalm 119:11). 

Remember Jesus’ words to the Samaritan woman, “Jesus answered and said to her, ‘Whoever drinks of this water will thirst again, but whoever drinks of the water that I shall give him will never thirst.  But the water that I shall give him will become in him a fountain of water springing up into everlasting life’” (John 4:13-14).  The Word of God washes and cleanses us.  “Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for her, that He might sanctify and cleanse her with the washing of water by the Word, that He might present her to Himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that she should be holy and without blemish” (Ephesians 5:25-27). 

It is an inward washing that occurs by the Word of God.  “Peter said to Jesus, ‘You shall never wash my feet!’  Jesus answered him, ‘If I do not wash you, you have no part with Me.’  Simon Peter said to Him, ‘Lord, not my feet only, but also my hands and my head!’  Jesus said to him, ‘He who is bathed needs only to wash his feet, but is completely clean; and you are clean, but not all of you [not everyone in the group He was talking to].’  For He knew who would betray Him; therefore He said, ‘You are not all clean.’ (John 13:8-11).

the bottom line  ~  The Spirit of God uses the Word of God to open the tap of the Water of Life to those who accept salvation through Jesus Christ. 

additional comment  ~  You may also be interested in two related topics:

The three part ALN post about the “3 Witnesses—Heaven” (October 27-28-29, 2015).

The three part ALN post “3 Tests” of 1 John (see January 20-21-22, 2015).

~ Robert Lloyd Russell, ABUNDANT LIFE NOW

NOTES:

(1)     The current TOP 10 ALN posts are listed at the very bottom of this home page.

(2)     There is an INDEX of all ALN posts accessed by scrolling down the left column.

(3)     You may LINK to any ALN posts on your own blog or website. 

(4)     You may COPY any ALN post, but please credit ALN as the source by prominently displaying the following statement:  Reprinted from “Abundant Life Now,” a free blog which offers inspiring moments, thought-provoking comments, and solid Biblical insight at http://RobertLloydRussell.blogspot.com/ .

3 Witnesses—Earth, 1of3

~ A Trinity On Earth—The Holy Spirit ~

There are three Witnesses on Earth (a second “Trinity” in this passage—the first being the Trinity in Heaven—see 1 John 5:6-13).

The Scripture  ~  “Who is he who overcomes the world, but he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?  This is He who came by water and blood—Jesus Christ; not only by water, but by water and blood.  And it is the Spirit who bears witness, because the Spirit is truth.  For there are three that bear witness in heaven: the Father, the Word, and the Holy Spirit; and these three are one.  And there are three that bear witness on earth: the Spirit, the water, and the blood; and these three agree as one” (1 John 5:5-8).

The First Witness On Earth Is The Holy Spirit  ~  God, The Father, uses the Word of God and the Spirit of God as teacher communicating the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ.  The Spirit of God’s ongoing and invisible role is primarily that of communicating and comforting God’s people on earth.  A very significant aspect of His role is that of a deposit or guarantee of our salvation through Jesus Christ.  The Holy Spirit is also a restraining force against evil—when the saints of God and the Spirit of God are removed from this present earth evil will be unchecked.

The Spirit as Our Teacher  ~  Jesus also said, “But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you” (John 14:26).  Jesus also said, “But when the Helper comes, whom I shall send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth who proceeds from the Father, He will testify of Me” (John 15:26).

   

The Spirit as Communicator  ~  Jesus said, “Nevertheless I tell you the truth.  It is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you; but if I depart, I will send Him to you.  And when He has come, He will convict the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment: of sin, because they do not believe in Me; of righteousness, because I go to My Father and you see Me no more; of judgment, because the ruler of this world is judged” (John 16:7-11).

The Spirit as Our Comforter  ~  Jesus Christ said, “If you love Me, keep My commandments.  And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper [Comforter, Counselor], that He may abide with you forever—the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; but you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you.  I will not leave you orphans; I will come to you” (John 14:15-18). 

The Spirit as Our Guarantee  ~  “Now He who establishes us with you in Christ and has anointed us is God, who also has sealed us and given us the Spirit in our hearts as a guarantee” (2 Corinthians 1:21-22).  “Now He who has prepared us for this very thing is God, who also has given us the Spirit as a guarantee” (2 Corinthians 5:5).  In Him you also trusted, after you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation; in whom also, having believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, to the praise of His glory” (Ephesians 1:13-14). 

You may also be interested in two related topics:

The three part ALN post about the “3 Witnesses—Heaven” (October 27-28-29, 2015).

The three part ALN post “3 Tests” of 1 John (see January 20-21-22, 2015).

~ Robert Lloyd Russell, ABUNDANT LIFE NOW

NOTES:

(1)     The current TOP 10 ALN posts are listed at the very bottom of this home page.

(2)     There is an INDEX of all ALN posts accessed by scrolling down the left column.

(3)     You may LINK to any ALN posts on your own blog or website. 

(4)     You may COPY any ALN post, but please credit ALN as the source by prominently displaying the following statement:  Reprinted from “Abundant Life Now,” a free blog which offers inspiring moments, thought-provoking comments, and solid Biblical insight at http://RobertLloydRussell.blogspot.com/ .