QT 2/7/2025 1 John 5:6-12, We need rebirth in the blood

1 John 5:6–12 (ESV) —

6 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. 7 For there are three that testify: 8 the Spirit and the water and the blood; and these three agree. 9 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. 10 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. 11 And this is the testimony, that God gave us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. 12 Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life.

 

NOTE: As Akin relates, this was a passage ("the water and blood") that was clear to the readers, but is not so clear to us today. The best explanation is that Jesus's birth was by water, fully human, and the blood, his death on the cross, shows his existence was also as the son of God, for only God could die for the sins of the whole world and then rise again. Additionally, his death was known from the very beginning when the angels pronounced that he would save his people from their sins. This explanation would also be helpful in refuting false teachers who felt Jesus was only human and fell into the role as Messiah. Jesus always knew the cross was his destiny. His mission was much bigger than living a godly life by example. He was actually perfect (sinless) which ought to dismiss any ideas of "only human." At the baptism, the Holy Spirit descended upon him as a witness and God the Father spoke. The two, in keeping with Jewish tradition, gave him his rabbinic authority (although by virtue of being God, he did not require the testimony of two other authorities). The Spirit did not make him God, only identified him as the son of God.

 

The last two verses contain a very important promise. If you have the Son, you have life, eternal life. Some believe you can lose eternal life, but then it would not be eternal if you could lose it. When you believe, you are sealed by the Holy Spirit as a guarantee of your eternal life.

 

Ephesians 1:13–14 (ESV) — 13 In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, 14 who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of his glory.

 

What good is a guarantee if you can't keep it?

 

PONDER:

1. Have I believed in the name of Jesus, the only son of God?
2. Do I falsely believe Jesus was only a man or a good teacher?

 

PRAYER: Father, thank you again for my salvation and for the assurance you have given me of eternal life. I pray for a new great awakening in this country where people would return to you as Lord and savior, and shed the evil that has overtaken us.