Verse: 1 John 5: 6-8
This is the one who came by water and blood – Jesus Christ. He did not come by water only, but by water and blood. And it is the Spirit who testifies, because the Spirit is the truth. 7 For there are three that testify: 8 the Spirit, the water and the blood; and the three are in agreement.
Devotion
After reading the three verses above, you may wonder what the apostle John is talking about. In this short book, John is countering the current heresy of his time called Gnosticism, which contends that the Messiah (the Son of God) came upon the human Jesus during his baptism and left just before he was crucified. The Gnostics believed that the Spirit of God was perfect and could not mingle with imperfect man.
The early Christians believed as we do today that Jesus was fully God and fully man throughout all his life from his birth to his death on the cross. John is confirming that by saying that Jesus came by water and blood. He was fully God and sinless when he was baptized in water to show that, while sinless, he identifies completely with us individually and corporately as sinful humanity. The blood testifies that Jesus, as man and as God, was on the cross giving up his blood for us. If Jesus as God was not on the cross, then the sins of the world, including yours and mine, were not paid for.
The Spirit also bears witness to the true person of Jesus. Jesus said in John 15:26 and 16:14 “He will testify of Me … He will glorify Me, for He will take of what is Mine and declare it to you.” So there are three that testify about Jesus being God: the Spirit, the water and the blood.
What does this mean for us today. We are living in a culture that often tries to water down the truth about Jesus. Some say that Jesus was just a good man, a prophet, but not God at all. But those that lived with Him, like Peter in Matt 16:16, said, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” Some trivialize the cross in pop culture or say it is just an allegory. But an allegory doesn’t save us. Instead of turning to Jesus and His death on the cross to save us from our sins, many turn to self-help books or embrace a philosophy that we are all pretty good and we can handle any shortcomings ourselves.
These are just other ways of denying Jesus as the only real way for us to find forgiveness, love, peace, and joy in today’s world. Don’t be confused by the “Gnostics” of today. Don’t be swayed by their narratives. Stay on the narrow path and add your testimony that Jesus is the one true Christ.
Prayer
Jesus, help us to stay close to you and to listen to your word. Reveal by your Spirit the false teachings around us. Build our faith so that we can live a life centered on you. We want to pour out your love to all that are in need of a touch from you.
Author: Brad Dunn
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