Read 1 John 5 here (text coming …) or at Bible Gateway.
1 John 5:1-21 expanded chiastic structure pdf.
Let’s go over some difficult Scriptures today.
This is the One having come through water and blood, Jesus Christ—not in the water only, but in the water and the blood; and the Spirit is the One bearing witness, because the Spirit is the truth. 1 Joh 5:6
Some false teachers, which arose after Paul, but while John was still living and shepherding the Church, claimed that Messiah became divine only at His baptism (water), but the Spirit which then came upon Him, left Him before His death (blood), thus denying that Yeshua was fully human and fully divine in one Person. John refutes the heresy by the witness that Messiah’s ministry came through both water and blood, the beginning and end of His earthly ministry in His first advent.
For three are the Ones bearing witness in the heaven: the Father, the Word, and the Holy Spirit; and these three are one. And three are the ones bearing witness in the earth: the Spirit, and the water, and the blood; and the three agree as one. 1 Joh 5:7-8
There has been a long-standing debate in the Church about whether 1 John 5:7-8, as found in the Textus Receptus (the Greek text I use to translate the Scripture) are part of the original letter written by John. These verses, which mention “the Father, the Word, and the Holy Spirit” bearing witness in heaven, are not found in the earliest copies of 1 John. Many scholars believe they were added later, possibly to emphasize the trinity, though the trinity was already taught in Torah and throughout the Hebrew Bible. If an addition, the text for 7 and 8 as it appears in early manuscripts, would simply read:
For three are the ones bearing witness: the Spirit, and the water, and the blood; and the three agree as one. 1 Joh 5:7-8
As for me, I am not in the “textual criticism” camp, seeking errors in the Word of God, and constantly needing to “fix” it. Additions to the Word of God are prohibited, and so are deletions of legitimate text. Continuing on,
If anyone sees his brother committing a sin not leading to death, he should pray, and He will give him life—that is, to those committing sins not leading to death. There is a sin that leads to death; I do not say that he should pray about that. All unrighteousness is sin, and there is a sin not leading to death. 1 Joh 5:16-17
What sins do not lead to death, and what sin does lead to death? I believe the sin leading to death refers to a persistent, unrepentant rejection of Yeshua as Savior until physical death, which then leads to spiritual death. And I believe that the rejection must be based on full knowledge with malice, not on a sincerely held but misguided belief because of lies by authorities, snares set by the enemy, or unhealed trauma.
I believe this rejection is the same as the unpardonable sin which Yeshua warned of in Mat 12:31-32, “blasphemy against the Holy Spirit.” How does rejecting Yeshua as Savior equate to blasphemy against the Holy Spirit? The Spirit’s work in this world is to bear witness of Yeshua. Signs of power confirm the word of truth.
“But when the Helper comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth, who proceeds from the Father, He will bear witness about Me.” Joh 15:26
“And when He [the Holy Spirit] comes, He will convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment: concerning sin, because they do not believe in Me.” Joh 16:8-9
“He [the Holy Spirit] will glorify Me, for He will take what is Mine and declare it to you.” Joh 16:14
JOHN’S EPISTLES INDEX OF STUDIES | BIBLE FOR BEGINNERS ARCHIVE
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