BY WATER AND BLOOD
1 John 5:1 ¶ Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ is born of God: and every one that loveth him that begat loveth him also that is begotten of him. 2 By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God, and keep his commandments. 3 For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous. 4 For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith. 5 Who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God?
1 John 5:6 ¶ This is he that came by water and blood, even Jesus Christ; not by water only, but by water and blood. And it is the Spirit that beareth witness, because the Spirit is truth. 7 For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one. 8 And there are three that bear witness in earth, the Spirit, and the water, and the blood: and these three agree in one. 9 If we receive the witness of men, the witness of God is greater: for this is the witness of God which he hath testified of his Son.
10 ¶ He that believeth on the Son of God hath the witness in himself: he that believeth not God hath made him a liar; because he believeth not the record that God gave of his Son. 11 And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. 12 He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life. 13 These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God.
This writer is the Apostle John. He is the one called the disciple whom Jesus loved. (John 20:2, 21:7) He is also the one whom the Lord chose, while dying on the cross, to replace him as Mary’s son. He was the only remaining apostle who stayed with the Lord until the very end. John 19:25 Now there stood by the cross of Jesus his mother, and his mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Cleophas, and Mary Magdalene. 26 When Jesus therefore saw his mother, and the disciple standing by, whom he loved, he saith unto his mother, Woman, behold thy son!
And the Lord Jesus appeared to the Apostle John as he was exiled to the Isle of Patmos and gave him the Revelation of Jesus Christ. Revelation 1:1 The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave unto him, to shew unto his servants things which must shortly come to pass; and he sent and signified it by his angel unto his servant John: 9 I John, who also am your brother, and companion in tribulation, and in the kingdom and patience of Jesus Christ, was in the isle that is called Patmos, for the word of God, and for the testimony of Jesus Christ.
And in the passage listed above in 1 John five, we have a reference to an event that John was the only apostle to see, and therefore who writes a most precious and beneficial lesson to the church concerning the Lord’s full love and complete salvation! Let us carefully consider this matter for our edification.
The Lord Jesus, in speaking to the religious leader, Nicodemus, as recorded in John chapter three, speaks of being born of water and blood. And he expected such a highly educated religious leader to know of this matter! John 3:5 Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. 10 Jesus answered and said unto him, Art thou a master of Israel, and knowest not these things?
For these matters were spoken of by the prophets of God unto Israel. Ezekiel 36:25 Then will I sprinkle clean water upon you, and ye shall be clean: from all your filthiness, and from all your idols, will I cleanse you. 26 A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh.
Isaiah 52:13 Behold, my servant shall deal prudently, he shall be exalted and extolled, and be very high. 14 As many were astonied at thee; his visage was so marred more than any man, and his form more than the sons of men: 15 So shall he sprinkle many nations; the kings shall shut their mouths at him: for that which had not been told them shall they see; and that which they had not heard shall they consider.
The creation of the heavens and earth were ‘conceived’ in water. Genesis 1:1 In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth. 2 And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters. And so is every newly conceived human being! For birth takes place soon after the mother’s water breaks.
The Apostle Paul writes of the usage of literal water as a type of the Holy Spirit’s cleansing. Hebrews 9:19 For when Moses had spoken every precept to all the people according to the law, he took the blood of calves and of goats, with water, and scarlet wool, and hyssop, and sprinkled both the book, and all the people, 23 It was therefore necessary that the patterns of things in the heavens should be purified with these; but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these. 24 For Christ is not entered into the holy places made with hands, which are the figures of the true; but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us: 22 Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water.
Now we come to read those important words in 1 John 5:6 – This is he! For John is now going to show us the marvelous work of the Lord Jesus Christ in order to reveal to us both the heavenly and the earthly three witness that confirm our true salvation! This is he that came by water and blood, even Jesus Christ; not by water only, but by water and blood.
For only in Christ is there found complete and full salvation! There is no need to seek elsewhere! John 14:6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me. Acts 4:12 Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.
The so-called heads of all other religious leaders may give to their followers a list for moral behavior. But none other religion can provide any atonement for the cleansing of sin. None other religion can offer any cleansing in order to stand acceptable to God the Father! For any and all who would stand righteous before the fiery eyes of the Holy God, must come to the Lord Jesus Christ and be cleansed in his blood! Revelation 1:5 And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth. Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood, 9 And they sung a new song, saying, Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation;
Only the blood of Christ applied by the Holy Spirit can both forgive and cleanse! 1 John 1:8 If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. 9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
But what was it that John alone of the disciples saw at the cross? Read carefully the following of his writings. John 19:33 But when they came to Jesus, and saw that he was dead already, they brake not his legs: 34 But one of the soldiers with a spear pierced his side, and forthwith came there out blood and water. 35 And he that saw it bare record, and his record is true: and he knoweth that he saith true, that ye might believe. 36 For these things were done, that the scripture should be fulfilled, A bone of him shall not be broken. 37 And again another scripture saith, They shall look on him whom they pierced.
John saw both the water for our sanctification and the blood for our redemption having their source from the body of our Lord. He saw that even though the Lord was now dead, He yet had one more thing to give to his Bride, the church. For the crude Roman soldier, with his unsterilized spear, pierced the side of our Lord, puncturing the pericardium (the sack around the heart being filled with water to keep the heart cool), and the water of our cleansing for sanctification flowed forth. Then, pushing the spear on into the heart chamber, Christ’s remaining blood flowed forth for our redemption!
“Let the water and the blood,
From thy riven side which flowed;
Be of sin the double cure,
Save from wrath and make me pure.”
All the types in the Old Testament, under the law of the water of cleansing, and the blood for atonement were now fulfilled! He had now, even after his death, fulfilled all righteousness. (Matthew 3:15) His love for his church did not cease to be shown after he bowed his majestic head and gave up his spirit! He indeed, loved his church unto the end! John 13:1 Now before the feast of the passover, when Jesus knew that his hour was come that he should depart out of this world unto the Father, having loved his own which were in the world, he loved them unto the end.
She comes home from her beloved husband’s funeral. She stayed at the graveside till after the casket was lowered deep into the earth and placed one last rose upon the site of her dear friend and husband. Sadly she went home with the harsh realization that nothing else could be shared between them. Death was so very final!
Now back at home she goes into their bedroom and longingly opens up a drawer of his, and is surprised to find a beautifully wrapped gift, wrapped in paper of her favorite color, with her name on it. Teary eyed, and with hands trembling she sits down upon the bed, knowing the hand writing is his. Inside is the lovely necklace that she had so long admired, but was ‘too expensive’ to allow him to buy it for her. The note inside read, “I had this for you for a long time, but you thought it was too expensive. Now you can’t fuss at me for just loving you enough to sacrifice personal things in order to save up for this for you! I love you. ”
Would to God, that those who make up the Lamb’s wife would be so aware of his love, even after his death, that he made sure that the last bit of blood, along with the water, should flow for her complete and final salvation! Zechariah 12:10 And I will pour upon the house of David, and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the spirit of grace and of supplications: and they shall look upon me whom they have pierced, and they shall mourn for him, as one mourneth for his only son, and shall be in bitterness for him, as one that is in bitterness for his firstborn.
And even at the usage of an ungodly, hardened soldier, with wicked hands, he determined we would have this great benefit. Acts 2:23 Him, being delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, ye have taken, and by wicked hands have crucified and slain:
For the water of cleansing is your’s church! Ephesians 5:25 Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it; 26 That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, 27 That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.
The blood of the covenant is your’s church! Hebrews 13:20 Now the God of peace, that brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant, 21 Make you perfect in every good work to do his will, working in you that which is wellpleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ; to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.
2 Peter 1:2 Grace and peace be multiplied unto you through the knowledge of God, and of Jesus our Lord, 3 According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue: 4 Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.
Micah 7:18 Who is a God like unto thee, that pardoneth iniquity, and passeth by the transgression of the remnant of his heritage? he retaineth not his anger for ever, because he delighteth in mercy. 19 He will turn again, he will have compassion upon us; he will subdue our iniquities; and thou wilt cast all their sins into the depths of the sea.
True, spiritual worship shall only be returned to the church when born again believers began to see the glory of the cross! Only when we began to recover a passion for the Person of Christ, and cease to just assume upon his death for the need of our escape of eternal punishment. Is he just a dying lamb to you, dear Reader? Or is he a precious, loving Husband and companion who has sacrificed all for your peace and joy?
Here is his ‘note’ to you, dear wife: John 14:1 Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. 27 Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid. 28 Ye have heard how I said unto you, I go away, and come again unto you. If ye loved me, ye would rejoice, because I said, I go unto the Father: for my Father is greater than I.
Pastor Gene Breed
June 5, 2018
