 This passage does not prove the Trinity. As a matter of fact, this passage has nothing to do with the Trinity. Hey, smart Christians, welcome back. One of the passages in the Bible that is often misunderstood, as a matter of fact, thought to reference something altogether different than what the writer is intending to communicate is 1 John chapter five, really verses seven and eight, but we're gonna start in verses five to kind of get an understanding as to what John is saying. So in chapter five verse five, who is it that overcomes the world except the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God? And so his point here before we get to it is to talk about who Jesus is that we ought to believe in him. And so what he's going to do is he's gonna talk about why we should believe that he's the Son of God. And what he's gonna say is that there is something that gives us validity to who he is. In other words, there are three things that testify that he is the Son of God. So let's go ahead and go back to it. He says in verse six, this is he who came by water and by 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. For there are three that testify. The spirit and the water and the blood and these three agree. Now, I know what some are gonna say because if you're reading from, let's say the King James Version or even the new King James Version, you'll notice that there's some words missing. Now, before we deal with the passage, let's cover something real briefly. Those passages should not be in there. The way I read it is the way that it was originally put in. This was something that was added by a scribe during Erasmus' third edition as he is trying to take the text and translate it into Greek into English. He didn't have a Greek text that had the larger portion that you see in the King James Version. And so through certain pressures, and you only see it in only late manuscripts, manuscripts that go from the 16th century on and some 12th century manuscripts that may have a 16th century addition in the notes. But prior to that, we don't have any verses, any passages, any manuscripts, paparite fragments, anything that have that larger portion of 1 John 5, verses 7 and 8. And so the way it's read is the way it's supposed to be. Now, I understand some folks believe that it's a beloved passage that helps us to believe in the Trinity. And I too believe in the Trinity. Without question, I believe that the Trinity is biblical and you don't need that particular passage to prove it. I don't use it. And I think the Bible is clear on that point. As a matter of fact, the church never referenced 1 John 5, verses 7 and 8 as a way to prove the Trinity or not. Because again, prior to the 16th century, it just simply did not exist. It was added and it was done so mainly through coercion or pressure from the Catholic church to do so. Now, without getting too much into that, we can cover that later. But back to the passage, let's look and see the point that John is actually trying to make. He said, this is he who came by water and by blood, not only by water only, but by water and blood and the spirit. And the spirit is the one who testifies because the spirit is the truth. For there are three that testify. So let's go ahead and jump into that. So what does it mean to say that there are three that testify? It's not to say that the water, the spirit and the blood are equivalent to the spirit, Jesus and God, the Father. No, that's not what it's saying. It's trying to say, he's trying to convey what is giving us proof, what testifies, what witness do we have to say that Jesus is the Son of God? And so the first one that we go and look at is the water. Recall back in John the very same writer who was writing first John, John, the apostle also wrote in John and he's speaking about Jesus and he speaks about this water. So go to first John, John chapter one, I'm sorry, verse 24. He says, and now they had sent from the Pharisees and they asked him, asking John, then why are you baptizing if you are neither the Christ nor Elijah nor the prophet? John answered them and said, I baptize with water, but among you stands one you do not know. Even he comes after me, the straps who sandals, I am not worthy to untie. Now let's drop down and let's see verse 29. He says, the next day, he saw Jesus coming toward him and said, behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world. This is he of whom I said, after me comes a man who ranks before me because he was before me. And look what he says in verse 31. I myself did not know him, but for this purpose I came baptizing in water that he might be revealed. And John bore witness, I saw the spirit descend from heaven like a dove and it remained on him. I myself did not know him, but he who sent me to baptize with water said to me, he on whom you see the spirit descend and remain this is he who baptizes with the Holy Spirit. And I have seen and I have borne witness, I've borne witness that this is the Son of God. And so the point is to bear witness to testify that he is the Son of God. And so the very first witness of that was Jesus being baptized in water. And when that happened, that baptism in physical water gave validity, a testimony that he is the Son of God because God himself spoke and said, this is my son whom I will please. And so there is the first testimony, not from John the apostle, but from John the Baptist. However, John the apostle is writing to let us know that that is what he's speaking of in first John five. It's the water that gives testimony or testifies who Jesus is that he is the Son of God. Now, when it talks about the blood, well, that part should not be very difficult. There are various pastors throughout scriptures that let us know that it is his death on the cross, his shed blood that also testifies that he's the Son of God. As a matter of fact, if we look at Matthew 26, 28, it says, for this is my blood of the covenant which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sin. And so even though this blood for this new covenant to the Jews is there, but his blood is also poured out for more than just the Jews for the many. And then also we'll see this echoed again in Hebrews. Therefore, not even the first covenant was inaugurated without blood. Drop down to verse 20 saying, this is the blood of the covenant that God commanded for you. And in the same way he sprinkled with blood both the tent and all the vessels. And look what he says in verse 22, indeed under the law almost everything is purified with blood and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness of sin. And so in this regard, his blood also serves as a testimony to testify that he is the Son of God. And then lastly, the spirit. Well, Jesus speaks about this spirit also testifying by the same writer John in John 15. He says in verse 26, when the helper, that's the Holy Spirit, 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. And so in that regard, now we see even the spirit will testify of him. And so these three things give validity to who Jesus is. These three things give validity that he is the Son of God. The water, his baptism, again, God himself declares through his baptism that he is the Son of God. And John, the Baptist also proclaims this. And then the blood, the shed blood on the cross also gives validity that he is the Son of God because he inaugurates this new covenant. Also this blood is shed for not just the Jews but also the Gentiles that shed for many. So in that regard, it also gives testimony or testifies that he is the Son of God. And then lastly, the spirit, the Holy Spirit testifies in us just like it was in the apostles that he is the Son of God. And so my friends, I hope this kind of clears things up. Even though this passage isn't talking about the Trinity, there are plenty of passages that do verify God's triune existence, but in this passage it's just giving us a reason to believe that he is the Son of God. And these are the three things that prove it. Amen.