I John

3

v. 9      "sinless perfection"

Those born of God cannot sin - people think that this means when we are born again - made alive in Christ and a new creation in Him with a new nature then we cannot sin again.  Note this is in the present tense = habitual sinning = to live continually in sin.

It is true that our new nature cannot sin, it is the very nature of Christ Himself who abides with and in us, but we continue to have our old nature, as Paul was only too aware in Romans 7 and the struggles this brought about.  We know we still sin, 1 John 1:6-9, but by choice we allow either our new or old nature to control us….

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vs. 6-8  “Spirit, water and blood”

            It’s pretty obvious here that water and blood cannot be meant literally and therefore the conclusion remains that they are meant symbolically.  It is generally thought that water represents either Jesus’ baptism or signifies purity and blood, His death on the cross or His sufferings.  This verse therefore provides proof that Jesus’ was the Messiah by demonstrating the entirety of the Gospel.  Without the blood there could be no remission of sins and without purity His actions would have been tainted and therefore essentially meaningless. 

            Why the two symbols of water and blood?  It is necessary to remember that John was present at Jesus’ death and therefore witnessed the pouring out of water and blood from His side (John 19:34-35).  This must have had a significant impact on him.  Secondly, of course, it is likely that the Jews were very much still entrenched in their old ways of sacrificing where both blood and water was of great significance.

One other option is for baptism and the Lord's Supper (the two ordinances).  The Holy Spirit continues to bear witness to the fact that Jesus came in the flesh to die for sin that men might live.

We are defiled and thus stand in need of cleansing; we are purged from our sins by the blood of Christ and washed in the water of the Word. The Word of course being Christ Himself (John 1:1) 

OR   

Inwardly - by pollution for which we need the cleansing of spiritual water and outwardly - by guilt/sins and purged by atoning blood. Both the water and blood were used in the Old Testament where both people and things were purified by water and blood.

The Spirit of Truth bears witness. There are three witnesses in heaven (Father, Word and Spirit) and three on earth : spirit - regeneration and progressive sanctification; water and purity - His own by which we are purified and washed; blood - life blood shed for our ransom.