1 John Lessons

1John 5:6-13 Literalize

1John 5:6-8
vs 6  This is He who came by water and blood——Jesus Christ; not only by water, but by water and blood. And it is the Spirit who is bearing witness, because the Spirit is truth.
vs 7  For there are three that testify:
vs 8  the Spirit and the water and the blood; and the three are in agreement.

There are two basic interpretations to this passage. Either John is defending the idea of Jesus incarnation into human flesh against the heresy of docetism, or he is affirming Jesus' ministry.

There are three that bear witness:

• The Spirit: through Jesus miracles
• The Water: through Jesus baptism or incarnation (birth in water)
• The Blood: through Jesus death

The Spirit: through the miracles in accordance with the scriptures
The Water: at his baptism The Spirit descended in accordance with the word given John the Baptist The Father spoke
The Blood: at his death The temple curtain was ripped The dead were raised in accordance with the scriptures

The Spirit: Might refer to Gabriel's prophecy of his birth or OT prophecies
The Water: Could be the water in which he was born in Mary's womb
The Blood: His shed blood on the cross

As I said it is uncertain which John is speaking of though as you can see both have application here.

1John 5:9,10
vs 9  If characteristically we receive the witness of men, the witness of God is greater; for this is the witness of God which He has testified of His Son.
vs 10  He who characteristically believes in the Son of God characteristically has the witness in himself; he who does not characteristically believe God has made Him out to be a liar, because he has not believed the testimony that God has given of His Son.

Jesus has the endorsement of both man's testimony and God's testimony. As for man's testimony there is the testimony of John the Baptist who said of Jesus, "Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!" John 1:29 and as for God's testimony Jesus said, "I have testimony weightier than that of John. For the very work that the Father has given me to finish, and which I am doing, testifies that the Father has sent me. And the Father who sent me has himself testified concerning me." John 5:36,37a He's referring to his the miracles. That is, as he says, "The miracles I do in my Father’s name speak for me." John 10:25 There is also the testimony of the Father's word spoken from heaven at his baptism saying, "This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased." Mt 3:17, a similar incident occurring at his transfiguration.

Those, like Muslims and Jews today, who deny Jesus as the Son of God make the God of the Bible out to be liar. And as John said previously, "Who is a liar but he who denies that Jesus is the Christ? He is antichrist who denies the Father and the Son." 1John 2:22

1John 5:11-13 
vs 11  And this is the testimony: that God gave us eternal life at a point in time, and this life exists in His Son.
vs 12  He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life.
vs 13  These things I wote to you who characteristically believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may have perceived that you have eternal life.

There are only two kinds of people in the world, those who have the Son and those who don't. If you have the Son, you have eternal life. If you don't have the Son you don't have eternal life. And those of you who have the Son had received Him at a point in time. The letter of 1John is all about determining whether or not a person has the Son and thus whether or not they have eternal life. That's why he writes these things. The Greek manuscripts upon which KJV is based also have at the end of verse 13 "and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God."

Now if you don't have the Son, how do you get the Son? You simply believe in him. "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life." John 3:16 And Jesus said, "For my Father’s will is that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in him shall have eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day." John 6:40 That's God's will for you, for he "wants all men to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth." 1Tim 2:4 So get to it! First get to know Jesus through the Bible, for "faith comes from hearing the message" Rom 10:17a and ask Jesus to teach you about himself as he said, "Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with me." Rev 3:20