1 John 5:1-12 (NRSV)
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Chapter 5Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ has been born of God, and everyone who loves the parent loves the child. Verse 2By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and obey his commandments. Verse 3For the love of God is this, that we obey his commandments. And his commandments are not burdensome, Verse 4for whatever is born of God conquers the world. And this is the victory that conquers the world, our faith. Verse 5Who is it that conquers the world but the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?
Verse 6This is the one who came by water and blood, Jesus Christ, not with the water only but with the water and the blood. And the Spirit is the one that testifies, for the Spirit is the truth. Verse 7There are three that testify: Verse 8the Spirit and the water and the blood, and these three agree. Verse 9If we receive human testimony, the testimony of God is greater; for this is the testimony of God that he has testified to his Son.
Verse 10Those who believe in the Son of God have the testimony in their hearts. Those who do not believe in God have made him a liar by not believing in the testimony that God has given concerning his Son. Verse 11And this is the testimony: God gave us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. Verse 12Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life.
Devotion
All God’s fountains, in all their variety of abundance and stillness, of depth and height and breadth, flow now in us. As the Spirit gives us faith and obedience, we conquer the world.
Recently, I read about a small city that is trying to revitalize its downtown by creating a river walk that will have several interactive fountains. Who doesn’t love a fountain? Who doesn’t want to jump in, to revel in the artistry, the falls, the sprays and spurts?
Jesus Christ came by water and blood. In his baptism and crucifixion, we are made alive, invited to jump into God’s fountains, arms high to rejoice and to celebrate God’s world.
Prayer
Living Water of Salvation, you make all things new. Spring us up in new creation, flow in us and make us whole. Amen.