A Drop in the Pond



1 John 5:1-12
1Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ has been born of God, and everyone who loves the Father loves whoever has been born of him. 2By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and obey his commandments. 3For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments. And his commandments are not burdensome. 4For everyone who has been born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith. 5Who is it that overcomes the world except the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God? 6This is he who came by water and 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. 7For there are three that testify: 8the Spirit and the water and the blood; and these three agree. 9If we receive the testimony of men, the testimony of God is greater, for this is the testimony of God that he has borne concerning his Son. 10Whoever believes in the Son of God has the testimony in himself. Whoever does not believe God has made him a liar, because he has not believed in the testimony that God has borne concerning his Son. 11And this is the testimony, that God gave us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. 12Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life.

This passage is the summary of John’s first Epistle. In it we find the recurring theme of love that stems from God and fills up the lives of His Children. As I read this passage I was reminded of a rock being cast into a quiet pond. The ripples from that rock spread out all the way to the far shores of the pond even though the rock can no longer be seen.
Jesus comes first – always. But His arrival leaves a lasting impact on those who are embraced in that love. John points out that Jesus’ love is manifest in His baptism, His bloody death, and the sending of His Spirit after His ascension. “This is He who came by water and blood . . . and the Spirit.” His coming created the first ripple and we are still being washed in that ripple today because the Holy Spirit is still here with us, magnifying that love. For me to say anything more would be to muddy the waters. :)


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