When Is Righteousness Imputed ?

[Sam]

Originally Posted by Michael The Disciple

Righteousness is imputed in 3 steps.

8: And there are three that bear witness in earth, the spirit, and the water, and the blood: and these three agree in one. 1 John 5:8

Otherwise what is this verse about?

Faith leads us to the blood, water, and spirit that we might be fully justified.

In his first epistle, John is emphasizing the flesh or human nature of Jesus. Teachers were denying that Jesus was really human. In the first few verses of chapter one John emphasizes that the Word had been seen by them, handled by them, and heard by them. He was really human. At other times he speaks of those that denied that the Christ/Messiah/Anointed One was really human and had human flesh and blood.

In verse 6 of chapter 5 John says that Jesus came by water (birth as a human) and by blood (death as a human) and that the Spirit (His deity) bears witness to that. Paul says the same thing in Romans 1:3-4 that Jesus was the of the seed of David according to the flesh and was declared to be the Son of God by the Spirit raising Him from the dead.

In verse 7 of chapter 5, John affirms that God is triune as Father, Word and Holy Spirit. These three are one/united in the person of Jesus.

Then in verse 8 he reaffirms what He has said in verses 6 and 7, that in Jesus, the water (birth as a human), the blood (death as a human) and the Spirit (the eternal God) all come together. This is a declaration that Jesus is fully human and fully God in one being. This dual nature of Jesus is the basis of much Oneness teaching.