The Triune God Revealed in the Epistles of John

 

The Triune God Revealed in the Epistles of John

1 John 4:9–14: “God sent his only begotten Son into the world so that we might live through him…The Father sent the Son to be the Savior of the world.”

1 John 4:13: “Hereby know we that we abide in him and he in us, because he has given us his Spirit.” 

Aspect	The Father  (Source, Initiator)	The Son  (Manifestation, Accomplisher)	The Spirit  (Reality, Applier)
Meaning	The Father is the source of eternal life, the unique initiator and planner; all things originate from Him and return to Him (1 John 1:2–3; 4:9–14).	The Son is the “Word of life,” manifested from and with the Father to impart eternal life to believers (1 John 1:1–2; 4:9; 5:11–12).	The Spirit is the Spirit of truth and reality, applying all that the Father and the Son are into the believers, causing mutual indwelling (1 John 3:24; 4:13; 5:6).
Symbolism	🔹Source of life—as the beginning of the river of life in the New Jerusalem (Rev 22:1). 🔹The Father’s love—imparting life, making believers His children (1 John 3:1).	🔹Fountain of life—springing forth from the Father (John 4:14; Rev 22:1). 🔹Righteous Advocate and Propitiation—revealing the reality of redemption and life (1 John 2:1–2; 4:9–10).	🔹River of life—flowing into believers, making fellowship real (1 John 4:13; Rev 22:1–2). 🔹Anointing oil—the all-inclusive Spirit as full supply (1 John 2:27; Phil 1:19).
Efficacy	Begetting believers as God’s children and bringing them into the fellowship of life (1 John 3:1; 5:11).	Destroying the works of the devil (1 John 3:8), accomplishing redemption, enabling believers to live by Him (4:9).	Making believers know God dwells in them (1 John 4:13), enabling mutual indwelling and living out divine love (1:6–7).
Distinction	Origin and initiation; love as His nature and motive.	Manifestation and accomplishment through incarnation, cross, and resurrection.	Application and realization—imparting the Father and the Son’s life and love within believers.
Examples	The Father sends the Son (4:14); gives life (5:11); begets children (3:1).	The Son is the propitiation (4:10), the righteous Advocate (2:1), destroys the devil’s works (3:8).	The Spirit indwells believers (3:24; 4:13), bearing witness of mutual indwelling (4:13–15).
Application	Live by the Father’s love and enjoy His life supply (3:1).	Overcome sin and the world through the Son’s life (5:4–5).	Live by the Spirit—experiencing the anointing, indwelling, and flow of divine love (2:27; 4:13–16).
Interrelation	The Father is the source, the Son the expression, and the Spirit the realization. The Triune God mutually indwells and flows within believers (1 John 4:13–16; 5:20). The Triune God is a flowing life—the Father as the source, the Son as the fountain,  and the Spirit as the river—flowing into believers and consummating in the New Jerusalem (Rev 22:1–2).
Key Scriptures	1 John 1:2–3: “This life has been made manifest…so that you may have fellowship with us.” 1 John 1:6–7: “If we walk in the light…we have fellowship with one another.” 1 John 3:1: “What manner of love the Father has bestowed upon us…that we might be called children of God.” 1 John 5:11–12: “God has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son.” Revelation 22:1–2: “A river of the water of life, clear as crystal, flows from the throne of God and of the Lamb.” 2 John 9: “Whoever abides in Christ’s teaching has both the Father and the Son.”

 

Thematic Summary — The Mystery of the Fellowship of Eternal Life

1.      Fellowship (koinonia) is the flow and impartation of divine life—the Father as the source, the Son as the fountain, and the Spirit as the river (1 John 1:3–4; Rev 22:1).

2.      This flow is the reality of the Body of Christ and the practical church life, in which Christ has the first place (Col 1:18).

3.      The consummation of this flow is the New Jerusalem—the totality of eternal life (Rev 22:1–2).

Core Points:

Key View	Explanation
Father—Source	Origin and impartation of divine life and love.
Son—Fountain	Manifestation and accomplishment of life through redemption.
Spirit—River	Application and realization of divine life within believers.
Fellowship—Flowing Triune God	The flowing of the Father, Son, and Spirit brings believers into mutual indwelling and the eternal enjoyment of God.

 

Conclusion:

The Epistles of John unveil the flowing Triune God—the Father as the source, the Son as the manifestation, and the Spirit as the realization.
Through this divine flow, believers are brought into the fellowship of eternal life, participating in the mutual indwelling of God and man, which consummates in the New Jerusalem, the eternal expression of the Triune God.

 

*Please refer to the June 2025 Summer Training, General Topic: Experiencing, Enjoying, and Manifesting Christ (Part 3), Chapter 12: The True One