Many trinitarians cite 1 John 5:7 as a proof text for the doctrine of the trinity. 1 John 5:7 reads as follows “For there are three that bear witness in heaven: the Father, the Word, and the Holy Spirit; and these three are one.” (NKJV) 

Leaving behind all the arguments that can be made against the authenticity of 1 John 5:7, as many biblical scholars and even the laity are well aware of the fact that John likely did not write it, however they still regard it as inspired scripture so for the purpose of this paper I will attempt to treat it as such that I may show that this so-called ‘proof text’ that is so often used in trinitarian circles today does not actually reflect the trinitarian doctrine they claim it does. Firstly the trinitarian notion is this: There is but one God, He is one in nature but three in person His divine nature or essence is what makes God what He is, the divine persons are what makes God who He is namely God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. These persons are distinct: the Father is not the Son, the Son is not the Spirit and the Spirit is not the Father. They all share one nature; they are co-eternal, co-equal, and consubstantial. Now does 1 John 5:7 reflect this statement? We must ask what is the context of this verse? Let read 1 John 5:6-8 to get a better understanding of the context. “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 bears witness, because the Spirit is truth. 7 For there are three that bear witness in heaven: the Father, the Word, and the Holy Spirit; and these three are one. 8 And there are three that bear witness on earth: the Spirit, the water, and the blood; and these three agree as one.” The context here becomes clear. The emphasis is on the first coming of Christ in flesh; this is emphasized throughout the book of 1 John and 2 John “and every spirit that does not confess that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is not of God. And this is the spirit of the Antichrist, which you have heard was coming, and is now already in the world.”(1 John 4:7) “For many deceivers have gone out into the world who do not confess Jesus Christ as coming in the flesh. This is a deceiver and an antichrist.” (2 John 1:7) This is what John is emphasizing when he says that Jesus has come by blood and not water only, water is referring to His baptism that marks the beginning of His ministry and the end of the 490 year period (Daniel 9:20-25) while blood represents Him being conceived by the Holy Spirit and born to the virgin Mary with a literal human body. He goes on to say “And it is the Spirit who bears witness, because the Spirit is truth.” The Spirit bore witness at the baptism of Jesus “ As soon as Jesus was baptized, he went up out of the water. At that moment heaven was opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting on him.” (Matthew 3:16). The context of this verse is the revelation of Jesus as the Christ to Israel. The first and pivotal time that Christ revealed Himself was at His baptism. How? The Father spoke through His Word and the Spirit descended upon Him in the Form of a dove each sign coming down from heaven this is why the verse says there are three who bear witness in heaven. This is not three persons but this is the Father who is the only true God (John 17:3) who spoke through His Word which is inseparable from Himself (John 1:1) and sent down His Spirit which is also inseparable from Himself (Ephesians 4:6). And verse 8 says “And there are three that bear witness on earth: the Spirit, the water, and the blood; and these three agree as one.” The Spirit, water and blood that played a part in the incarnation and beginning of Christ ministry continue to agree as one upon the earth by playing a part in our salvation when we are filled with His Spirit, baptized in His name and washed in His blood (John 3:5, Acts 2:38, 1 John 1:7).

Conclusion:

1 John 5:7 has just as much to do with the trinity as the baptism of Jesus does. Nothing! It is about the incarnation and anointing of Jesus Christ emphasizing that He was not only God but man and not just any man but Christ the Son of the living God. The blood and the Spirit is how testify to His incarnation, and the water to His baptism, and voice from heaven and the Spirit from heaven to His anointing as the Christ. The central message of 1 John 5 is that Jesus is God manifested in the flesh anointed as the Christ to save and redeem the world from sin.