Question:

What do the words “water” and “blood” stand for in 1 John 5:6? “This is He that came by water and blood, even Jesus Christ.” 

Answer:

Here, and most frequently, “water” refers to the Word of God (Ephesians 5:26) but it also symbolizes the Holy Spirit in John 7:38,39.  “Blood” refers to the blood that Jesus Christ shed on the cross in sacrifice for our sins. 

We need cleansing in two ways when we are saved.  (1) First, by the blood of Christ (1 John 1:7) which cleanses us from all sin.  (2) Second, a moral cleansing, which cleanses and changes our nature to fit us for heaven.  Remember, Jesus told Nicodemous, “Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God” (John 3:5).