 1:1 That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, concerning the Word of life—The Apostle John begins this amazing letter by giving us a description of Christ that begins in past eternity to his own personal experience of Christ Himself. In doing so, we are given a glorious window into the essence of God (v. 1-3). John links the physical Jesus to His eternal existence before the beginning of all of things. He alone preceded all things—whether time, physical matter, or the laws that govern all created things. This description of what may be known about Jesus not only defines His preexistence before all things but also reveals His shared reality in God. John tells us that Jesus is the Word of God, the life of God, and the light of God. As the "Word," He is the perfect expression of who God is. When God spoke and the created order came into being, it was through Christ as the "Word" (Col. 1:16, Heb. 1:2-3, 10). As the life of God, He holds life within Himself. His life is not derived from any thing; it is just the opposite. He is the source of the mystery of life that has been given to every living thing. Within Christ's being is also held "Light." Light is a reference to both the purity and truth of God. God's purity is seen in Christ's perfection in everything He is. He is the pure and perfect expression of love, peace and joy. He is also the perfect expression of justice, rightness, and holiness. Therefore, in His light is found the perfection of every virtue but most of all truth. This is why Jesus could say of Himself, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me" (John 14:6). Jesus does not have love; He is love. Jesus does not have truth; He is truth. He does not have life; He is life. All others must acquire these things. Christ is truth itself. All that He represents, all that He taught is true simply because of who He is. This is why the scriptures declare that all the treasures of wisdom are held in Him (Col. 2:3). John concludes this chapter by explaining who Christ is in relation to humanity (v. 7-10). He is the way by which our sin is purged, forgiven, and removed. He writes, "The blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin" (1:7). The way to intimacy with God, the removal of alienation is given as a gracious gift from Christ. His blood, which represents His life, is God's just resolution for the judgment of death for our sin that awaits us all. As the Scriptures declare, the wages of sin is death (Rom. 6:23). Christ, however, has taken upon Himself the sins of the entire world that have been committed since the fall of humanity. Within His own being, God has, in His love, provided a solution for our guilt, alienation, and judgment. God was in Christ literally reconciling Himself to each one of us when He placed the sins of each one of us upon Christ at the cross (John 3:16, Is. 53:3-12). It is for us now to humbly accept by faith that God is truly this gracious by confessing all our sins and laying them at the foot of the cross (v. 7-10). By coming to know and then to personally accept these truths about Christ, we are promised a joy that is full. May our struggle to accept who Christ is and what He came to do for each one of us end today, that our "joy may be full" (v. 4). | |||
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1 John 1:1-10  What Was Heard, Seen, and Touched 1 That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, concerning the Word of life— 2 the life was manifested, and we have seen, and bear witness, and declare to you that eternal life which was with the Father and was manifested to us— 3 that which we have seen and heard we declare to you, that you also may have fellowship with us; and truly our fellowship is with the Father and with His Son Jesus Christ. 4 And these things we write to you that your joy may be full. Fellowship with Him and One Another 5 This is the message which we have heard from Him and declare to you, that God is light and in Him is no darkness at all. 6 If we say that we have fellowship with Him, and walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. 7 But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin. 8 If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. 9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 10 If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar, and His word is not in us. | |||
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| 1 John 1:1-10 v. 1 That Which Was – Referring to the preexistence of the Lord Jesus Christ. This opening verse mirrors the opening line in the Gospel of John 1:1, again pointing to Jesus Christ. From the Beginning – The focus of this entire chapter is Jesus Christ. Jesus was already present from the beginning. He always was (John 1:1-2). He is the eternal I AM (John 8:58). Jesus is called in scripture the Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end (Rev. 1:8, 17-18). We Have Heard…Seen…Handled – John is refuting the Gnostic heresy of his day that taught that Jesus did not have a physical body. The Gnostics believed that all physical matter was evil. Therefore, Jesus could not have had a physical body. But John emphasizes his experience of Jesus with three of the five senses. John also states here that he was not alone in this experience, as he states that "We heard and looked upon and handled…" Jesus was not a phantom or a ghost. He was the Word made flesh and dwelt among us (John 1:14). And there is a plurality of witnesses who have experienced the historical Christ with their senses. Word – John chose to use a word here that would mean a great deal to both the Jew and the Greek of his day. Word here is Logos (Gk.) and had very deep meaning to the philosophers of John's time. Logos in philosophical thinking was the concept of the supreme thought and reason revealing divine mind. To the Jew it would refer to the divine Word of God, which was held in highest esteem to every devout Jew. Life – There are several Greek words for life. The Greek word John chose to use for life here is also significant. Zoe (Gk.) means the absolute fullness of life. Because Jesus is God's Word to us made flesh, He is the Word that imparts Life to us (John 5:26). v. 2 Manifested – phaneroo (Gk.), meaning to make visible or known what has been hidden or unknown, whether by words, or deeds, or in any other way. Another error of Gnostic thought is that there is a secret knowledge revealed to the select few. John refutes this false doctrine by declaring that God is not keeping secrets from us. Eternal Life – Again, John is speaking specifically about Jesus Christ. John is stating here that not only is Jesus eternal, but He is eternal life (John 17:3, 1 John 5:11-12). v. 3 Fellowship – koinonia (Gk.), meaning association, community, communion, joint participation. John reveals his reason for making this declaration to us, that you also may have fellowship with us. It is definitely God's plan and design that His people know the truth and find fellowship with one another in and because of that truth. As Christians, the only legitimate grounds for genuine fellowship we have is based upon the truth of God's Word. With the Father – God the Father is distinct from God the Son. Yet we cannot have fellowship with one without the other (Luke 10:22; John 1:14,18; 3:35). His Son Jesus Christ – You can't have fellowship with the Father apart from fellowship with the Son (1 John 2:23, 5:12, 20; 1 Cor. 1:9). v. 4 that Your Joy May be Full – chara (Gk.), gladness and rejoicing and pleroo (Gk.) to fill to the top so that nothing shall be lacking, to liberally fill to the brim. The Bible was not written to put us under a burden of obligation and fear. The Word of God is Joy and life to those who embrace its teachings (Ps. 144:15; John 15:11, 16:24; 2 Cor. 1:24). v. 5 Message – epaggelia (Gk.) a promised good or blessing. This word is also translated promise in the KJV. Which We Have Heard from Him – John wants his readers to understand that the message he is declaring did not originate from his own imagination. It critical that when we read the scriptures we realize that the message conveyed is from God. We Have Heard – John is not alone in his hearing or his declaring. John's message is in harmony with all the other New Testament writers who have also heard from God and have conveyed that message to us (1 Thess. 2:13). Declare – anaggello (Gk.) to announce, make known, to report, bring back tidings Light – phos (Gk.) brightness, anything emitting light. This word is allegorically used here to represent truth, knowledge, and spiritual purity (Ps. 27:1, 18:28, 36:9, 119:105). Spiritually speaking, God is light. According to Holy Scripture, Jesus is also described as light (John 1:4-9, 8:12). This again supports the doctrine of the deity of Christ. Darkness – skotia (Gk.) the absence of light. Used metaphorically here to refer to sin or evil of any kind. This word in context is describing that God is perfectly pure with no mixture, compromise, or pollution of any kind. God is sinless and perfect in every way. v. 6 Fellowship – Fellowship is intimate communication and communion. This chapter will clarify what it means to truly fellowship with God. Walk in Darkness – Walk refers to the manner in which we are living. To walk in darkness means to live apart from the light of God's truth. This would naturally include the practice of sin. Practice – poieo (Gk.) to perform, to do Truth – aletheia (Gk.) in reality, in fact, certainly, what is objectively true in any matter v. 7 Walk in the Light – To live in accordance and harmony with God's truths revealed in God's word. He is in the Light – Speaking of God Himself (v. 5, 1 John 1:5; Ps. 104:2; 1 Tim. 6:16; James 1:17). Fellowship With One Another – In context John is teaching that the only way one can walk with God is to walk in the light. Certainly the richest common ground one can share with another is walking together in the light with God. This is the fellowship God intends for His children. Blood of Jesus Christ…Cleanses – Notice that this cleansing is a continual process present tense: cleanses. We are in continual need of the cleansing that comes from the blood of Jesus Christ. It is only through the blood of Jesus Christ shed on the cross that we find forgiveness and cleansing of sin (Lev. 17:11, Heb. 10:19). All Sin – There is no sin that the blood of Jesus cannot wash away when we are walking in the light. This promise covers all intentional sins, unintentional sins, sins of ignorance, sins of omission, and sins of commission. Verse 9 will give us a bit more detail on what it means to walk in the light as to receive continual cleansing. v. 8 If We Say that We Have No Sin, We Deceive Ourselves – Though Christ cleanses us from all sin by His blood, we must never think that we have reached sinless perfection. As long as we are in this body of flesh we will always need the blood of Jesus for continual cleansing of sin. If we think we don't need that cleansing blood, we are self-deceived and the truth is not in us. v. 9 If we Confess – Confess in the Greek simply means to say the same as or to agree with God and acknowledge that He is right and we are wrong. If we refuse to confess when we have sinned, we are proudly resisting God's truth. Another important fact to consider is that if we refuse to confess a sin, we are likewise refusing to forsake that sin. Faithful – pistos (Gk.) trustworthy, reliable and true Just – dikaios (Gk.) righteous, faultless, innocent and guiltless. The fact is, we are all sinners, and God is the only one who is faithful and just. Forgive – aphiemi (Gk.) to let go, give up a debt, to remit Sins – hamartia (Gk.) an offense committed against God. To miss or wander from the path of uprightness and honor, to do or go wrong. Cleanse – katharizo (Gk.) In a moral sense, to free from defilement of sin and from faults. To free from guilt of sin, to purify. Unrighteousness – adikia (Gk.) Injustice of heart and life. A description of all moral wrong. v. 10 If We Say that We Have Not Sinned…His Word is Not in Us – This is a recap of what John has been saying in this chapter. If we say we have not sinned, we are disagreeing with God and calling Him a liar. His word tells us that we are sinners. John is once more refuting the Gnostic heretics of his day Who claimed that their immoral actions were not sinful. We Make Him a Liar – Nothing we can do or say can literally make God a liar. The New Living Translation properly paraphrases this, "We are calling God a liar." | |||
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| That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, concerning the Word of life –1 John 1:1 These words today should give us a peace and a joy concerning You, Jesus. You came here, Lord, so that we may come to You. Thank You, Jesus, thank You. | |||
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Jesus does not have love; He is love ~ Bob Caldwell
Keepers of the Home
