1 John 1

Introduction to 1 John

While this book doesn’t have a clearly identified author. Most theologians and historians believe the author to be John the Apostle. The similarities between the writings of this letter and the fourth gospel are overwhelmingly convincing. This is found in their literary style.

We know for certain that the author was an eye witteness of the life, death and resurrection of Jesus.

The letter was written to the church. This is important for us to know because the way in which we speak to unbelievers is different than the way in which we speak to believers. Because the two groups of people are in different places and different understandings around the person of Jesus.

1 John 1 “That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we looked upon and have touched with our hands, concerning the word of life— the life was made manifest, and we have seen it, and testify to it and proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and was made manifest to us— that which we have seen and heard we proclaim also to you, so that you too may have fellowship with us; and indeed our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ. And we are writing these things so that our joy may be complete. This is the message we have heard from him and proclaim to you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all. If we say we have fellowship with him while we walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin. If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.”

Pray

1 John 1: 1

1 John 1:1 ESV

That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we looked upon and have touched with our hands, concerning the word of life—

John opens the epistle with this verse. And it can seem strange that one opens in such a manner.

The reason John opens in this manner is because one of the reasons for this letter to the church was to address false teachings surrounding the personhood of Jesus.

The teaching which was being proliferated by some on the church was that Jesus, the Eternal Word, was not in fact incarnated.

Explain the incarnation

Explain the incarnation - The incarnation is the term used when we are referring to Jesus becoming a man.

John 1:1–2 ESV

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God.

Then jumping to John 1: 14

John 1:14 ESV

And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.

The Trinity and the Son becoming flesh

When we look at the trinity we see the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. All three of them have co-existed together since eternity. Jesus, the Son, the Word, who was subservient to the Father, took on the likeness of human flesh except without sin. Jesus is God. And then, He became a man and held the nature of God and the nature of man simultaneously. This is what we call the hypostatic union. The two natures operating and existing in one subsistence at the same time.

So God became a physical man.

What the false teaching was professing

Now the false teaching which was being spread was that Jesus didn’t become a physical man. They taught this because, at the core of their belief system the believed that physical matter was evil. Which leads to their conundrum - if matter, physicality and natural things are evil, how could a good and holy God become that which is evil.

Some people had different ideas about this. Some proported that He was merely a hologram and that He was just a spirit.

John’s refute

John refutes this in the very first verse by telling the readers that they/he has personally seen, heard and touched Jesus. That Jesus was not just a spirit or a hologram. But, that He was in fact a physical man.

John 20:24–28 ESV

Now Thomas, one of the twelve, called the Twin, was not with them when Jesus came. So the other disciples told him, “We have seen the Lord.” But he said to them, “Unless I see in his hands the mark of the nails, and place my finger into the mark of the nails, and place my hand into his side, I will never believe.” Eight days later, his disciples were inside again, and Thomas was with them. Although the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you.” Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here, and see my hands; and put out your hand, and place it in my side. Do not disbelieve, but believe.” Thomas answered him, “My Lord and my God!”

We read of the account of Thomas putting his hand in Jesus’ side where He was stabbed with a spear by the Roman soldiers.

We further see the ideas of this false teaching, which actually later became what is now called gnostism, to be contrary to the truth of Scripture right in the very beginning in the creation story.

God repeatedly called His creation, physical matter, the world, the animals, birds, trees, the water, His people, GOOD! At the end of each day the Lord reflects on that which He just created and He Himself says, “it is good.”

1 John 1: 2

Why the personhood of Jesus matters

John then adds this last part to the end of the first verse, concerning the Word of life and then into verse 2.

1 John 1:2 ESV

the life was made manifest, and we have seen it, and testify to it and proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and was made manifest to us—

And, this is why knowing the truth about the person of Jesus is important. This is actually a salvation issue here. If Jesus was not a man, then He could not have died. And, if He didn’t die then He wasn’t resurrected. And, if He didn’t die and was raised to life then we are still in our sins and this faith we have is in vain because we are not saved because the blood that was poured out was either not real or was the blood of another.

Illustration of why this matters

Have you ever had a friend and you thought you knew them really well and they one day you find out that they are a completely different person??

Little Red Riding Hood

Satan is seeking whom he can devour and one of the ways in which this takes place is by getting people to believe and put their trust in a false Jesus.

The parameters in which we know Jesus

Yes, there are many things we don’t understand but we operate and we search out things within these parameters.

In the same way, I understand close friendships within parameters and search out who these friends are within those parameters.

They are Christian

They are this gender (I will act differently to those who are male or female)

They don’t like being hit, abused or mistreated

In the same way we have preliminary truths, understandings and revelations of the person of Jesus as revealed by Himself through His Word. And, within that context we search Him out.

That’s why if we hear something from God or someone gives us a prophetic word we ALWAYS filter it through the Scripture. If it’s contrary to the bible then I discard it.

If I hear from the Lord, you should go steal that $20 from that person. I know automatically that it’s not God because God says in His Word, “Do not steal”. So that is going directly against how He is calling us to live. If I hear from the Lord to give someone $20, then that’s something that is more likely the Lord speaking because He calls us to be generous and people typically don’t have a proclivity towards being generous and we all know that satan has desire for us to generous.

So we understand the person of Jesus through the preliminary truths and understandings as revealed to us by Him through His Word.

The two natures of Jesus.

As Saint Athanasius said, “only a saviour who is fully human can die for human sin but only one who was fully God could unit people to God”.

Jesus Christ is one God man with two distinct but inseparable natures.

And this understanding of who God really is also pertains to the nature and character of God.

Because we don’t want fake. I don’t want fake. I want the real God. I want the God who created me, who loved me, who died for me, who conquered death and is Lord over all.

Example - someone else getting the credit

Have you ever done something for someone and then someone else gets the credit?

I was at bear paw a while ago and I was chatting with my friend. And, they were a bit upset because they mowed the grass and then other people thought it was some else and everyone was like, “Wow, you did such a good job of mowing the grass.” And the person fully just received all the compliments.

We get a bit upset when the honour and praise and appreciation that we know is deserving to us is given to another. In the same way, God desires the praise, the acclaim and worship that only belongs to Him.

This is why not all roads lead to heaven or to God. There is only one Way and His name is Jesus. And we give all the praise and acclaim and worship and honour to God almighty. Not buddah, not Allah, not spagetthi monster, not humanistic endeavours or achievements, not Elon Musk, not the government, not our own abilities or capabilities!

There is only one true living God and His name is Jesus! Every other god is an idol, who cannot hear and cannot speak. They are deaf and mute and are inconsequential. Only Jesus!

1 John 1: 3

1 John 1:3 ESV

that which we have seen and heard we proclaim also to you, so that you too may have fellowship with us; and indeed our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ.

John is telling us about the correct Jesus because he wants us to have relationship with the Jesus who died on the cross and rose again and is seated at the right hand of God!

Come worship the same God with us!

Catfishing

Have you ever heard of catfishing?

Jesus doesn’t want you to be catfished!

He wants you to have intiamcy with Him and fellowship with Him. And this fellowship is with Him and it’s with His people.

That’s why we have church and youth. That’s why we gather together! That’s why we refuse to isolate ourselves from other Christians. Because we are one body and we are one peple under God. And, in this community of believers we passionately seek Jesus together, we pray for one another, we care for each other, we encounter God together, we have fellowship, intimacy and community. It’s a place where we understand that we belong.

Again, we are seeking a genuine and authentic relationship with the God of the universe who created us, died for us, conquered death and made a way for us to be reconciled to Him!

1 John 1: 4

1 John 1:4 ESV

And we are writing these things so that our joy may be complete.

John is testifying of the resurrected Jesus, the reality of God and fellowship with Him, because in this place where we have deep intimacy and communion with God and with His people our joy is complete!

Do you know the peace and joy you will experience when you are walking in right relationship with Jesus and you are walking in peace with the community of believers.

Young person, this is what you were made for! You were made for God, and it is not a good thing that you be isolated!

John then goes on to deduce from the nature of God the conditions of fellowship.

God’s love is unconditional, but right standing with Him requires you to believe upon the name of Jesus and yield your life, submit your life, die to yourself and live the rest of your days for the glory and honour of Jesus.

If you want fellowship with God, there are conditions which are required to be met in order to have intimacy with Him. Because of who God is, there is a certain way in which we need to adjust our lives to have friendship with God. God doesn’t need to change and He doesn’t need to shift the rules to accommodate us. We are the ones who need to change and conform to His ways and His standards.

1 John 1: 5 - 6

1 John 1:5–6 ESV

This is the message we have heard from him and proclaim to you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all. If we say we have fellowship with him while we walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth.

God is light

From here and many other places in the bible we see the absolute light, holiness and righteousness of God.

God is light! There is no gray. There is no darkness in him at all! It’s important that we undertand this about God, in Him there is no sin, there is no darkness, there is no evil and there is no bad thing. He is perfection, He is light, He is life, He is holy, He is righteous, He is the well from which we receive our very life!

Living a life that testifies of Jesus

And what we see here is John commenting on those who would profess a life of Christianity, of devotion to God, yet walk contrary to His way. And, what it means to walk, is that you live day to day. It means that the life you live is one that testifies, it tells and proclaims to all who are around you that you are a Jesus follower and that you have devoted your life to Him.

Watching football example

People who do this are like those who

Maybe use an illustration of how I was an extra in Thor and how that doesn’t make me an actor.??

Or, it’s like saying that I’m a football player because I watch the football someone times on the tv. Any football players here offended that someone would make such a claim? I know none of the rules, I know none of the teams, I know none of the players. And, I only watch it when my friends are watching it. Otherwise, it has no bearings, no thought, no consideration or interest in my life.

How many “Christians” only come to church or youth once a week or month because their friends come and then when their at home, or school or with their friends outside, or by themselves give no thought to God? Or they live a life that is displeasing to God?

Living a life in fellowship with Him

If you want fellowship with God, it requires you to speak with Him. It requires you to step out of darkness, out of depraved living, sensual living, living according to the world’s standards, getting drunk, sleeping around, watching porn, doing drugs, bullying people, stealing, dishonouring your parents, being a slave to the opinions of your friends and people around you.

It requires you to live your life the way God is directing and commanding you to live!

1 John 1: 7

1 John 1:7 ESV

But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin.

As He is in the light!

One of the conditions for our fellowship with Him is living lives that look like the life of Jesus.

People will protest and say, “That’s too difficult”, “That’s too hard.”

Yes, it’s impossible - for those who have rejected Jesus. But, it’s possible if you have believed upon the name of Jesus, and in doing so received His Spirit who will teach you all things. His Spirit will lead you!

Something that helps you do this as well is getting someone who passionately loves Jesus to disciple you! Because, the fellowship is with one another and with the Lord.

Now, I’m not putting us, or discipleship on the same level or same importance as intimacy with Jesus. I am saying that it is incredibly helpful and the model through which the Lord has chosen to reach the world. That’s why He said, go make disciples of all nations.

The blood of Jesus

What we also see is that when we walk in the light as He is in the light, the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin!

There is nothing more powerful for the cleansing and washing of your sins than the blood of Jesus.

Have you fallen? Are you ridden with guilt, shame and condemnation? Do you feel like you just keep on stumbling? Do you feel without hope?

Know this, believe this, allow this to seep into the deep receese of your heart, for those who have believed and trusted upon the name of Jesus, His blood has completely washed you clean of all your sins, past, present and future!

Now is the day and the time to repent and allow Jesus to wash you clean!

1 John 1:8

1 John 1:8 ESV

If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.

Verse 8 tells us that if we say we have no sin we decieve ourselves. Is there anyone here who has not done wrong, who has not broken the holy law and commandments of God Almighty? Absolutely not!

Come on, anyone here think they have never sinned before?

For all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God.

Pride will compel us to lie to ourselves and to those around us.

Humility will open our eyes to the desperate situation which we find ourselves in and compel us to cry out for saviour Jesus to rescue us from sin!

Pride asserts that you are right and you are always right. While humility produces repentance and allows us to see the beauty of the radience of Jesus.

1 John 1: 9 - 10

1 John 1:9–10 ESV

If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.

Speak into the false teachers issue to give young people direction on this matter

I want to speak into this a little bit and give us some guidance in dealing with those who are false teachers/prophets and heretics. The book of 1 John mentions it quite a bit and I want us to leave here with a biblical view of what this is and how to deal with it and how to reconcile it in our hearts.

There is a difference between false teachers and bad teachers (false prophets and bad prophets)

There are close handed doctrine and there are open handed doctrine

Deal with things privately before publically

Keep your heart soft and pure.

I notice that the “heresy hunters” are often so hell bent on hunting the false prophets that they completely forget about Jesus. And their hearts are completely angry all the time.

5. Know what you believe and why you believe it

6. Treat people, especially brothers and sisters, with gentleness and grace.

7. If there is someone who is genuinely teaching false doctrine that’s not just a open handed issue come see me and we need to address that.

And what we find in the Bible is that there is actually a precedent and a way in which people ought to be removed from the church. It’s almost illegal to say that in our day and era because the church has become a country club rather than those redeemed by the blood of the Lamb. Christianity is not all inclusive - if you want to be a Jesus follower, if you want to be part of the church, there is a certain way that you are now called to live. There are certain things which are necessary for you to believe and live your life by. This is not a belong before you believe situation. This is a, “You believe before you belong” situation.

And, we understand that we don’t and can’t know EVERYTHING there is to know about who Jesus is. But, there are perameters within which we operate and discover who He is.