1 John (1)

History and Purpose

The Apostle John is of course the one who is given credit to writing this letter.

Although it doesn’t say it outright, even historians such as Polycarp, Papias, Irenaeus, and Origen.

There are many correlations between John’s Letters and his Gospel.

John 1:1 “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.”

1 John 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, of the Word of life;”

There are AT LEAST 15 more correlating verses that tie together.

There are 3 prominent themes throughout this letter.

The Right Belief in Jesus

The Right Obedience to God’s Commands

The Right Love for One Another

But all these give avenues for Assurance of Salvation.

1 John 5:13 “These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God.”

1 John 1-4

1 John 1:1–4 “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, of the Word of life; (For the life was manifested, and we have seen it, and bear witness, and shew unto you that eternal life, which was with the Father, and was manifested unto us;) That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you, that ye also may have fellowship with us: and truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ. And these things write we unto you, that your joy may be full.”

The way John Begins this letter is one of the four great beginnings in our Bible.

Genesis 1:1 “In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.”

Creation

Mark 1:1 “The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God;”

The Gospel

John 1:1 “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.”

The Word who is God was in the beginning

1 John 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, of the Word of life;”

The Incarnation of the Word

Have a Passion to Know This Life

1 John 1:1–2 “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, of the Word of life; (For the life was manifested, and we have seen it, and bear witness, and shew unto you that eternal life, which was with the Father, and was manifested unto us;)”

John wants us to know, and now rightly who this Word of Life is.

He points to two important truths about the life of Christ.

He Is Heavenly

Jesus Christ who is the Father’s Son has eternally existed with God the Father as God the Son.

1 John 5:7 “For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one.”

This is also exactly what Jesus taught

John 10:30 “I and my Father are one.”

John 14:9 “Jesus saith unto him, Have I been so long time with you, and yet hast thou not known me, Philip? he that hath seen me hath seen the Father; and how sayest thou then, Shew us the Father?”

John 8:58 “Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Before Abraham was, I am.”

Why else would the Pharisees pick up stones to stone him if he didn’t just claim to be God? (Blasphemy)

There has never been a time when the Son was not, nor will there be a time when He will not be.

He is Human

John here is giving a strong defense of the humanity of Jesus Christ

We heard him with our ears

“we have heard” is a single greek word that means to listen attentively, to be alert.

we saw him with our eyes

“we have looked upon” is a single greek word that implies inspecting, examining, and or gazing admiringly and often is related to being astonished.

We touched him with our hands

He was not a Ghost or an illusion

We testify and declare (both present tense), as eyewitnesses, this “eternal life that was with the Father and was revealed to us.”

Notice again how John uses repetition. Twice he says the eternal life was manifested to us in Jesus Christ. He presents for anyone to consider an audible, visible, and tangible witness concerning Jesus, the Word of life, the eternal life.

Why did John emphasize the incarnation?

1 John 4:1–3 “Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world. Hereby know ye the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God: And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world.”

John heard that there were people spreading the ideology of gnosticism.

Exalting Jesus in 1,2,3 John He Is Human

Historically, John was countering an early form of what is called “Gnosticism,” a term based on the Greek word that means knowledge. Gnostics appeared in a number of varieties, but they all had two basic convictions in common. First, they believed that matter is evil (or at least inferior to spiritual realities). Second, they believed that salvation is by a mystical, even secretive, knowledge. This bred extreme arrogance and pride among the Gnostic factions, and it led them to deny with great fervency a true and genuine incarnation of the Christ.

John was doing what any good pastor or preacher would do, and that is to snuff out any inkling of false doctrine.

Have a Passion to Share This Life

1 John 1:3 “That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you, that ye also may have fellowship with us: and truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ.”

Exalting Jesus in 1,2,3 John Have a Passion to Share This Life (1 John 1:3)

The impact that Jesus has on His followers cannot be put into words. They were radically changed and really did “turn the world upside down” (

Invite EVERYONE into Our Fellowship (with the Father)

“That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you,”

Who is “you”?

anyone you come into contact with, for some sort of dialog with.

“that ye also MAY have fellowship with us:”

This is not a sure thing, it’s only if they accept what you declare unto them.

“and truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ.”

This fellowship isn’t necessarily and in person friendship, but yet a spiritual fellowship in Christ.

Have a Passion to Enjoy This Life

1 John 1:4 “And these things write we unto you, that your joy may be full.”

He wrote these things that we might be filled with joy

John 15:11 “These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full.”

John 16:24 “Hitherto have ye asked nothing in my name: ask, and ye shall receive, that your joy may be full.”

John 10:10 “The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.”