1 John 1
Notes
Transcript
Background
1 John is one of the most quoted books in the New Testament, and for good reason. The overall theme of the book is knowing who God is, believing in His Son Jesus Christ, and having assurance of eternal life.
1 What was from the beginning, what we have heard, what we have seen with our eyes, what we have looked at and touched with our hands, concerning the Word of Life—
2 and the life was manifested, and we have seen and testify and proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and was manifested to us—
3 what we have seen and heard we proclaim to you also, so that you too may have fellowship with us; and indeed our fellowship is with the Father, and with His Son Jesus Christ.
4 These things we write, so that our joy may be made complete.
AUTHOR
AUTHOR
The Apostle John never identifies himself as the author of this letter, but his authorship is almost never questioned.
Early church fathers tell us with certainty that John was the author of his Gospel, the 3 letters, and Revelation.
Writing styles are also very consistent in all of his writings, and in fact John refuses to identify himself by name in all but Revelation.
This letter is unique in that the author never identifies himself or his audience. The only other letter to do this is Hebrews.
Love and light are common themes in 1 John, as well as their opposites, sin and darkness. This letter is full of contrasts between the two.
These are the contexts in which Jesus is presented to us by John, and inform who He is and what He’s done for us.
John gives his testimony of who Jesus is.
John and the other apostles were witnesses:
2 just as they were handed down to us by those who from the beginning were eyewitnesses and servants of the word,
16 For we did not follow cleverly devised tales when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we were eyewitnesses of His majesty.
1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
4 In Him was life, and the life was the Light of men.
14 And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we saw His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth.
After He rose from the dead on Easter Sunday, Jesus appeared to His disciples.
27 Then He said to Thomas, “Reach here with your finger, and see My hands; and reach here your hand and put it into My side; and do not be unbelieving, but believing.”
John proclaims eternal life which was manifested to them, but what is eternal life?
28 and I give eternal life to them, and they will never perish; and no one will snatch them out of My hand.
3 “This is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent.
Those who believe in Jesus receive eternal life and have fellowship with God and other believers.
Those who believe in Jesus receive eternal life and have fellowship with God and other believers.
John writes these things so that the reader might believe and receive eternal life. This is the essence of evangelism.
Notice that doing this brings joy. Paul:
1 Therefore if there is any encouragement in Christ, if there is any consolation of love, if there is any fellowship of the Spirit, if any affection and compassion,
2 make my joy complete by being of the same mind, maintaining the same love, united in spirit, intent on one purpose.
Unity within the fellowship of believers brings joy.
5 This is the message we have heard from Him and announce to you, that God is Light, and in Him there is no darkness at all.
6 If we say that we have fellowship with Him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth;
7 but if we walk in the Light as He Himself is in the Light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin.
8 If we say that we have no sin, we are deceiving ourselves and the truth is not in us.
9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous 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.
God is Light. John is now making a distinction between God and the darkness of sin.
Having seen that believing in Christ gains you fellowship with God, there is now evidence of that faith.
15 “If you love Me, you will keep My commandments.
21 “He who has My commandments and keeps them is the one who loves Me; and he who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and will disclose Myself to him.”
We are to walk in the Light of Christ and not in darkness.
1 Therefore I, the prisoner of the Lord, implore you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling with which you have been called,
2 with all humility and gentleness, with patience, showing tolerance for one another in love,
3 being diligent to preserve the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.
The evidence of our faith shows through in our lives.
The evidence of our faith shows through in our lives.
The way we live our lives shows if we walk in the Light or in darkness.
19 “This is the judgment, that the Light has come into the world, and men loved the darkness rather than the Light, for their deeds were evil.
20 “For everyone who does evil hates the Light, and does not come to the Light for fear that his deeds will be exposed.
There are those who say they they believe in God, but walk in darkness:
15 “Beware of the false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly are ravenous wolves.
16 “You will know them by their fruits. Grapes are not gathered from thorn bushes nor figs from thistles, are they?
17 “So every good tree bears good fruit, but the bad tree bears bad fruit.
18 “A good tree cannot produce bad fruit, nor can a bad tree produce good fruit.
19 “Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.
20 “So then, you will know them by their fruits.
Walking in the Light, having fellowship with God, does something for us that we could never do ourselves: washes away our sin.
9 Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived; neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor homosexuals,
10 nor thieves, nor the covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers, will inherit the kingdom of God.
11 Such were some of you; but you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and in the Spirit of our God.
14 As obedient children, do not be conformed to the former lusts which were yours in your ignorance,
15 but like the Holy One who called you, be holy yourselves also in all your behavior;
16 because it is written, “You shall be holy, for I am holy.”
17 If you address as Father the One who impartially judges according to each one’s work, conduct yourselves in fear during the time of your stay on earth;
18 knowing that you were not redeemed with perishable things like silver or gold from your futile way of life inherited from your forefathers,
19 but with precious blood, as of a lamb unblemished and spotless, the blood of Christ.
21 Therefore what benefit were you then deriving from the things of which you are now ashamed? For the outcome of those things is death.
22 But now having been freed from sin and enslaved to God, you derive your benefit, resulting in sanctification, and the outcome, eternal life.
23 For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Notice that the outcome of being washed by the blood of Christ is eternal life.
John addresses the pride that we have in us: a denial of sin.
10 as it is written, “There is none righteous, not even one;
11 There is none who understands, There is none who seeks for God;
12 All have turned aside, together they have become useless; There is none who does good, There is not even one.”
23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,
6 All of us like sheep have gone astray, Each of us has turned to his own way; But the Lord has caused the iniquity of us all To fall on Him.
The remedy is to confess our sins.
37 Now when they heard this, they were pierced to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, “Brethren, what shall we do?”
38 Peter said to them, “Repent, and each of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.
Maybe you need to confess your sin to God today, and accept His forgiveness.
5 I acknowledged my sin to You, And my iniquity I did not hide; I said, “I will confess my transgressions to the Lord”; And You forgave the guilt of my sin. Selah.
15 It is a trustworthy statement, deserving full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, among whom I am foremost of all.
After hearing the truth of Scripture, if someone still says that they have not sinned, then they are calling God a liar.
APPLICATION
APPLICATION
Those who believe in Jesus receive eternal life and have fellowship with God and other believers.
The evidence of our faith shows through in our lives.
Next week, we will continue through 1 John.