1 John 1:1-4, Review and Continuation

We are ready to return tour studies in 1 John.  Today’s post will give us the opportunity to review what we have see so far, from 1:1-2:27.

John’s own introduction to the letter (1:1-4) is very clear about the subject and purpose.  The subject is Christ, particularly in His true humanity, to that which John could attest to seeing and touching.  The purpose is that we might have joyful fellowship as brothers and sisters in Christ, this fellowship being based in the fact that all brothers and sisters have fellowship with the Father and the Son.  This tells us two important things.  First, fellowship requires a proper and a growing understanding of Christ.  We need to know Him in truth.  That’s why He is the subject of the letter.  Second, we must recognize that it is proper and necessary and God-honoring for us to have a good relationship with fellow believers.  If it is the purpose of the letter, then it must be a major aim of our lives.

In 1:5-2:27 we see that sin ruins fellowship.  At the same time, we see that Christ enables us to deal with sin, not just for eternity but for today, so that we can have the joyful fellowship that is the purpose of John’s encouraging letter.

v 1:5-2:1:  We cannot deal rightly with sin if we deny it’s existence.  So that is where we begin.  We must be willing to acknowledge or “confess” sin when it is part of our lives.  A simple recognition that we are not “walking in the light” in a particular situation is the key to Christ cleansing us and continuing the work of bringing us into conformity to His image.  Christ can do this because He Himself is righteous, He is our Advocate, and He has made propitiation for our sins on the cross.  His once-for-all work is having a continual effect in our lives now.  The goal is that we should not sin.  But if we do there cleansing available.

v 2:3-6: What is normal for Christians is that they walk in God’s commands, in His word, and that we walk like Jesus walked on this earth.  This describes the life where sin is not marring our fellowship with the Father and the Son.

v 2:7-11: Specifically, the commands John is concerned about are two: one old and one new.  The one that has been around is that we must believe in Christ, not just once but this must be our normal life.  This will come up later.  The new one is that we love the brethren (our family in Christ).  We cannot overemphasize the importance of this.  Jesus gave this command, saying it would be the chief characteristic of those who follow Him (John 13:34-35).  Failure to do this leaves us open to stumbling in our daily walk with God.

v 2:12-14: The family consists of spiritual children, fathers, and young men.  We are not all at the same point spiritually.  The issue of maturity is our ability to handle the word of righteousness and to discern good and evil (Hb. 5:12-14).

v 2:15-17: It we are to not sin we must love God and not the world.  We must realize that all we desire from the world will take us away from God, and then will itself pass away. 

v 2:18-23: The times in which we live, and this can be said from the time of John until now, are very difficult.  There are many Christ-deniers (antichrists).  But we have the Holy Spirit, here referred to as the Anointing.  He works in us to assure us of our relationship with God, that we truly know Him.  We need not fear these days.

v 2:24-28: All that we have seen about how to deal with sin is punctuated about the need to be continuous in living out the life that we have in Christ.  We must first come to Christ by faith, confessing Him as our crucified and risen Lord (Rom. 10:9-10).  But then we must abide in Him, abide in the truth of Christ. 

Sin ruins our fellowship with God, and then with each other.  But Christ has given us what we need so that we can live a life of righteousness.  Fellowship with God can be joyful indeed!