Thoughts on 1st John – Part 1
1JN 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;
What they heard, and seen, and touched was Jesus. He was clearly from the beginning. Jesus existed in eternity past.
1JN 1:2 (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;)
Jesus was the eternal life that was with the Father and then became man and was manifested to them.
1JN 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.
They heard and seen Jesus and then comes what should be the natural result. They declared Him unto others. If you really meet Jesus, then it is only natural that you will declare Him to others. You want others to meet Him also.
1JN 1:4 And these things write we unto you, that your joy may be full.
And the above truth was written so that your joy may be full. You can have a little joy, or your joy can be full. Full joy comes from knowing the eternal Jesus as your Savior and declaring Him to others. Full joy will overflow, because you cannot contain it all.
How full is your joy?
Do you know the eternal Jesus?
Are you witnessing for Him?
1JN 1:5 This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all.
God is Holy. There is no darkness in God at all. If something is wicked, God is not in it. God is not in abortion, booze, pornography, rock music, lying, steeling, cheating, ect. This is a truth that has ramifications for your daily life as a Christian. How you live your life will have a big effect on how close your fellowship is with a Holy, Righteous, Just, and loving God.
1JN 1:6 If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth:
Not only does God have no darkness in Him, but He will not fellowship with darkness. God will not walk with darkness. If you want to walk with God and have fellowship with Him, then you need to walk in the light. Just to be clear this is not talking about salvation. You get saved by simple repentant faith. You cannot lose your salvation, but you can lose close fellowship with God.
If you are looking at a playboy, be assured God is not walking with you in that. Verse 6 teaches us that if you are walking in darkness and say that you have fellowship with God that you are a liar.
The truth that God will not fellowship with darkness poses a problem because we all still have a sin nature. We have been saved from the penalty of sin, but we have not yet been saved from the presence of sin. We all slip up. We all still commit sins.
1JN 1:8 If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.
So how are we to maintain a close fellowship with God? We are told in verse 9.
1JN 1:9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
1JN 1:10 If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.
Confess your sins to God every day. Keep close accounts with God. If you say that I have nothing to confess, then the Bible says that you are a liar. If you have lived today, then you have something to confess. Some thought you should not have had. Something you watched, or something that you did not do that you should have.
You need to take God up on His promise. He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. Keep your sins confessed. Go to your knees for daily cleansing. Again not for salvation, but so that you can have close sweet fellowship with God because He will not walk in darkness.
1JN 1:7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.
Just a simple thought today. When two Christians are fighting and not in fellowship the way they are supposed to be, then they are not walking in the light. When Christians are walking according to His light, then they will not be walking in sin. Discord, anger, fighting, ect. are sin. Walking close to Jesus and walking in His light changes all of that. When a group of Christians are all walking in the light, then there will be harmony in that local church. There will be a sweet spirit when you walk into the place and you will see Christians having joyful fellowship with each other. That is the way it should be. But you don’t get that kind of harmony and sweet fellowship, when you put a bunch of sinners together unless they are walking in the light. Yes, even after we are saved, we are still carrying that sin nature. The flesh can cause all kinds of trouble. That is why it is so important that every member of a local church be striving to walk in the light. Not only for his own sake but for all those around him.
1JN 2:1 My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous:
Just because a Christian cannot lose his salvation even if he sins does not mean that we should sin. We will all mess up at times because we all still have that old sin nature. But we should strive to NOT sin. Out of love for our Lord we should not willingly partake in any sin.
And if we do slip up and sin, we have an advocate with the Father. Jesus is with the Father sitting on the throne. And all of our sins have been paid for on the cross. And advocate is one who defends another’s cause. Our cause is defended by the work Jesus did on the cross. His righteousness was imputed to us when we received Him as our Savior.
1JN 2:2 And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for our’s only, but also for the sins of the whole world.
This is a mountaintop verse on the love of God. Jesus went to the cross for everyone. He paid the penalty for all. Jesus did not die only for those that He knew would get saved. He made payment for all. However, that payment, that wonderful gift does not do a lost man any good unless he accepts it.
The payment has been made, the work has been done on the cross. Jesus said it is finished. And 3 days later Jesus showed that the payment had been accepted by rising again.
Propitiation is a term that means full payment. The payment that Jesus made for sin on the cross paid it all. It did not fall short or is lacking in any way. Jesus paid it all.
All that is left for a lost man to do is to accept it. If you have never been saved, then you need to take the lost sinner’s place and trust the lost sinner’s Savior. Realize that you are a sinner on your way to hell. Believe that the very Son of God went to the cross to pay for your sin. And call upon Him to save you.
He has already done the work. He has already paid the price. His arms are open wide to receive you and give you the gift of eternal life. All you have to do, all you can do, is believe in your heart and ask Him to save you.
1JN 2:3 And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments.
John is talking about assurance of salvation. How do we know in our heart that we are saved? John gives some signs of salvation. We know that we know Jesus if we keep His commandments. Living according to how Jesus would have us to live is not natural for a lost person. Keeping His commandments goes against the flesh. A lost person can keep it up for a little while but it is a real struggle.
1JN 2:4 He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him.
1JN 2:5 But whoso keepeth his word, in him verily is the love of God perfected: hereby know we that we are in him.
If we keep His word, it is an assurance to us that we are in Him. You cannot keep His word unless you have His grace working in your life. John is not talking about how to get saved here. He is talking about signs that give us assurance that we are saved.
1JN 2:6 He that saith he abideth in him ought himself also so to walk, even as he walked.
Once again the Bible tells Christians that we should live holy lives. We should walk even as Jesus walked. Walking as Jesus walked is a very high standard. Since Jesus was perfect and sinless the standard is actually impossible for us. However, it is what we are to strive for. We should never dabble in sin on purpose! We ought to live for Jesus and strive to walk like He did. And notice is says ought. This is a choice. Jesus does not force this upon us. We had a free will before salvation to get saved or not and after salvation we have a free will on how close we want to walk with Jesus. What we should do is walk the walk because of what Jesus did for us and because it is the right thing to do and because He is worthy.
1JN 2:7 Brethren, I write no new commandment unto you, but an old commandment which ye had from the beginning. The old commandment is the word which ye have heard from the beginning.
1JN 2:8 Again, a new commandment I write unto you, which thing is true in him and in you: because the darkness is past, and the true light now shineth.
1JN 2:9 He that saith he is in the light, and hateth his brother, is in darkness even until now.
1JN 2:10 He that loveth his brother abideth in the light, and there is none occasion of stumbling in him.
1JN 2:11 But he that hateth his brother is in darkness, and walketh in darkness, and knoweth not whither he goeth, because that darkness hath blinded his eyes.
Hate is darkness. It is sin. So if someone hates then they are walking in darkness. God is the opposite of darkness; God is light. God is love. And God will not walk in darkness. If you want to walk with God then you have to come out of the darkness and walk in the light. That means you would have to leave your hate.
It is very sad but true there is a major religion based on hate. Hate permeates it from forcing conversions, to treating others who are not in your religion with hate, to having sex slaves. All of that hate is darkness. They might deceive themselves into thinking they are walking with God but they are sadly mistaken. Hate is darkness and sin and God does not walk in darkness. God is light.
1JN 2:12 I write unto you, little children, because your sins are forgiven you for his name’s sake.
John is writing to people who are already saved. In the verses before this John has taught how we are to walk as Jesus walked and how we are to sin not. He also taught that if we do sin that we have an advocate Jesus Christ the righteous. And when we got saved all of our sins were forgiven even all of the sins that we had not yet committed. And one of the reasons that our sins are forgiven is for His name’s sake. It brings God glory when people are saved from hell. It brings Him glory when He works in a life. It magnifies His name when He shows mercy. God does have more than one reason for doing things. He is an all knowing infinite God. He does forgive us for our sakes but He also forgives for His name’s sake.
1JN 2:13 I write unto you, fathers, because ye have known him that is from the beginning. I write unto you, young men, because ye have overcome the wicked one. I write unto you, little children, because ye have known the Father.
1JN 2:14 I have written unto you, fathers, because ye have known him that is from the beginning. I have written unto you, young men, because ye are strong, and the word of God abideth in you, and ye have overcome the wicked one.
Here is yet another place that clearly teaches that Jesus existed before the manger. Jesus always existed. John says he is writing them because they know Jesus who was from the beginning. Jesus is God the Son co equal with God the Father and God the Spirit. One God manifested to us in 3 personalities. Jesus is the Almighty. Jesus is the creator. Jesus has all power. One of the names for Jesus is the word of God.
Joh 1:1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
Joh 1:2 The same was in the beginning with God.
Joh 1:3 All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.
Joh 1:14 And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.
And when we are saved we are indwelt by God the Spirit. John is referencing this when he writes the word of God abideth in you.
And twice in these 2 verses John writes ye have overcome the wicked one speaking of the Devil. And the reason that they did is not because of their strength or their cleverness. The only reason is they have God abiding in them. We have no power in and of ourselves to overcome the wicked one. We have a great need to walk close to God. We need His strength and we need Him working in our lives.
1JN 2:15 Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.
1JN 2:16 For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.
1JN 2:17 And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.
We are told to love God with everything we have.
Deu_6:5 And thou shalt love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might.
Mar_12:30 And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment.
If you have the Love of the Father in you, meaning you are saved and have the Holy Spirit indwelling you. And you are listening to the guiding of the Spirit, then you will Love God and not the things of the world.
God the Holy Spirit will only direct your love toward God and others as appropriate. He will never direct your love toward the things of the world. And to be perfectly clear exactly what he is talking about John will define it.
He is not talking about loving your wife like you should or your children. He is not talking about loving the breathren. We are instructed to love in that way. We are to love our neighbor as ourselves.
We are not to love the things that are in the world. It is ok to have things. I have a good amount of tools. Hammers and saws and paint brushes. It is ok and good and proper to have the things I need to maintain the roof over my head. Having some things is ok. The problem is putting your love upon them.
An example for some people is fancy or expensive, or vintage cars. The things of this world are all temporary, they will all rust or corrupt. They are not where our hearts should be.
John also defines what he is talking about as the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life.
So anything in the world that is attached to the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life is what we are NOT to hold dear and put out love upon.
1JN 2:18 Little children, it is the last time: and as ye have heard that antichrist shall come, even now are there many antichrists; whereby we know that it is the last time.
The context of antichrist here is someone who is anti or against Christ. And there are many of them. That was true in John’s day and it is true in our day. This is a characteristic of the last time. Biblically the last time is the period between the ascension of Jesus and when He comes back. And this entire time period will be characterized by many who are against or anti-Christ.
When you look at the history of the last 2000 years you will see that has been true the entire time. And there will continue to be a large number of people who are anti-Christ in the future. This should not surprise you and you should not let it discourage you. God has clearly told us that this is the way it will be.
1JN 2:19 They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would no doubt have continued with us: but they went out, that they might be made manifest that they were not all of us.
John is not talking about a local church membership here. John is writing to a local church in another area. That should be obvious. So when John writes went out from us he is not talking about someone leaving a local church membership. John and those he is writing to are not in the same local church. However, John and those he is writing to are in the same faith. John is talking about leaving the faith.
Verse 19 is teaching that those that leave the faith were actually not of the faith. They were impostors. They were tares with the wheat. And the fact that they left the faith makes it manifested to all that they never where real Christians.
A Christian can backslide and they can sin but they can never deny Jesus. Lot is the Bible’s example of the worst backslider. Lot did many bad things. But in the end he would not deny the Lord. Lot identified with and stood up for God’s servants (angels) and Lot witnessed about the truth of God to his son’s in law. Even the worst backslider who is living in sin (like Lot) will not deny the Lord.
So when you hear someone say I used to be a Christian know for a certainty that they are lying and never really were a Christian.
1JN 2:20 But ye have an unction from the Holy One, and ye know all things.
1JN 2:21 I have not written unto you because ye know not the truth, but because ye know it, and that no lie is of the truth.
1JN 2:22 Who is a liar but he that denieth that Jesus is the Christ? He is antichrist, that denieth the Father and the Son.
1JN 2:23 Whosoever denieth the Son, the same hath not the Father: he that acknowledgeth the Son hath the Father also.
He is a true sign of a false teacher and a true sign of someone who is actually against Christ. Anyone who denies that Jesus is the Christ. Anyone who denies Jesus has not the Father. The two go together. There are groups that say they worship the true God but they deny Jesus. You cannot have it that way. The two go together. If you have the Son you have the Father. There is one God manifested to us in 3 Personalities. God the Father and God the Son and God the Spirit. John is addressing the issue of those who deny Jesus but say they have the Father. Those that say that are a liar and they actually do not have the Father.
In fact the only way to the Father is by Jesus.
Joh 14:6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.
You cannot have the Father without Jesus.
See more lessons from 1st 2nd 3rd John