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"THE FIRST EPISTLE OF JOHN"

Introduction To First John (1:1-4)

"What was from the beginning, what we have heard, what we have seen with our eyes, what we beheld and our hands handled, concerning the Word of Life-- and the life was manifested, and we have seen and bear witness and proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and was manifested to us-- what we have seen and heard we proclaim to you also, that you also may have fellowship with us; and indeed our fellowship is with the Father, and with His Son Jesus Christ. And these things we write, so that our joy may be made complete."

INTRODUCTION:

1. When Jesus to earth, He came not only to LIVE a life, but to GIVE life:

"I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly. "

- Jn 10:10

2. The GOSPEL of John was designed to produce faith so that we might have life

- cf. Jn 20:30-31

"Many other signs therefore Jesus also performed in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book; but these have been written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing you may have life in His name."

3. It is in 1 John that we have a discussion of the nature of that life in greater detail - e.g., 1 Jn 3:14

"We know that we have passed out of death into life, because we love the brethren. He who does not love abides in death."

4. A careful study of 1 John is important so that we might be sure to live the sort of life God offers through His Son, Jesus Christ.

[Let's first look at some background information]

I. BACKGROUND INFORMATION

A. THE AUTHOR...

1. John, the beloved disciple of Jesus

2. Similarities between this epistle and the Gospel of John certainly suggests INTERNAL evidence for this conclusion

3. There is also EXTERNAL evidence that this John is the author:

a. Polycarp, a close associate of John, appears to make reference to this epistle at the beginning of the second century, in a letter to the Philippians

b. Irenaeus, a student of Polycarp, quoted from it and attributed it to John

B. THE RECIPIENTS...

1. No one is specifically mentioned

2. John may have been in Ephesus at the time, and that this was a general epistle to the Christians throughout Asia Minor

C. DATE...

1. Estimations range from 60 A.D. to 100 A.D.

2. Most modern scholarship places it around 95 A.D.

D. PURPOSE...

1. As declared by John throughout his epistle, he wrote it...

a. "that your joy may be full" - 1 Jn 1:4

b. "that you may not sin" - 1 Jn 2:1

c. "that you may know that you have eternal life" - 1 Jn 5:13a

d. "that you may continue to believe in the name of the Son of God"

-1Jn 5:13b

2. While these reasons may state the "positive" side of John's purpose, it appears he was also responding to errors that were prevalent at the time -

cf. 1 Jn 2:26

"These things I have written to you concerning those who are trying to deceive you."

a. "Gnosticism" was in its early stages....would later be fully developed

b. Those who came to be called "Gnostics"...

1) Claimed to have a superior knowledge (Grk. word for knowledge is gnosis [gnosis])

2) They believed all matter was evil

a) Therefore God did not create or have anything to do with the material universe

b) Therefore Christ could not have come in the flesh

c) But look at what John wrote....- cf. 1 Jn 4:1-3

"Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God; because many false prophets have gone out into the world. By this you know the Spirit of God: every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God; and every spirit that does not confess Jesus is not from God; and this is the spirit of the antichrist, of which you have heard that it is coming, and now it is already in the world."

1/ One branch of gnosticism, is DOCETISM

Comes from the Gr. word dokein (dokein, "to seem"),

They said that Jesus only "seemed" to be physical -

John addresses this in 1 Jn 1:1

"What was from the beginning, what we have heard, what we have seen with our eyes, what we beheld and our hands handled, concerning the Word of Life--"

2/ Another branch of Gnosticism is CERINTHUS

They taught that "Jesus" was physical, but that the "Christ" came upon him at his baptism, and left before his death, so that the "Christ-spirit" never suffered -

But John addresses this false concept, too..1 Jn 5:6

1 John 5:6, This is the one who came by water and blood, Jesus Christ; not with the water only, but with the water and with the blood.

c. Gnostic's application to everyday living took two different directions ; since all matter was thought to be evil...

1) Some thought one should abstain altogether from anything that would satisfy the flesh

Puritans continued with this belief - many religions after them

2) Other Gnostic's claimed it did not matter what one did in the flesh (it was evil anyway), and to have full knowledge it was proper to explore everything

[Many of John's comments in this epistle appear to address these false teachings.]

[With this brief background to the epistle, let's get right into the text by considering the first four verses. They appear to serve as a PROLOGUE, and reveal...]

II. JOHN'S AIM IN WRITING THIS EPISTLE (1:1-4)

A. CONCERNS THE "WORD OF LIFE" (1)

1. Which was "from the beginning"

John 1:1 (NASB) In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

1 John 1:1 (NASB) What was from the beginning, what we have heard, what we have seen with our eyes, what we beheld and our hands handled, concerning the Word of Life--

2. This "Word of life" was...

a. "heard"

b. "seen with our eyes"

c. "looked upon"

d. "handled"

-- all emphasizing that this "Word" was "real, in the flesh"; an obvious reference to Jesus ---

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

John 1:14, And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth.

B. John's writing this epistle was TO DECLARE THE "ETERNAL LIFE" (2)

1 John 1:2, and the life was manifested, and we have seen and bear witness and proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and was manifested to us--

1. Which was...

a. With the Father

b. And then manifested to the apostles, who had seen and were bearing witness

2. Again, this is an obvious reference to Jesus Christ

3. But notice the use of the NEUTER gender throughout this passage

a. The emphasis appears to be on the "life" which Jesus had, especially that which is "eternal" ("that eternal life")

b. It is this same "life" which we can possess if we truly believe in the name of the Son of God - cf. 1 Jn 5:11-13

And the witness is this, that God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. He who has the Son has the life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have the life. These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, in order that you may know that you have eternal life.

4. Thus John is focusing on the "eternal life" which Jesus offers and made possible by His coming in the flesh

C. Thirdly, John is writing this epistle

THAT YOU MAY HAVE "FELLOWSHIP" WITH US (3)

1 John 1:3 (NASB) what we have seen and heard we proclaim to you also, that you also may have fellowship with us; and indeed our fellowship is with the Father, and with His Son Jesus Christ.

1. Here is the reason for declaring the "Word of life," the "eternal life"

2. By declaring this "life" (revealed by Jesus and through Jesus),

"fellowship" is possible

a. This is the Biblical term "Fellowship" (- notice you don't smell coffee and donuts)

b. Fellowship involves the idea of "sharing, communion"

c. The "sharing, communion" that the apostles have is with the Father and His Son

3. John wanted his readers to participate in this same sharing...

a. "that you also may have fellowship with us"

b. I.e., that you can experience what we are experiencing!

4. Why does John desire this? Read on...

D. THAT YOUR "JOY" MAY BE MADE COMPLETE (4)

1 John 1:4 (NASB) And these things we write, so that our joy may be made complete.

1. It is "fellowship" with the Father and Son that makes the "life" of a Christian so full of joy!

2. And just as Jesus came to give us "abundant life" (Jn 10:10),

Jesus said..."The thief comes only to steal, and kill, and destroy; I came that they might have life, and might have it abundantly.

so John now writes...

a. That we may be sure to have fellowship with the Father and His Son, in Whom is "eternal life" - cf. Jn 17:3

John 17:3 (NASB) "And this is eternal life, that they may know Thee, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom Thou hast sent.

b. So that our joy may be full!

CONCLUSION

1. From 1 Jn 1:1-4, then, we learn that fullness of joy comes only when we are in fellowship with the Father and the Son

2. Only then do we have that "eternal life," which was first manifested in the flesh by Jesus Himself, and now given only through Jesus - cf. 1 Jn 5:11-13

3. In our next lesson, we shall see what John says is essential if we are to truly have fellowship with God (1 Jn 1:5-2:2)

But if you are not a Christian, let me explain how such fellowship with God can begin... - cf. Ga 3:26-27

For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus. For all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ.