1 John, Chapter 1
© 1998 Darroll Evans-all rights reserved
The “Word of Life”
is Christ Jesus!
John and the others
not only heard about Him, they knew Him personally!
Many Church
attendees claim to be Christians, but do not know Christ!
Christ Jesus was
“in the beginning!”
John 1:1-3
1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with
God, and the Word was God.
2 The same was in the beginning with God.
3 All things were made by him; and without him was not any
thing made that was made.
Christ Jesus is
the agent of creation!
Without Him nothing
would have been created!
Gen 1:1 In the beginning God created the heaven and
the earth.
The phrase “in the
beginning” may also be translated “by the firstfruits!”
Christ Jesus is the
firstfruits of the resurrection!
1 Cor 15:23a But every man in his own
order: Christ the firstfruits;
John1: 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.
As Christians, we
declare Christ Jesus to you so that you may believe on Him and have fellowship
with us in Him and fellowship with the Father and Christ Jesus, the Son!
Rom 10:14 How then shall they call on
him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they
believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how
shall they hear without a preacher?
“Preacher” is a
generic term indicating all Christians!
All who follow
Christ carry the message of salvation in Him!
Those who do not
carry that message are not followers!
Some may attend
Church, but unless they carry the message of Christ they are either not true
Christians or they are weak in the faith!
Many who hold
leadership positions within the Church are at best weak in the faith!
1 John1: 4 And these things write we unto
you, that your joy may be full.
I love this short verse.
John is not just writing to others to get
converts to Christ, he is writing to us for our benefit. His bottom line is
directed toward us.
Without Christ we cannot have joy, but with
Christ our joy may be complete, accomplished, fulfilled, and crammed full.
Joy (Gr. chara-cara) speaks of calm delight!
Do you delight in Christ?
1 John1: 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.
His light is synonymous with purity, and
darkness with impurity.
In God there is no imperfection or impurity!
Many who do not understand God's plan for the
ages, and blame Him for the evil that men do.
God has not given total understanding to all
men!
Spiritual ignorance is rampant
1 John1: 6 If we
say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not
the truth:
They are walking in darkness!
Spiritual darkness leads to many perverse
works of the flesh!
Gal
5:19-21
19 Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery,
fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness,
20 Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife,
seditions, heresies,
21 Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before,
as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not
inherit the kingdom of God.
1 John1: 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.
If we live in the light of God's truth!
We have "fellowship," or godly
association with each other.
The blood of Jesus Christ cleanses us from
"all sin."
Far too many Christians who are weak in the
faith continue to claim to be “old sinners” rather than a new creation in
Christ!
2 Cor
5:17 Therefore if any man be in
Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold,
all things are become new.
In Christ we are now new creations!
So, act like it and respond to it!
1 John1: 8 If we
say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.
That is not the same as saying that your sins
have been forgiven!
The one who declares his/her sinlessness is not truthful, and does not know the Truth!
Saying that we are sinless is self-deception!
1 John1: 9 If we
confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to
cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
It does not apply to those who are already
and completely forgiven!
Usually it is taught as an Arminianist
doctrine of backsliding and loss of salvation then being re-saved!
“Backsliding” is an Old Testament teaching
that is NOT applicable to New Testament Christians!
As the saved…we are saved, forgiven, and
cleansed from all unrighteousness!
Instead of asking for forgiveness over and
over, Christians thank God that they are forgiven!
That process is not repeated time and time
again until “we” get it right!
God gets it right the first time, but “many
of us” fail to believe Him!
All Christians believe IN Christ, but few
actually believe Him!
Notice that here the reference is to “all
unrighteousness.”
That in includes all future sins!
Jesus said, “Come unto me, all ye that labour and are
heavy laden, and I will give you rest” (Matt
11:28).
He did not add, [Until you sin again, and
then you are on your own]!
1 John1: 10 If we
say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.
Here, John makes it emphatic!
He has proclaimed that all have sinned and
come short.
Rom
3:23 For all have sinned, and come
short of the glory of God;
That is the short course in why we need
forgiveness!
But, if we deny the basic concept, we have no
understanding of our continual need for Christ Jesus!
If by our beliefs we cause God to seem to be
a liar His Living Word, Christ Jesus, is not a part of us.