1 John: A Journey

[paradox3]

1 John 1

Bible Gateway passage: 1 John 1 - New English Translation

The Prologue to the Letter - This is what we proclaim to you: what was from the beginning, what we have heard, what we have seen with our eyes, what we have looked at and our hands have touched (concerning the word of life— and the life was revealed, and we have seen and testify and announce to...

www.biblegateway.com

Welcome to the first chapter of John's first letter.

It opens with a prologue and then delivers a strong theological statement. It is beautifully written. Take a look if you are interested!

Key points include:
God is Light. In God there is no darkness.

The blood of Jesus cleanses us and the whole world of sin

All of us sin and are called to confession. We deceive ourselves if we say we do not sin.

Jesus Christ the Righteous One is our advocate with the Father

 

[unsafe]

So we see in the prologue that Jesus is described as the Word of Life -----

using AMP
1 [I am writing about] what existed from the beginning, what we have heard, concerning the Word of Life [the One who existed even before the beginning of the world, Christ]

I say -----
This is important to Note here cause ----Jesus is the Word and the Word is alive and active today as it was then --the Word Creates ---that it does what it says it does for the believer -----the Word will not return Void ----Isaiah 55:11

The Living Word -(Jesus ) was in the Father and the Rhema Word from the Father --created all things ----Jesus and the Father are One ----

It also points out ---that the fellowship of the Born Again believer is with the Father and the Son ---Verse 3

3 And indeed our fellowship [which is a distinguishing mark of born-again believers] is with the Father, and with His Son Jesus Christ.


God is light ----what does that mean Spiritually

Strong's Greek: 5457. φῶς (phós) -- Light

Greek word for Light
Lexicon
phós: Light

• The concept of light is also central to the understanding of God's nature. In 1 John 1:5, it is stated, "God is light, and in Him there is no darkness at all." This highlights the purity, holiness, and truth inherent in God's character.


I say ------Verse 6 ----is for a lot of people hard to hear --and can cause conflict among people who think that they have true fellowship with Christ ----but remain in their sin nature state ---

Verse 6 If we say that we have fellowship with Him and yet walk in the darkness [of sin], we lie and do not practice the truth;


I say -------Verse 7 ---is Spiritually important -----as this shows the Believer that they are continually cleansed with the washing of the Blood of Christ when they do mess up

7 but if we [really] walk in the Light [that is, live each and every day in conformity with the precepts of God], as He Himself is in the Light, we have [true, unbroken] fellowship with one another [He with us, and we with Him], and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin [by erasing the stain of sin, keeping us cleansed from sin in all its forms and manifestations].

AI --

Cleanses us from all sin:
This highlights the ongoing power of the blood of Jesus to remove the stain of sin and restore fellowship with God.

The concept of being "showered" or cleansed with God's blood is a metaphor that conveys the idea that the cleansing power of Jesus' blood is available to believers whenever they repent and turn away from sin.

In essence, 1 John 1:7 reminds believers that they have access to the ongoing forgiveness and cleansing through the blood of Jesus, and that they are encouraged to walk in the light and remain in fellowship with God.


Verse 9 -- If we [freely] admit that we have sinned and confess our sins ---

I say -------the confessing of sin is for the Believer's sake not for God's sake to forgive ------

The confession of sin is made out loud so the believer can again align their heart with God and His will by calling upon His Grace which gives the Believer the power to turn away from entering into sin ----

I say ------Verse 10
So if People say they are a believer but never confesses their sins then---God says His word is not in them as they are calling Him a liar by contradicting His Word


I say -------Hard True Teaching to hear for many ----no Sugarcoating ---no Twisting of the Scripture to suit the people ---no going around the mountain to get the point -----and No Half Truths ----

John is calling a Spade a Spade ---Straight Up -----Just like Jesus did with the Pharisees ---and more of it needed in churches today in my view -----

 

[paradox3]

1 John 1 has nothing to say about belief whatsoever. Nada. Zip.

You are employing the theology from John's Gospel @unsafe

Who are the intended recipients of this letter? Would the letter writer assume they already have the teachings from the Gospel?

 

[paradox3]

Well you learn something new every day.

I have just learned that John's epistles are among the "Catholic" letters of the NT. Meaning there is no specific recipient and the content is intended to be universal.

There are 7 in total. The others are James, 1 Peter, 2 Peter and Jude.

 

[unsafe]

Who are the intended recipients of this letter?

The primary audience of 1 John is believers, particularly those who may have been swayed by false teachings and who were likely part of the Johannine community in Asia Minor (modern-day Turkey). The letter aims to encourage them to remain steadfast in their faith and to combat the emerging heresies.

Here's a more detailed breakdown:

Believers:
The letter clearly addresses Christians who have embraced the truth about Jesus Christ and are facing internal and external challenges to their faith.

Johannine Community:
The letter is thought to be written to a group of believers who may have been part of a broader Johannine community, possibly in Ephesus and surrounding churches in Asia Minor.

Facing False Teachings:
The audience is dealing with individuals who were denying the incarnation of Jesus and claiming to have special anointing, leading to a division within the church.

Purpose:
The letter's purpose is to reaffirm the truth about Jesus Christ, combat false teachings, and encourage the believers to persevere in their faith and moral life.

You are employing the theology from John's Gospel

Summary of the Book of 1 John - Bible Survey | GotQuestions.org

Can you summarize the Book of 1 John (1John)? Who wrote 1 John? What is the Book of 1 John all about?

www.gotquestions.org

Author: 1, 2, and 3 John have from earliest times been attributed to the apostle John, who also wrote the Gospel of John. The content, style, and vocabulary seem to warrant the conclusion that these three epistles were addressed to the same readers as the Gospel of John.

1 John 1 has nothing to say about belief whatsoever.

I really don't know how you come to that inclusion ------1 John 1 is talking about believers and False believers -----if you look at it Spiritually ---

AMP -----verse 6 ---is definitely speaking of a person who says they have fellowship with Jesus but still walk in the dark -----this is describing an unbeliever here for sure ---A False Christian

6 If we say that we have fellowship with Him and yet walk in the darkness [of sin], we lie and do not practice the truth;

AMP ---Verse 7 -----Seaking of a believer ---you can't walk in the Light without Christ -----

7 but if we [really] walk in the Light [that is, live each and every day in conformity with the precepts of God], as He Himself is in the Light, we have [true, unbroken] fellowship with one another [He with us, and we with Him], and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin [by erasing the stain of sin, keeping us cleansed from sin in all its forms and manifestations.

All of us sin and are called to confession

Yes we all do sin ----the difference here is that unbelievers are away from God so if they confess their sin it is for relieving their own emotional guilt ---it has nothing to do with getting their heart back on the right track to do God's will ---

AI

The concept of God turning His face from sinners is illustrated in several biblical passages.
For instance, Isaiah 59:2 states that "your iniquities have separated you from your God; your sins have hidden his face from you, so that he will not hear." Psalm 34:16 similarly says, "But the face of the Lord is against those who do evil." These verses highlight the consequence of sin, which is a separation from God's presence and grace.

 

[unsafe]

Sorry paradox3 don't know what I did but something went wrong --when I posted ----you didn't say AI ---I posted that

 

[paradox3]

Sorry paradox3 don't know what I did but something went wrong --when I posted ----you didn't say AI ---I posted that

Ta da! I got rid of it for you. I hope I didn't delete anything else accidentally

 

[paradox3]

Oh no. I made it worse. I am so sorry @unsafe.

I think you and I know who is saying what but others might be confused.

 

[unsafe]

Oh no. I made it worse. I am so sorry @unsafe.

I think you and I know who is saying what but others might be confused.

No worries ----all is well ----we can straighten others out from their confusion if need be ----

 

[paradox3]

You could be correct here @unsafe about John addressing believers. Or maybe the early churches?

The Gospel of John seems more like evangelism to me.

 

[unsafe]

You could be correct here @unsafe about John addressing believers. Or maybe the early churches?

The early Church needed guidance as it was full of False Christians as well as True Christians ----and 1 John 1 is definitely pointing out the difference between the 2 Groups --of Believers and the want- a- bee - Believers----- and how they are different --I agree with that

AI

1 John provides guidance and encouragement to the early church, particularly addressing challenges like the rise of heretical teachings and the importance of love and faith. It emphasizes the importance of living a life that reflects a true faith in Christ and offers advice on how to discern true teachers from false ones. The letter also highlights the ongoing process of purification and emphasizes the importance of love within the Christian community.

Discernment of True Teachers:
John provides guidelines for distinguishing true teachers from false teachers, focusing on ethical behavior, adherence to the truth about Jesus, and the demonstration of love.

 

[paradox3]

1 John 2:1-11

Bible Gateway passage: 1 John 2:1-11 - New English Translation

(My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin.) But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the Righteous One, and he himself is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for our sins but also for the whole world. Keeping God’s...

www.biblegateway.com

John reiterates that Jesus is the atoning sacrifice for our sins. Not only for us but for the whole world!

We know God if we keep God's commandments.

And now John gives a new commandment. For Christians to love one another.

 

[paradox3]

Snoopy is feeling a little contrary-minded this morning, friends.

So Christians are to love one another. Excellent advice! But how are we expected to treat those who are not Christians?

If Jesus is the atoning sacrifice for the whole world (v2) does this not imply a universalist view of salvation?

And which commandments of God does John want us to keep? The ones found in the Torah???

 

[unsafe]

So Christians are to love one another. Excellent advice! But how are we expected to treat those who are not Christians?

With the same Love __AGAPE ----that God has for all of His Human Creation ---

This Love comes from within given by and through having the indwelling of the Holy Spirit --without the indwelling of the Holy Spirit a Person only has Human Love and Human love Fails as it is driven by our Emotions --

If Jesus is the atoning sacrifice for the whole world (v2) does this not imply a universalist view of salvation?

No -----all this means is all Sin for All People has been dealt with ------so Sin now is no longer in play when Jesus comes back to defeat Satan -and Separates believers from unbelievers --

What is in Play Now is that all must Receive Jesus as He is the one who took all Sin for All people -----if people do not receive Jesus in their Hearts ---they are still classed as Sinners with a Tainted Human Nature ----

All people still have their tainted Human Spirit indwelling in them -----Jesus taking all Sin for all people has nothing to do with making your Tainted Human Spirit Holy -----it is the Nature Change that gets you into heaven Now ----and that can only happen If the person Accepts Jesus as their Lord and Saviour and then the Holy Spirit comes to indwel the person and this changes the person's Tainted Human Spirit to Holy and you get a name change from Sinner to Saint ---and only then are you heaven bound ------

And which commandments of God does John want us to keep? The ones found in the Torah???

The New Command ----as it is in John/s Gospel

John 13:34-35 NIV. “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”

 

[paradox3]

@unsafe
So "love one another" is the commandment of God since it came from Jesus who is one with the Father?

There might be an argument that all of the teachings of Jesus could be distilled down to this single point. But I dunno. In His teachings He needed parables and so on to get just a bit more nuanced..

If we are to love all people with AGAPE love as you say, how loving are we really being if we judge them? I think we are judging if we decide such folks don't qualify for eternal life. I know you will tell me eternal life is God's call.

I enjoy discussing these matters with you and I respect your perspective. But at the end of the day, I hold a universalist view of salvation.

I rather like the Catholic concept of purgatory and the Jewish ideas about the world to come. Both allow for a period of setting things right with God after this life on earth.

 

[unsafe]

I think we are judging if we decide such folks don't qualify for eternal life. I know you will tell me eternal life is God's call.

To your first statement here --

-If you think that it is judging by saying folks don't qualify for eternal life ---then that is what you think ---and I respect your perspective ----

-but we have free choice to choose to qualify or not to qualify for eternal life ----

Salvation is at every persons door ----they can accept it or refuse it ----when God draws a person to accept His call and the person rejects that call that is on that Person not anyone else ---this is self judgment in my mind -----

I chose to accept the call ------so that is not judging others ----the Scripture makes it very clear from Jesus Himself that one must be Born Again of the Spirit -----if people choose to not accept what Jesus has said then again that is on them personally ---they are their own JUDGE -----

The second part of your Statement --is false -----it is not God's call --it is OUR Call ===we choose not God ---God already did His Job ----Salvation is available to All People if they choose to want it -----

God's Grace made Salvation freely available to all -----we have to Receive it by and Through HIs Faith -----and many reject His free Grace and His Faith that is available to everyone --

We want to live our lives as Sinners and expect God to bow down to our tainted Nature and accept us into His Kingdom ----

How selfish is that of all of us ----Jesus died a terrible death so we could be adopted back into God's Graces ----and we think that we should not have to accept God's Word and should be able to disobey Him and reject His Son and still receive eternal life -----WOW !--Blows my mind

But at the end of the day, I hold a universalist view of salvation.

You have every right to your opinion ----and I say keep with your thinking and you will know the truth eventually ---as we all will -----

But that is definitely not what the Scriptures teach ---and no one can change the Scripture ----

I rather like the Catholic concept of purgatory and the Jewish ideas about the world to come. Both allow for a period of setting things right with God after this life on earth.

Again you can think that -----but that doesn't make it true ------

God Says ---------You die once and Judgment comes ---so by that there is no second chance ---according to what the Scripture says ---and no one can change what God has written ----

So you prefer not to accept God's word ---your accepting what you want to think ---and making up your own Doctrine ------and that is your free will kicking in -----and rightly so -----I respect that -----

In His teachings He needed parables and so on to get just a bit more nuanced..

He needed Parables so the people who accepted God the Fathers Drawing would get the Spiritual message out of the Parable --while the others would remain Spiritually Blinded to the Spiritual meaning ----Just like the Pharisees remained Spiritually Blinded to everything Jesus was saying -----


Today there is only one true Spiritual Nuance ----and that comes from the indwelling of the Holy Spirit ----according to Scripture -----and where you are in your walk with Christ Spiritually is the Spiritual nuance you will receive so you can understand and grasp it ---

Like a Babe in Christ will not get the same Spiritual meaning as a more Spiritually Mature person would get as the Babe in Christ is still feeding on the Milk of the Scripture and cannot grasp the deeper meaning yet ---

AI

The Holy Spirit will guide you into all truth, according to John 16:13. This scripture highlights the Holy Spirit's role as the Spirit of truth who will lead believers into a deeper understanding of God's truth.

Here's a more detailed explanation:

• John 16:13:
  "But when he, the Spirit of truth, has come, he will guide you into all truth. For he will not speak on his own, but whatever he hears, he will speak; and he will tell you what is to come."
  • The Holy Spirit is referred to as the "Spirit of truth."
  • He will guide believers into a complete and comprehensive understanding of truth.
  • He will not speak on his own, but will convey what he has heard from God.
  • He will reveal future events.

I say ----So we Humans can think there are many --many interpretations of the Scripture but Scripture says there is only One Person who will reveal the truth of the Scripture to us -----and that person is the Holy Spirit ----and that makes perfect sense to me ----The Spiritual revealing the Spiritual ----

So when I am posting ---I am posting what the Holy Spirit has revealed to me as to where I am Spiritually in my Faith walk with Christ ----someone more Mature than me will get a even deeper meaning from the same Scripture ---

Now I will look at 1 John 2:1-11 and give my Spiritual take on it -----

 

[paradox3]

Chuckling to myself about @unsafe coming back later to discuss today's actual text.

No worries though. I am glad to have @unsafe here engaging with my comments.

 

[unsafe]

So in the first part of this Chapter we see that John is concerned with Sin that still has a hold on Believers ----and Believers have advocate who is Jesus who can help Believers stay out of Sin ---Jesus is our defender against missing the mark ----

We see that there is evidence for us knowing God and having a personal relationship with Him -----we Agape others and we obey His teachings ----

We see the evidence of False believers who just say they follow His teachings ------

Verse 4 AMPC

4 Whoever says, I know Him [I perceive, recognize, understand, and am acquainted with Him] but fails to keep and obey His commandments (teachings) is a liar, and the Truth of the Gospel is not in him.------

Verse 8

8 Yet I am writing you a new commandment, which is true (is realized) in Him and in you, because the darkness ]moral blindness) is clearing away and the true Light is already shining.

I say -----So Verse 8 ------my Spiritual take on this ------------speaks of God's Agape which is in Jesus and now in the one who believes in and follows Jesus as the veil of Spiritual Blindness is lifted and the true light is already shining through ----

False Christian described here

We see that if a person says they are in the light but hates his brother they remains in the dark ----that is -----they are not a true follower of Christ and their Love for their brother remains a stumbling Block ---their love is a failing love ---as it will stumble and fall ----

True Christian described here

Then we see the person who loves his brother and abides in the light there is no occasion for stumbling --they see the stumbling block ahead of time and avoid it ----so their Agape flows freely to his brother -----


Verse 11 --
To me this is describing the Person who without Love lives and breaths darkness --

Posting verse 11 from the AMPC

11 But he who hates (detests, despises) his brother in Christ] is in darkness and walking (living) in the dark; he is straying and does not perceive or know where he is going, because the darkness has blinded his eyes.


My words here ------- He who hates his brother in Christ not only walks in the darkness but lives it ----they have never come out from the darkness --they have no light in them ----so there is no love in them for them to give ---they can't perceive or see where they are going because the darkness has blinded their eyes --so they don'r see the dangers waiting before them --

I am glad to have @unsafe here engaging with my comments.

I so appreciate your comments and what you do here ----you are such an asset to this sight ---and I am so grateful to you for allowing me to give my views which I know are hard to take at times ---but they my views ----hope more will participate ---the more the merrier -----I say

 

[BetteTheRed]

Where does Jesus' story of the good Samaritan fit in here? Why this emphasis on treatment of fellow Christians versus fellow humans?

 

[paradox3]

Where does Jesus' story of the good Samaritan fit in here? Why this emphasis on treatment of fellow Christians versus fellow humans?

Excellent question. It might be that John the Evangelist never even considered it. His focus in his Gospel is the divine nature of Jesus and the importance of correct belief.

In his Epistles he zeroes in on the early church and he sees Christians as set apart from others.

Jesus wanted His disciples to love one another but He was about much more than this.

Thanks for your post. I will keep today's text short because the next few verses are relevant.