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1 John Chapter One

 
JOHN'S AIM IN WRITING THIS EPISTLE (1:1-4)
 
 A. CONCERNS THE "WORD OF LIFE" (1)
 1. Which was "from the beginning"
 a. John may have reference to the creation of the world - cf. 
 Jn 1:1
 b. Or he may have reference to the beginning of the gospel - 
 cf. 1 Jn 2:7,13,24; 3:11
 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 - cf. Jn 1:1,14
 
 B. TO DECLARE THE "ETERNAL LIFE" (2)
 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
 4. Thus John is focusing on the "eternal life" which Jesus offers
 and made possible by His coming in the flesh
 
 C. THAT YOU MAY HAVE "FELLOWSHIP" WITH US (3)
 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. Fellowship involves the idea of "sharing, communion"
 b. 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 FULL (4)
 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),
 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
 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

Fellowship With God (1:5-2:2)
 
INTRODUCTION
 
1. In the first four verses of First John, we saw that John's aim in
 this epistle is...
 a. To declare the "Word of life", the "eternal life" that was with
 the Father and has been manifested in Jesus Christ - 1 Jn 1:1-2
 b. That we might have fellowship with the Father and Son, just as
 the apostles do - 1 Jn 1:3
 c. That we might have fullness of joy - 1 Jn 1:4
 
2. So to have fullness of joy...we must experience the kind of life 
 that comes from having fellowship with God!
 
3. What is the basis for fellowship with God, so that we may have the
 life that produces fullness of joy?
 a. In our text (1 Jn 1:5-2:2), John discusses the basis for
 fellowship with God
 b. He also describes the place of sin, and how it can affect that
 fellowship
 
[With verse 5, we notice...]
 
I. THE PREMISE FOR HAVING FELLOWSHIP WITH GOD (5)
 
 A. "GOD IS LIGHT"
 1. The figure of light is often used in the Scriptures to 
 describe that which to good, righteous, and true - cf. Ep 5:
 8-10
 2. Therefore, God must always be thought of in this way: He is 
 good, He is righteous, He is true!
 
 B. "IN HIM IS NO DARKNESS AT ALL"
 1. The figure of darkness would represent the opposite of light:
 evil, unrighteousness, falsehood
 2. Therefore we can never think of God as countenancing sin, 
 excusing it in any way
 
[With this basic understanding clearly established of what God is, John
now addresses some...]
 
II. FALSE CLAIMS CONCERNING FELLOWSHIP WITH GOD (6-10)
 
 A. "WE HAVE FELLOWSHIP WITH HIM", YET WALK IN DARKNESS (6-7)
 1. Why is this claim false?
 a. Because fellowship means to have something in common
 b. And we have seen that God is "light" (goodness,
 righteousness, truth)
 c. "Walking in darkness", therefore, would be going against
 everything God stands for! - cf. Ep 4:17-24
 2. What is the result of such a claim?
 a. We are false in our WORDS ("we lie")
 b. We are false in our DEEDS ("do not practice the truth")
 3. Instead, we should "walk in the light as He is in the light"
 a. I.e., instead of living a life characterized by "evil,
 unrighteousness, and error" (all the while claiming to have
 fellowship with God)...
  b. ...we should live a life in harmony with God's "goodness,
 righteousness, and truth"!
 4. Only then will we experience:
 a. "Fellowship with one another"
 1) That is, we will have fellowship with God
 2) Whereby we can share in that life which is eternal, and 
 provides fullness of joy!
 b. "The blood of Jesus Christ His Son [which] cleanses us from
 all sin"
 1) This suggests that "walking in the light" does not imply
 sinlessness
 2) Any more than "walking in darkness" implies total 
 absence of good
 3) Rather, "walking in the light" suggests...
 a) A life making progress under the positive influence 
 of God's "light"
 b) A life enjoying the cleansing power of Jesus' blood 
 as one meets the conditions of forgiveness outlined 
 below
 
 B. "WE HAVE NO SIN" (8,9)
 1. John may have reference to statements made by professing
 Christians who thought they had become sinless
 2. The consequences of such a claim...
 a. Self-deceit ("we deceive ourselves")
 b. Living in error ("the truth is not in us")
  c. I.e., walking in darkness, not walking in light!
 3. Instead, we should freely confess our sins - 1 Jn 1:9a; cf. 
 Pr 28:13
 4. Then God, who is "faithful" (trustworthy) and "just" (one who 
 does what is right) will...
  a. "forgive us our sins"
 b. "cleanse us from all unrighteousness"
 ...through His mercy He makes it possible for to continue in 
 fellowship with Him!
 
 C. "WE HAVE NOT SINNED" (10)
 1. This claim may have been made by some denying they had ever
 sinned
 2. The consequences of this claim are grievous...
 a. We make God a liar! - cf. Ro 3:23
 b. His Word is not in us!
 3. How can anyone who makes such claims as these hope to have 
 true fellowship with God, and thereby enjoy the life such 
 fellowship gives?
 4. Fellowship with God does not occur by making claims that turn 
 God into a liar!
 
[Though affirming that we do sin, John is not seeking to encourage sin.
Indeed, he is writing to discourage sin (1 Jn 2:1).
 
But fellowship with God requires that a person takes sin seriously. To
appreciate further how serious God takes sin, we learn that...]
 
II. FELLOWSHIP WITH GOD REQUIRES AN ADVOCATE (2:1-2)
 
 A. "WE HAVE AN ADVOCATE WITH THE FATHER, JESUS CHRIST THE RIGHTEOUS"
 (1)
 1. The word "advocate"...
 a. Literally means "to call to one's side, to one's aid"
 b. It suggests the capability for giving aid
 c. Used in a court of justice to denote a legal assistant, a 
 counsel for the defense
 d. Generally, it is one who pleads another's case, an 
 intercessor
 2. Jesus is the perfect "advocate", for He is RIGHTEOUS
 a. As sinners, we are alienated from God - cf. Isa 59:1-2
 b. But since Jesus is without sin, He is a fit representative
 to come before God on our behalf!
 c. The author of Hebrews also makes the point that though 
 righteous, He understands our situation perfectly - cf. He 
 2:17-18; 4:14-16
 
 B. "HE HIMSELF IS THE PROPITIATION FOR OUR SINS" (2)
 1. The word "propitiation" means "an appeasing"
 a. E.g., the pagans would offer sacrifices to appease their
  gods
 b. In the New Testament, it is God, not man, who offers the 
 appeasing sacrifice - cf. 1 Jn 4:10
 c. Through His death on the cross, Jesus is the means by which
 God can show mercy to the sinner
 d. This explains how God can be "just" (cf. 1 Jn 1:9) and 
 still forgive sin
 e. This wonderful "propitiation" was given to the whole world,
 but is accessed only by those who believe in Jesus - cf. 
 1 Jn 2:2; Ro 3:21-26
 
CONCLUSION
 
1. In this first chapter, and even into the second, John makes it clear
 upon what basis we can have fellowship with God, and enjoy the life 
 that provides fullness of joy
 
2. To have fellowship with God, we who are Christians must...
  a. Not walk in darkness, but walk in the light of God's goodness, 
 righteous, and truth
 b. Admit that we have sinned, and do sin
 c. Utilize our "advocate" (Jesus Christ), Whom God provides as the 
 "propitiation" for our sins
 
In 1 Jn 1:9, John explained how those who are already children of God
can appropriate the cleansing power of the blood of Jesus (through 
confession and prayer). But how about the alien sinner? - cf. Ac 2:
38; 22:16 (faith, repentance, and baptism)

－－《Executable Outlines》

The light of spiritual fellowship

Claim to be without sin

Deceive oneself

I. The word of life from the beginning

1. Heard with our ears

2. Seen with our eyes

3. Touched with our hands

II. The reality of fellowship between God and men

1. God is light

2. Words in conformity with deeds

3. Jesus’ blood purifies our sins

III. Confess our sins

1. Faithful and just

2. Sins forgiven

3. Resume fellowship

－－ Chih-Hsin Chang《An Outline of The New Testament》