This 1st study in our verse by verse journey through 1 John was recorded on 22nd November 2020 as part of our on-line family service.
John was called by Jesus, probably in his late teenage years, to leave the family fishing business on the shores of Galilee and follow Jesus, a Jewish Rabbi, and become his disciple. Little could John have known what the next 70 years of his life would bring.
His family had sufficient means to have hired servants (Mark 1:20) and he was personally known by the High Priest of Israel. He and his brother, James, were known as the ‘sons of thunder’ (Mark 3:17) and had great aspirations (Mark 10:34) – they were clearly no pushovers. Yet John was called to leave all of this and later is given the name ‘the disciple whom Jesus loved’, or ‘John the beloved’.
What can bring about such a change? Only a relationship with God through Jesus Christ.
John writes his 1st epistle, not to an individual, but to the whole Church, and states clearly his intention:
–“That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you, that ye also may have fellowship with us” 1:3
–“And these things write we unto you, that your joy may be full”. 1:4
–“these things write I unto you, that ye sin not” 2:1
–“These things have I written unto you concerning them that seduce you”. 2:26
–“These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God”. 5:13
John also gives a very simple 7-fold test to see if our faith and relationship with God are genuine:
- 1) Do you walk in the Light ? 1:6
–“He that saith he is in the light, and hateth his brother, is in darkness even until now”.
- 2) Do you admit you are a sinner? 1:8
–“If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us”.
- 3) Do you obey God’s Commandment? 2:4
–“He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him”.
- 4) Do you imitate Christ? 2:6
–“He that saith he abideth in him ought himself also so to walk, even as he walked”.
- 5) Do you love others? 2:9
–“He that saith he is in the light, and hateth his brother, is in darkness even until now”.
- 6) Do you still love the world? 2:15
–“If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him”.
- 7) Does your life prove Christ is Righteous? 2:29
–“If ye know that he is righteous, ye know that everyone that doeth righteousness is born of him”.
John writes because he wants us to know, to be in no doubt of who Jesus is, of what He has done, and of the joy we can have through constant abiding fellowship with God and other believers because of Jesus.
May you be blessed and encouraged by these studies.
