a look at 1john
- By fli
- Controversial Christian Theology
- 2 Replies
1 John 1:1 That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, concerning the Word of life — 2 the life was manifested, and we have seen, and bear witness, and declare to you that eternal life which was with the Father and was manifested to us — 3 that which we have seen and heard we declare to you, that you also may have fellowship with us; and truly our fellowship is with the Father and with His Son Jesus Christ. 4 And these things we write to you that your joy may be full. NKJV
John is declaring that Jesus, the Son of God, came in the flesh to dispute a false teaching. Our fellowship is with the Father and Son Jesus the Christ.
1 John 1:5 This is the message which we have heard from Him and declare to you, that God is light and in Him is no darkness at all. 6 If we say that we have fellowship with Him, and walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. 7 But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin. NKJV
A Christian cannot walk in the darkness (sin) and claim to have fellowship with Jesus. Fellowship is communications with each other. God will be communicating with the Christian, but they are not heeding God's voice. Without 2-way communications, God will not bless them.
1 John 1:8 If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. 9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 10 If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar, and His word is not in us. NKJV
Without the Christian heeding Jesus' voice, the Christian will not confess sins. Discipline will start. In Romans 7: 14 Paul wrote that he was sold under sin. In the flesh all humans are slaves to sin. Spiritually being slaves to sin means we are physically addicted to sin. What is sin? John defines sin later in the epistle.
Out of numerical order: 1 John 3:4 Whoever commits sin also commits lawlessness, and sin is lawlessness. 5 And you know that He was manifested to take away our sins, and in Him there is no sin. NKJV
Sin is lawlessness. Lawlessness is complete disregard for the law. By James 2:10 if anyone breaks one of God's laws they break them all. The law is one complete unit and breaking one-point breaks all of the law. Romans 6: 14 Paul writes that we are not under the law but under grace. Being under grace means that God does not impute sin to us. Romans 8 :10 God sees us through Jesus and He is dead. Romans 8:9-11 therefore, God considers us to be dead with Christ. We must remain dead, by staying in Jesus until we die. At that time God will resurrect us. If we resurrect ourselves before then, by losing faith, we will be in sin. To stay in Jesus, we must continue to have saving faith. Colossians 1: 4-5 our faith comes from our hope we have in Jesus.
Since we still sin in Christ, I will write csin for all sin that is not imputed to us because we are in Him.
1 John 2:1 My little children, these things I write to you, so that you may not csin. And if anyone csins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. 2 And He Himself is the propitiation for our csins, and not for ours only but also for (sins of) the whole world. NKJV
Jesus can advocate for all csins we commit. If we confess our csins God will forgive them. Csins are not violation of His commandment He gave us (1John 3:23 3rd paragraph below). They are disobedient children csins. Read Matthew 18:21-22 and Luke 17:3-4 to determine the limit of God's grace. Jesus is the propitiation for all sins of the world. The only sin the world will be guilty of is named in John 16: 8-9. That sin is not believing in Jesus.
1 John 2:3 Now by this we know that we know Him, if we keep His commandments. 4 He who says, "I know Him," and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. 5 But whoever keeps His word, truly the love of God is perfected in him. By this we know that we are in Him. 6 He who says he abides in Him ought himself also to walk just as He walked. NKJV
John tells us the commandment He gave us later in the epistle. If we keep His commandment we know Him. Knowing Him is a very important point. If we say we know Him and do not keep His commandment we are liars. The love God gave us is perfected in us by keeping His word. It's up to us to perfect the love He gave us. John is warning us to ensure our salvation.
Out of numerical order: 1 John 3: 22 And whatever we ask we receive from Him, because we keep His commandments and do those things that are pleasing in His sight. 23 And this is His commandment: that we should believe on the name of His Son Jesus Christ and love one another, as He gave us commandment. NKJV
We know Him if we obey His commandments. By John 10: 14 Jesus' sheep (the elect) know Him. John 10: 3-4 His sheep know His voice and follow Him. If we do not keep His commandment, we are not part of the elect. Remember, John is writing this epistle to a Church of believers. The church can have believers that eventually will not keep His commandment to believe in Him and love fellow Christians.
John is declaring that Jesus, the Son of God, came in the flesh to dispute a false teaching. Our fellowship is with the Father and Son Jesus the Christ.
1 John 1:5 This is the message which we have heard from Him and declare to you, that God is light and in Him is no darkness at all. 6 If we say that we have fellowship with Him, and walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. 7 But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin. NKJV
A Christian cannot walk in the darkness (sin) and claim to have fellowship with Jesus. Fellowship is communications with each other. God will be communicating with the Christian, but they are not heeding God's voice. Without 2-way communications, God will not bless them.
1 John 1:8 If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. 9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 10 If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar, and His word is not in us. NKJV
Without the Christian heeding Jesus' voice, the Christian will not confess sins. Discipline will start. In Romans 7: 14 Paul wrote that he was sold under sin. In the flesh all humans are slaves to sin. Spiritually being slaves to sin means we are physically addicted to sin. What is sin? John defines sin later in the epistle.
Out of numerical order: 1 John 3:4 Whoever commits sin also commits lawlessness, and sin is lawlessness. 5 And you know that He was manifested to take away our sins, and in Him there is no sin. NKJV
Sin is lawlessness. Lawlessness is complete disregard for the law. By James 2:10 if anyone breaks one of God's laws they break them all. The law is one complete unit and breaking one-point breaks all of the law. Romans 6: 14 Paul writes that we are not under the law but under grace. Being under grace means that God does not impute sin to us. Romans 8 :10 God sees us through Jesus and He is dead. Romans 8:9-11 therefore, God considers us to be dead with Christ. We must remain dead, by staying in Jesus until we die. At that time God will resurrect us. If we resurrect ourselves before then, by losing faith, we will be in sin. To stay in Jesus, we must continue to have saving faith. Colossians 1: 4-5 our faith comes from our hope we have in Jesus.
Since we still sin in Christ, I will write csin for all sin that is not imputed to us because we are in Him.
1 John 2:1 My little children, these things I write to you, so that you may not csin. And if anyone csins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. 2 And He Himself is the propitiation for our csins, and not for ours only but also for (sins of) the whole world. NKJV
Jesus can advocate for all csins we commit. If we confess our csins God will forgive them. Csins are not violation of His commandment He gave us (1John 3:23 3rd paragraph below). They are disobedient children csins. Read Matthew 18:21-22 and Luke 17:3-4 to determine the limit of God's grace. Jesus is the propitiation for all sins of the world. The only sin the world will be guilty of is named in John 16: 8-9. That sin is not believing in Jesus.
1 John 2:3 Now by this we know that we know Him, if we keep His commandments. 4 He who says, "I know Him," and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. 5 But whoever keeps His word, truly the love of God is perfected in him. By this we know that we are in Him. 6 He who says he abides in Him ought himself also to walk just as He walked. NKJV
John tells us the commandment He gave us later in the epistle. If we keep His commandment we know Him. Knowing Him is a very important point. If we say we know Him and do not keep His commandment we are liars. The love God gave us is perfected in us by keeping His word. It's up to us to perfect the love He gave us. John is warning us to ensure our salvation.
Out of numerical order: 1 John 3: 22 And whatever we ask we receive from Him, because we keep His commandments and do those things that are pleasing in His sight. 23 And this is His commandment: that we should believe on the name of His Son Jesus Christ and love one another, as He gave us commandment. NKJV
We know Him if we obey His commandments. By John 10: 14 Jesus' sheep (the elect) know Him. John 10: 3-4 His sheep know His voice and follow Him. If we do not keep His commandment, we are not part of the elect. Remember, John is writing this epistle to a Church of believers. The church can have believers that eventually will not keep His commandment to believe in Him and love fellow Christians.