1st John 1:1-2 TRUTH ABOUT THE SAVIOR There is a "social Christianity" that many people in the world claim as their religion in contrast to other world religions. True Christian faith that is experienced by a person who has been delivered from a life of sinful pleasures and ambitions often is remarkably life-changing. A case in point is the apostle Paul, who though a religious man full of zeal, when God stopped him his first words of repentance were, "Who art Thou, Lord?" The second question he had was one of true faith, "Lord, what wilt Thou have me to do?" All believers rejoice in a special way when this happens, and we consider that person "a trophy of grace." The Gospel truly is the "dynamite" of God. Second and third generations of believers often come quietly into the kingdom of God because they have been privileged to be raised by those who teach them the way of salvation from their infancy. For the most part they live and talk like Christians, and do "Christian" things. Their step of personal faith in Christ may come when they simply understand for themselves the true meaning of a verse of scripture which they memorized when they were young.
It is to this second and third generation of believers John seems to be addressing this letter. The early believers had faced, and some had survived, serious persecution. People around them were becoming used to Christianity and the different lifestyle of Christians. The commitment of first-generation believers was not seen in the next, and there was a tendency to conform to the world and its ways. Some were compromising their faith and were not taking a stand for the Lord. False teachers were getting a hearing from those who had learned the truth of God second-hand from their parents or others who were saved before them. The philosophy of the Gnostics for some reason seemed to appeal to some of them. They taught that scripture can only be understood by a few learned people. As far as they were concerned scripture has to be taken in a non-literal way to get its true meaning, and knowledge is more important than virtue.
Not only was this false teaching directed at the word of God, but at the Person of God. They taught that because there is evil in the world, God could not have created it. Also, they said that Christ could not be God because deity is a Spirit and cannot be found in anything material. Further, because the flesh is material, there cannot be a resurrection of the flesh. Some practiced the rejection of most food and comforts because all matter, according to their teaching, is evil. This letter from John was written to assure believers in Christ that what they had been taught was right. God is real. Faith in Christ is right. When we believe on Him, we have eternal life. We can have fellowship now with God and keep that fellowship with Him who is Light and Love and Life.
"That which was from the beginning," always was, even before the beginning as the Gospel of John says in the opening verses. In the epistle of 1st John, he refers to our Lord Jesus Christ proceeding forward from the beginning of time to His incarnation and revelation as the "Word of life." John is not only giving his personal testimony as to who the Lord is, but includes all the apostles by using the word "we."
The very first words of this letter, are a plain declaration that the Person he is writing about is the Lord God. He "was" always from the beginning, was testified to by John and all the apostles, was heard as to His speaking, seen literally, "looked upon" physically, and actually touched with their own hands. The challenge to the false teaching of the Gnostics as to the Person of Christ is clear. The "Person" John was writing about is eternal in His being. he was here on earth so that people could hear Him speak, see what He did and tell others about Him. The "Proofs" John was writing about were that he saw our Lord himself, heard Him, saw Him, looked closely at Him, touched Him and was told by Him to tell others about Him [1-2]. The "Purpose" John was writing for was so we can share our lives with other believers in our Lord Jesus Christ, share our lives with God and our Lord, and find our joy in fellowship with them [3-4].
To actually hear someone speak, particularly many times over a period of years, takes what has been said beyond the sound of one's voice, to where they understand the meaning of the words in the context in which they have been given. It is the permanent result of a past action. To see a person literally and visibly is a testimony of reality in itself. To see a person figuratively is to grasp the nuances of their personality and examine that person over a period of time. The remarkable and wonderful truth of God being "manifest in the flesh" was never lost to John. When the Lord was "looked upon," John viewed our Lord with careful, penetrating interest. He had "looked upon Jesus as He walked [Jn.1:36]," and never lost the wonder of that first sight of Him, nor the sight of Jesus walking on the water, or Jesus transfigured before his eyes on the mountain. John succeeds in the very first sentence of the epistle of attracting the readers to the "Word of Life." By the use of words, we communicate thoughts, ideas, truth and experiences to others. Symbols and pictures are usually open to interpretation of some kind. Words taken in context are the precise ways to convey to others what I want them to know. God has conveyed His wisdom, His power, His authority, His love, His mercy, His grace and all of His attributes to us through His Son who is the Word of Life. He was here in the flesh as a man, and yet was God in every way. His glory was veiled so human beings wouldn't die when they looked at Him. He still "upheld all things by the word of His power" when He was visibly here as a man among men. None of His divine characteristics were lost when He took upon Himself human flesh and "was made in the likeness of men."
Eternal life was actually seen also when Christ was here. Ageless life is something people have always wanted but was lost to humanity by the invasion of sin into the world, "and death by sin." God's life, and life in God was conveyed to us by our Lord Jesus Christ when He was here and could be visibly seen. His kind of life was "manifested." It was seen by the apostles in human form and testified to by those same people. Eternal life is real life. It is an endless and meaningful existence, and has characteristics that divine Persons all have. It does not only relate to endless existence but is a living, acting connection to the Father and a relationship that is shared by all who have that eternal life. That life is more than existence but involves the quality and meaning that is shared in fellowship by all who have it. This is what those who believe in Jesus have as a gift from God. "Eternal life, through Jesus Christ our Lord."
There was never anything to break that flawless fellowship between the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. God is the Source of eternal life and it is His to give to whoever He will. Eternal life is a sovereign gift of God. How overwhelming it is to experience this life in His Son who is from "everlasting to everlasting," and is the 'First and the Last." Our fellowship is with the Person of Christ. He is the Person of John's apostolic declaration [v.1]. The Proofs of that declaration is in verse 2 and the Purposes of it are in verses 3 and 4. May we never lose the wonder of who our Lord is. That is our safeguard against the false teaching that abounds in our day the same as in the day John wrote this epistle. This truth is the basis of a Joyful life which is a theme of 1st John chapter 1.
1s t 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, of the Word of life.”
WAS FROM THE BEGINNING That which was, not which came to be, Was not an idea or vague-kind of sensitivity; But was really a Person existing from all eternity – Who came in a fleshly body and was of “mankind” like me – Except He is and was sinless with no spot in Him – Unusual because at the same time He was God and man – Walking in light, because from Him light came He was the God- Man, He was one and the same.
Wonder of wonders He came to walk with us – Making it possible for Father and Son to bring us thus Into light and life, not on a whim or a “just because,” But His eternal life given me is the result of a just cause. John knew it was the real and lasting life, now so do I – It is true He was here and for my sins did die – So now each day that passes and also in the bye and bye I can have fellowship with Him, who by His grace brought me nigh.
“Father in heaven, to experience walking in the light with my brethren is certainly a great joy. To be able to walk with Thee and enjoy the divine life I have through the divine nature Thou hast given, goes way beyond the word “joy.” It is a blessed fearfulness to have the kind of joy that comes from the light of God, the relief after confession of sin and the fellowship of God. I worship in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, Amen.”