1 John 1:1-4 (The Incarnate Word)

1 John is almost a summary of the entire Gospel (please note "almost"). I was thinking I would do a bit of a study on this book. There are five chapters in this book but some of the chapters are rather long to put into one blog, so I will break each into a section.

The 1st Chapter of this book is one I think definately needs to be put into memory. Its only 10 verses long and has a lot of meaning to it, with alot of hope for a believer.

Verses 1-4:
"That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we looked upon and have touched with our hands, concerning the word of life-- the life was made manifest, and we have seen it, and testify to it and proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and was made manifest to us-- that which we have seen and heard we proclaim also to you, so that you too may have fellowship with us; and indeed our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ. And we are writing these things so that our joy may be complete."

The Apostle begins the letter by testifying that what he writes about in this letter is what he has seen, heard and touched. Not that Christ was a myth or a folklore to share with them but that He was that real.

He calls Jesus, "the Word of Life...", because as the book of John points out "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God." (John 1:1) So the Word is God, the Bible is the "Word" written down in a book. Later in verse 14 of John: "And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth." So then Christ is the incarnate Word which is God. So back to 1 John he says in verse 2, "the life was made manifest, and we have seen it, and testify to it and proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and was made manifest to us." Christ was not created when He became incarnate but was "with the Father and was made manifest." And, "He was in the beginning with God" (John 1:2).

In verse 3, the apostle John obviously knowing all this, and seeing the things done by Jesus and having the command of Jesus in Matthew 28 to make disciples, he expresses these things to believers so that they to may know of the great things of Jesus and so that "you too may have fellowship with us; and indeed our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ." It is what the disciples of Christ continue to do, they teach and proclaim Christ and His work in life and on the cross.

Verse 3 and 4 together pretty much cap off the reason for the writing of this letter, "And we are writing these things so that our joy may be complete." Joy is a huge part of being a Christian, our Joy is manifest in the hope and knowledge of the God who became incarnate and died for our sins and to give us true Life. So like the apostle John we proclaim all these things to others so that they too may have joy in the promises and truth of our Lord Christ Jesus.

I'll do verses 6-10 next...