1st Letter of John 1
1.1-4 John’s testimony
Here John tells what he personally heard
Jesus say or saw him do.
1 We want to tell you about Jesus Christ.
Jesus
- was already alive before God created the world,
- is the message of God, and
- gives life to the people of the world.
We
- saw Jesus with our own eyes,
- touched Jesus with our own hands, and
- listened to Jesus with our own ears.
2 Jesus showed himself to the world.
We were always with Jesus.
For this reason, we talk about Jesus and tell about his life.
We tell the truth.
Many years ago, Jesus was with the Father.
God showed Jesus to us.
Jesus is life.
Jesus gives eternal life.
3-4 We heard and saw Jesus.
Why do we write and talk about Jesus?
Because we
1. are friends with the Father and the Son (Jesus Christ) and
2. want you to be friends
- with the Father,
- with the Son and
- with us.
In this way both you and we will be very happy.
1.5-10 How to be friends with God
Here John talks about how sin makes us
God’s enemies, but obedience makes us God’s friends.
5 Jesus gave a message to us.
Now we give the same message to you.
This is the message:
God is light.
Where God is, there is no darkness at all.
What does this mean?
God is good and holy.
God cannot sin.
6 There are 2 groups of people
People in group 1 say:
We are friends with God.
But this is a lie.
Why?
Because people in group 1 sin, sin and keep on sinning.
These actions show that the people in Group 1
- do not want to be holy,
- do not want to obey God, and
- are not true friends with God.
7 The people in group 2 is different.
They understand
- that God is holy and
- that God’s light shows that people are sinful and unclean.
So they stay in God’s light and
- the blood of Jesus (the Son) cleanses them,
- God forgets their sins,
- God makes them holy, and
- they have a good relationship with other people in the church.
8, 10 God says that all people sin.
I have an example.
If a person says:
I do not sin.
Then that person
- says that God is a liar,
- does not accept the teachings of God,
- deceives himself and
- does not understand this truth:
All people are sinners and need a savior.
But if we say to God:
I am sorry for my sins.
9 Then God will forget all ours sins and take away the feeling of guilt.
God is good and always keeps his promises.