Please forgive this rough draft format, as these are my raw study notes on the epistle of 1 John. I feel a great sense of urgency to publish them because I’m not sure how much time we have left on this big, blue marble. Thank you for reading them. I pray that God blesses and encourages you through this material. I’m not sure of the condition of the world at the time of this publication. But at the time of its writing, mid to late summer 2010, things are still looking pretty bleak with the economy and unemployment, BP finally thinks they’ve stopped the oil leak in the Gulf of Mexico, and many people I know personally are experiencing difficulties of mega-crisis proportions – including my own diagnosis of breast cancer. Are these the first stages of birth pains? The last? God only knows. And He is very busy these days. Seek His wisdom. Encourage each other. Pray. Jesus is coming to deliver His people and judge the wicked…Stacey
Take a few minutes to pray and savor chapter 1 of 1 John. Then return here and ponder the thoughts, answer the questions, and be sure to leave comments about your own revelations…
Written around AD 85-90.
1:1-2 – John declares that Christ – eternal life – was present with the Father in the beginning. He also attests that he was an eye-witness to Christ’s life.
1:3 – John writes that they proclaim what they have seen and heard. This enters us into fellowship with them. He alludes that this also puts us in fellowship with the Father and with Jesus Christ.
Who is “we”?
1:4 – How do you think writing this could make their joy complete? Does it thrill you to tell others about what Jesus has done in you?
1:5 – The message they have heard and are declaring is: “God is light; in him there is no darkness at all.” How does this message impact you?
1:6 – John states that we cannot have fellowship with God and still walk in the darkness. Those who do are lying and not living by the truth.
Are there areas of darkness that still have a grip on your lifestyle? Pray that God would reveal them to you and show you how to bring them into the light.
1:7 – Several wonderful things happen if we walk in the light. First, we walk with Him because He is in the light. Second, we have fellowship with others who are also walking in the light. Third, Jesus’ blood purifies us from ALL sin. Do these benefits make you want to walk in the light? It may not be easy. I can testify that walking in the light led me through a 13-month long season of unemployment and the current path just began with a breast cancer diagnosis. But I will tell you one absolute fact – walking with Him in the light is the absolute best, safest place to be!
1:8-10 – Everyone sins. Don’t deceive yourselves. Embrace the truth in you. Confess your sin so that He may forgive and purify you. I’ve had difficulties confessing sin. It became necessary for me to ask God to reveal to me my sin so that nothing stood between us. I still have to ask sometimes, but I find that He often reveals my sin to me as it happens so that I can ask for immediate forgiveness.
• First John instructs us in how to live a life of love. Like First Peter, it also llustrates several life lessons and warnings for Christians. What is God teaching you in this chapter of scripture? How will you apply it to your life this week?
• What attributes of God do you see in this book?
• What verse of scripture seemed to be God speaking directly to you? What is He teaching you in these verses? How does He want you to respond?
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