JESUS, OUR LIFE

1 JOHN 1:1-4

      John, the author of five New Testament books and disciple of Jesus, wrote this letter after he wrote the Gospel of John and before the Revelation. John wrote this letter when he lived in Ephesus as overseer of the churches (Rev. 1:11).

      John wrote the fourth Gospel that people might believe (Jn. 20:31).

      John wrote this letter for believers:

1. To live (abide) in fellowship with Jesus

2. To walk in forgiveness of sins

3. To test in facts one's testimony (know)

4. To grow in faith into adulthood

5. To know in false teachings its errors

♦          Gnostic error on the deity of Christ (incarnation, crucifixion)

♦          Antinomian error on the deeds of Christians (sinlessness, righteousness; Rev. 2:6-14-15)

6. To love in friendship with one another

7. To insure in the future eternal life

  I. Life in the flesh with John (1:1-2)

      A. Eternal Christ (beginning–Jn. 1:1-2; 1 Jn. 1:1, 2:7-13-14-24, 3:8-11; 2 Jn. 5-6; Rev. 1:8, 3:14, 21:6, 22:13)

          1. Word of Life

          2. With the Father (Jn. 14:6-12, 16:10-16-17-28, 17:11, 20:17; Eph. 2:18, 3:14; 1 Jn. 1:2, 2:1)

      B. Earthly Christ

          1. Manifest

              a. Heard

              b. Seen (Jn. 1:18, 6:46, 14:9, 20:18-25-29; 1 Pet. 1:8; 1 Jn. 1:1-2-3, 3:6, 4:20)

              c. Look (Jn. 1:14; Acts 1:11; 1 Jn. 4:12-14)

              d. Handle (Lk. 24:39)

          2. Message (1 Jn. 5:12)

 II. Life in fellowship with Jesus (1:3; koinonia–Acts 2:42; 1 Cor. 1:9; Phil. 1:5, 3:10)

      A. United in Christ

      B. Union with Christ (Jn. 14:20)

III. Life in fullness of joy (1:4; Jn. 3:29, 15:11, 16:24, 17:13; Acts 13:52; Rom. 15:13; 2 Cor. 7:4; 2 Jn. 2; Ps. 16:11)

♦          Joy of salvation (Lk. 10:20)

♦          Joy of the Spirit (Rom. 14:17; Gal. 5:22)

♦          Joy of sharing (Ps. 126:5-6; Lk. 15:7-10)

      A. Joy in others (1 Th. 2:19)

      B. Joy in ourselves (3 Jn. 4)