OPENING PRAYERS
1 John 1 & 1 John 2:2 Study – (1 John 1:1-8 & 1 John 2:2)
INTRODUCTION – The Incarnation: What Was Heard, Seen, and Touched
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, concerning the Word of life— 2 the life was manifested, and we have seen, and bear witness, and declare to you that eternal life which was with the Father and was manifested to us— 3 that which we have seen and heard we declare to you, that you also may have fellowship with us; and truly our fellowship is with the Father and with His Son Jesus Christ. 4 And these things we write to you that [a]your joy may be full.
Fellowship with Him and One Another – Walk in the Light: Confession
5 This is the message which we have heard from Him and declare to you, that God is light and in Him is no darkness at all. 6 If we say that we have fellowship with Him, and walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. 7 But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin.
8 If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. 9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 10 If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar, and His word is not in us.
The Test of Knowing Christ
2 My little children, these things I write to you, so that you may not sin. And if anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. 2 And He Himself is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the whole world.
Notes 1 John 1:1-8 & 1 John 2:2
1:1-4: Contrary to the heretics, who claim communion – (Greek – “koinonia”) directly with God through “spiritual” – (non-material) means, John teaches communion with God through the Incarnate Son … Especially in view here is the Eucharist, where the physicality of Christ is repulsive to the heretics …
1:1: WE mean the Apostles … Their testimony is true, not that of the fake apostles … While John makes a distinction between divine revelation (which was from the beginning, the Word of Life) and human sensory perception – (heard, seen, looked upon, handled), he has no problem connecting them … See John’s clarity of teaching on Christ’s two natures: divine – (from the beginning, the Word of Life) and human – (heard, seen, handled) – (see- Luke 24:39; John 1:14; John 20:27-28) …
Luke 24:39
39 Behold My hands and My feet, that it is I Myself. Handle Me and see, for a spirit does not have flesh and bones as you see I have.”
John 1:14
14 And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.
John 20:27-28:
27 Then He said to Thomas, “Reach your finger here, and look at My hands; and reach your hand here and put it into My side. Do not be unbelieving but believing.”
28 And Thomas answered and said to Him, “My Lord and my God!”
“When {John} says: ‘which was from the beginning, ‘he touches upon the generation without beginning of the Son, who is coexistent with the Father … ‘Was’, therefore, indicates eternity without beginning, just as the Word Himself, the Son, being one with the Father regarding equality of substance, is eternal and uncreated … That the Word always existed is signified by the words: “In the beginning was the Word {John 1:1}” – (ClemA) – Clement of Alexandria
1:2: The Divinity of Jesus WAS MANIFESTED in His LIFE, especially His teaching and His miracles – (see, also John 2:11) …
John 2:11:
11 This beginning of signs Jesus did in Cana of Galilee, and [a]manifested His glory; and His disciples believed in Him.
1:3: “Koinonia” – Greek is far more than fellowship … It is our personal participation with other believers in the life of Christ … Fellowship with us refers to communion – especially eucharistic communion – within the apostolic Church … It is inconceivable to John that the Church is not one and united – (see, also John 17:11, v. 20, v. 21) or that fellowship not be founded on doctrine – (the theological implication of with the Father and His Son Jesus Christ) and on sacrament – (the liturgical implication of “koinonia”) …
John 17:11:
11 Now I am no longer in the world, but these are in the world, and I come to You. Holy Father, keep[a] through Your name those whom You have given Me, that they may be one as We are.
John 17:20-21:
Jesus Prays for All Believers
20 “I do not pray for these alone, but also for those who [a]will believe in Me through their word; 21 that they all may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You; that they also may be one in Us, that the world may believe that You sent Me.
1:4: See, also (John 15:11; John 16:24; and John 17:13, and Philippians 2:2) …
John 15:11:
11 “These things I have spoken to you, that My joy may remain in you, and that your joy may be full.
John 16:24:
24 Until now you have asked nothing in My name. Ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be full.
John 17:13:
13 But now I come to You, and these things I speak in the world, that they may have My joy fulfilled in themselves.
Philippians 2:2:
2 fulfill my joy by being like-minded, having the same love, being of one accord of one mind.
1:5: For John, light is divine energy manifested as truth – (true doctrine), virtue and holiness – (true behavior), and communion with God in the Church – (true spirituality) … The strongest of all weapons against darkness is our love for God, a strong, vibrant relationship with Him …
1:6-2:2: John addresses three false gnostic teachings on light … Their intertwined errors are that – (1): Union with God is indifferent to sin – (vv. 6, 7); (2): Sin does not exist – (vv. 8, 9); and (3): One in union with God cannot sin – (1 John 1:10-2:2) …
John answers: (1): Faith must be evidenced by works, that is, must produce purity – (practice the truth, v. 6, where truth is a right relationship with God manifested in a holy and righteous life) … And faith must seek forgiveness and cleansing for sin – (The blood of Jesus Christ … cleanses us from all sin, v. 7) … (2): sin does exist, and the practice of confession is the established basis for growth toward righteousness – (v. 9) … (3): Though we do sin, we should strive not to … Salvation in Christ is a process, in part toward not sinning – (v. 7) …
CLOSE OUT PRAYER …
We depart in peace in th name of the Lord, my brothers, and sisters in Christ …
May the Lord forgive those who love us and those who hate us …
Peace be with you all
All roads lead to Christ
Christ is in our midst, truly He is …
In Christ – Love Jared W. Campbell
JPCE Spiritual Talk
“Never Hold Back”
“Good day” …
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