John begins I John by definitively declaring himself a witness to God in flesh—Jesus Christ.

God became man in human form.
He came to us!

This was
and IS
mind boggling!

And for John, to say this was to literally risk his life!

Remember, at the point John writes these words, Peter and Paul had been executed, Jerusalem had fallen, and the early church was scattered.

Still, John emphatically says I saw him, I heard him, and I touched him (1 John 1:1).

John is deliberately stating this truth of Jesus being God in human form to refute a false teaching of the day (Gnosticism) which basically says Jesus did’nt live in physical form but was more of a phantom like figure.

This dangerous and false teaching negated the saving truth of the crucifixion—Jesus becoming a sinless man and dying in physical form in our place.

John says I saw him, I heard him, I touched him, and others may also fellowship with Christ (God with us)!

God fellowshipping with man was radical and heretical to those of Jewish culture.

It was unthinkable that a HOLY God would fellowship with man! Yet, God made a way as He took on human flesh and died in our place!

And it is there, only there, John writes, at the literal risk of his death, that in fellowship with God who came to us, that our joy as humans may be full (1 John 1:1-4)!

John is very clear that this “full joy” will never come from a half-hearted devotion where we try to walk with God while still practicing sin— “For God is light and in Him is no darkness at all. If we say that we have fellowship with Him and walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth.”(1 John 1:6)

John is holding nothing back. He doesn’t mince words—humans can fellowship with God who came to us, but this fellowship will never come if we continue to walk in darkness as a practice!

Oh, how our modern culture and our grace-heavy, truth-light churches need to be warned by the words John risked his life to write—

“For God is light and in Him is no darkness at all. If we say that we have fellowship with Him and walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth.”(1 John 1:6)

And so today, may we pause, let’s ask the God who came to us, and truly wants us to have full joy, if we are, as a practice, walking in anything God calls sin.

And if so, may we flee that sin so our joy may be FULL!

I hope you’ll read 1st John chapter one again and truly spend some time in prayer asking God to show you any sin in your life. Remember, it is out of His kindness that God shows us sin that leads to repentance (Rom 2:4). ❤️

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Note – this is a continuation of my study of 1 John. I covet your prayers and appreciate those who are inviting others to join us!