1 John 1:1-4 Something interesting that I notice is that John does not make a formal introduction like other

r epistle writers. Instead, he cuts to the chase. John testifies that he saw, heard, and touched Jesus, who was from the beginning. John says that the life which is Jesus! was with the "ather at one point but was then manifested unto us us being John and the other disciples.! John ends up saying that he is sharing what he has personally e#perienced with Jesus for the purpose of allowing the reader of the letter to ha$e an e#perience with John%s e#perience and thereby ha$e an e#perience with Jesus in some way. "rom what John stated in these four $erses, I recogni&e that Jesus was 'od manifested in the flesh and had permitted (imself to be around and touched by sinful human beings. )his lets me know that 'od is not impersonal and cold, but up close and lo$ing. 1 John 4:1* I also see that John is following the e#ample of Jesus. In the same way that Jesus was with the "ather and came to fellowship with the disciples, so John, after ha$ing an e#perience with Jesus, seeks to bring others into the fellowship he e#perienced by relating his personal e#perience with Jesus. +ark ,:1 .nowledge concerning the /i$ine was not meant to be concealed, but re$ealed, e$en if that knowledge is our personal e#perience with (im. +atthew ,:14 If John belie$ed that the written account of what he e#perienced with Jesus would pro$ide fulness of 0oy, can you imagine what it would be like to actually be in (is presence1 2salm 1*:11 1 John 1:, Jesus wanted to let us know that there is no darkness in 'od the "ather whatsoe$er. John also wanted us to know this. I understand this to mean that 'od is transparent. (e has nothing to hide and (e is willing to be in$estigated. 1 John 1:* John lets us know that we cannot claim to ha$e fellowship with Jesus while walking in darkness. 3therwise, we would be lying. (ence, there are only two options. 4ither a person is in fellowship with Jesus, or else (e is walking in darkness. +atthew 15:67 "or John, a person who makes a profession of one thing but acts a different way is a liar. 1 John 1:8 )he result of walking in the light is fellowship with our neighbors. If we walk in the light, we will not walk in darkness. 9hat does it mean to walk in the light1 John ::15 mentions that Jesus is the light of the world and that those who follow (im will not walk in darkness. )hus, walking in the light means to follow Jesus. ;e$elation 14:4 <ooking at John 15:6,-6*, we see that it is necessary to walk while the light is present. If one does not walk while the light is present, darkness will come upon them. (owe$er, while one has the light, if they follow the light and belie$e in the light, they will be the children of 'od and ha$e the pri$ilege of their sins being cleansed. (ence, walking with Jesus and belie$ing in Jesus, who is the light, is something that needs to occur continually if one desires to a$oid darkness and remain out of it. John 15:4*

1 John 1:: /eclaring yourself to be without sin is a claim that one can make which leads to self-deception. Jesus, who is the truth, John 14:*, declared to the 2harisees that those who were without sin are =ualified to e#ecute 0udgment against sinners. John ::8--. (ence, those who make the claim of sinlessness do not ha$e Jesus, the 9ord and the truth, within them. John ,:6:. )he reason why saying >I ha$e no sin? is a self-deception is because the @ible says that all ha$e sinned. ;omans 6:56. )herefore, the claim to be without sin is an indication that one is ignorant of @ible truth. 1 John 1: Since >all ha$e sinned,? all ha$e sins to confess. Since all ha$e sins to confess, all ha$e the pri$ilege of ha$ing their sins forgi$en. "orgi$eness and cleansing is granted to sinners upon the condition of confession. Anless we confess our sins, we cannot e#perience forgi$eness and cleansing. Bonfession includes acknowledging our sins to 'od and belie$ing by faith that (e fulfills (is part of forgi$eness and cleansing. 'od is faithful to forgi$e us of our sins. )his means that 'od will definitely hold up (is end of the promise if we come to (im in confession. 3n 0udgment day, we can ha$e confidence, knowing that our sins ha$e been forgi$en if we ha$e been faithful in confessing them unto 'od. It is not like 0udgment day will come and we will be damned because 'od simply >forgot? to forgi$e us. (e is always faithful to do (is part of forgi$ing and cleansing when we comply. "orgi$eness and cleansing is always for the asking. 'od is 0ust to forgi$e us our sins. 9hy is this so1 "orgi$eness was made possible only because Jesus ga$e (is life as a ransom for many. +atthew 57:5:. Since the penalty for sin has only one 0ust recompense, which is death, 'od is acting fairly when (e grants us forgi$eness because (is Son Jesus Bhrist has already paid the penalty. 1 John 1:17 If we declare that we ha$e not committed sin, we accuse 'od, who does not lie )itus 1:5!, of lying. )herefore, we become like Satan and harbor an accusing spirit. ;e$elation 15:17 If we ha$e not committed sin, then we would not need forgi$eness. If we truly do not need forgi$eness, then Jesus died in $ain.