Fellowship With God (1 John)
March 15, 2020
The first epistle of the apostle John was written to help the coming generations to remain faithful and feel assured in the gospel. John wants every Christian to know, and that is a keyword throughout the book, without any doubt that they have hope of eternal life with God.
Purpose Statements
John also explains his letter in a few different ways. Chapter 1:4 says he is writing this, "That our joy may be complete." In 2:1, he says, "I am writing these things so that you may not sin." Then, 2:26 speaks to a specific section (2:18-23) and says, "I have written these things to you concerning those who are trying to deceive you." The final statement is the main point of the letter.
1 John 5:13 (ESV) --- 13 I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life.
When we put this all together, we understand John's desire. The overall desire of John is to ensure that his readers enjoy the blessing of eternal life. They get there by escaping sin and those who might deceive them. This will make John's joy complete.
How Do We Know? (1:1-4)
How can we have the assurance of eternal life? What does John tell us that helps us know for sure? In the introduction, John starts with an explanation.
1 John 1:1--4 (ESV) --- 1 That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we looked upon and have touched with our hands, concerning the word of life--- 2 the life was made manifest, and we have seen it, and testify to it and proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and was made manifest to us--- 3 that which we have seen and heard we proclaim also to you, so that you too may have fellowship with us; and indeed our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ. 4 And we are writing these things so that our joy may be complete.
Notice how he begins the letter. He talks about the word of life as though it is a person. This sounds a lot like the gospel John also wrote, "The word became flesh and dwelt among us." Jesus is the word of God made manifest. He is the complete revelation of who God the Father is. John says that he is an eyewitness of this. He has proclaimed this to his readers so that they can be in fellowship with one another, with God the Father, and with his Son. This is a fantastic statement. The revelation of God through Jesus has made it to where we can have fellowship with God. To have the assurance of eternal life, we must have fellowship with God. This is where we get the idea that salvation is about a relationship, not rule-keeping.
This gives us a hint of what this letter will be about from the beginning. As John is proclaiming the word of life, which is another name for Jesus, he is proclaiming eternal life. Fellowship with God, Jesus, and all of God's children will result in eternal life. This is John's focus throughout this letter, and it must be our focus as well. We want to make sure that we are in fellowship with God, Jesus, and all of God's children. If we lose fellowship with God, we lose everything. So this is a letter that will help us understand what fellowship with God looks like.
Fellowship With God (2:5-5:12)
It is hard for us to find a flow in this letter unless we understand this purpose. But, when we understand this purpose, everything else falls into place. Look at the next section with this in mind.
1 John 1:5--2:6 (ESV) --- 5 This is the message we have heard from him and proclaim to you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all. 6 If we say we have fellowship with him while we 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 his Son cleanses us from all sin. 8 If we say 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 we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us. 1 My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. 2 He is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole world. 3 And by this we know that we have come to know him, if we keep his commandments. 4 Whoever says "I know him" but does not keep his commandments is a liar, and the truth is not in him, 5 but whoever keeps his word, in him truly the love of God is perfected. By this we may know that we are in him: 6 whoever says he abides in him ought to walk in the same way in which he walked.
Now, I could preach multiple sermons out of this section, but I want us to understand John's methodology as we look at this section. This section teaches us what John will do throughout this letter. Notice verse 5 talks about two contrasting ideas, light and darkness. He says, "God is light and in him is no darkness at all." We are either in the light (in fellowship with God), or we are in the darkness (in fellowship with the world). This letter will take this metaphor and blow it up. He will alternate back and forth between what people who are in the light do and what people who are in darkness do.
##. Living In Darkness
1 John 1:6 (ESV) --- 6 If we say we have fellowship with him while we walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth.
1 John 1:8 (ESV) --- 8 If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.
1 John 1:10 (ESV) --- 10 If we say we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.
1 John 2:4 (ESV) --- 4 Whoever says "I know him" but does not keep his commandments is a liar, and the truth is not in him,
Living In The Light
1 John 1:7 (ESV) --- 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 his Son cleanses us from all sin.
1 John 1:9 (ESV) --- 9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
1 John 2:3 (ESV) --- 3 And by this we know that we have come to know him, if we keep his commandments.
1 John 2:5 (ESV) --- 5 but whoever keeps his word, in him truly the love of God is perfected. By this we may know that we are in him:
Other Contrasts
When we understand what John is doing in this section, the rest of the book becomes much easier to digest because he does the same thing in the remaining chapters. In 2:7-11, he contrasts those who are keeping the "old command" with those who are refusing to keep it. In 2:12-27, he contrasts those who have the truth inside of them with those who are letting others deceive them. In 2:28-3:12, he contrasts those who do what is righteous and those who do what is evil and hate/murder their brother. In 3:13-24, he contrasts those who love their brothers and sisters and those who love the world. In 4:1-6, he contrasts those who confess Jesus as being from God and those who do not. In 4:7-5:4, he contrasts those who are assured of their salvation and those who are ought to be afraid. Then, 5:5-12 contrasts those who believe God's testimony about Jesus at his baptism and crucifixion with those who refuse to believe God's testimony.
There is a crescendo in thought throughout the body of this letter. His contrasts become more powerful and meaningful, but they are all building on similar ideas that match his primary purpose of giving the children of God assurance that they have fellowship with God and hope of eternal life.
How Do We Have Fellowship With God?
This is an essential blueprint for understanding the book of 1 John, but I haven't really discussed the applicable teachings in the book. To combat the false teachings and give his readers reassurance and hope, John tells them what they must do. I want to summarize all that he tells us to do quickly. I want you to see each of these for your own assurance.
1. Keep The Commands
The first applicable point we see is the requirement to keep the commandments of the Lord. Anyone who says you don't have to follow the commandments of God or who is living a life of rebellion is not a child of God. Children of God have fellowship with God by keeping the commands of God. This defiance is not tolerated. We might ask, "Which commands?" John specifies, "The old command which you heard from the beginning," but also a new command (2:7-8). This is talking about God's original commandments to "love God with all of our hearts, soul, mind, and strength" and to "love our neighbor as our selves." They have been made new through the revelation of Jesus. Now we pursue keeping these laws with a greater understanding of what God desires from us because Jesus shows us the way. We also have hope to motivate us.
1 John 2:6 (ESV) --- 6 whoever says he abides in him ought to walk in the same way in which he walked.
2. Reject Sin
The way John talks about sin and the children of God is significant. In one letter he says, "If we say, 'We have not sinned,' we make him a liar, and his word is not in us" (1:10) and, "Everyone who remains in him does not sin; everyone who sins has not seen him or known him" (3:6). He also has many similar statements like, "The one who commits sin is of the devil," and, "Everyone who is born of God does not sin." Aren't these confusing to us? Should we confess that we have sinned and never sin again? If we do sin, should we be terrified that we are no longer a child of God? The point of these phrases is to clarify that those who are God's children must not continually practice sin. They are not like the world. If we are completely wrapped up in sin, and we can't get out of it, we should be terrified because there is no darkness in God at all. We were supposed to pass from death to life. Notice Chapter 2:1 again.
1 John 2:1 (ESV) --- 1 My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.
Our goal is to stop sinning. If anyone here has a purpose that is different from that, you are lost. Those who are in fellowship with God love God and hate sin.
1 John 3:2--3 (ESV) --- 2 Beloved, we are God's children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when he appears we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is. 3 And everyone who thus hopes in him purifies himself as he is pure.
3. Reject Antichrists
The third lesson that we learn from 1 John is that there will be pretenders who walk in darkness. These men and women will stand against the basic principles of fellowship with God. They will lead people into fellowship with the world instead of fellowship with God. John calls them "antichrists." Many movies have been made, and many people have speculated about some antichrist coming and fighting with God. But really, this is a word that is used to describe anyone who promotes loving the world, denying that Jesus is the Christ, denying that Jesus is God, straying from the apostles' teachings (commands of God), and teaching others to hate their brother (Continue in sin). He warns God's children to test the spirits before believing them.
1 John 4:1 (ESV) --- 1 Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, for many false prophets have gone out into the world.
1 John 4:5--6 (ESV) --- 5 They are from the world; therefore they speak from the world, and the world listens to them. 6 We are from God. Whoever knows God listens to us; whoever is not from God does not listen to us. By this we know the Spirit of truth and the spirit of error.
John encourages us to test whether these men are listening to the words of the apostles and speaking the same things, or just saying what the world wants to hear. This is a warning for us as we see a lot of teachers out there today. We are exposed to people from all kinds of religious affiliations speaking things that are not scriptural. Do we know the Bible well enough to determine what is from God and what is against the will of God? Could you tell if I am opposing the commandments of God? This book is supposed to help you with that.
The Main Contrast:
Believing False Teachers
I get the feeling, and most of the commentaries I refer to agree that John is combatting many false teachers as he writes this. John's mission in writing this book is to prepare God's people for these false teachers by telling them the difference between what is false and what is true. So, throughout this book, he will describe the things that false teachers do. If you were to underline all that John says about those who are false, you will see the progression I spoke about. Then, if you go back and circle everything John says we know is true, you will see the contrast. John uses the word "know" twenty-six times in this book. What does that tell you about fellowship with God?
Knowing Truth
Those who have fellowship with God know him. They know his commands (1:3). They know the truth (2:20-21). They know God's plan to make them like Jesus (3:2). They know that they have passed from death to life (3:13) because they know love (3:16) and they know the spirit of God (4:2). They know that God is love (4:8) and they know that they are in fellowship with God (4:13) because they know and believe the love that God has love for them (4:15). They also know that they are in fellowship with God because they love God's children and are in fellowship with them (5:2). So they know that they have eternal life (5:13). They know that fellowship with God means that they can ask God and that he hears them and wants to give them what they need (5:15). To wrap up the "know" discussion, look at the last words of John in this letter.
1 John 5:18--20 (ESV) --- 18 We know that everyone who has been born of God does not keep on sinning, but he who was born of God protects him, and the evil one does not touch him. 19 We know that we are from God, and the whole world lies in the power of the evil one. 20 And we know that the Son of God has come and has given us understanding, so that we may know him who is true; and we are in him who is true, in his Son Jesus Christ. He is the true God and eternal life.
Keep Yourselves From Idols
1 John 5:21 (ESV) --- 21 Little children, keep yourselves from idols.
The last verse makes sense if this whole book is about having fellowship with God. The last thing we want to do is be led astray from our relationship by pursuing idols. We know God, how could we worship and serve those who give us no real benefit. How could we trust in anything this world has to offer for joy and satisfaction when we have a relationship with God.
Conclusion
Our teaching, "Speak where the Bible speaks, and be silent where it is silent," is in line with this, but we must continually evaluate what we do to make sure that we aren't silent where the Bible speaks or speaking where the Bible is silent. That has the potential to get us out of fellowship with God. What does the Bible say? Love God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength. Love your neighbor as yourself. These are the greatest commands. Everything else that we do must be rooted and grounded in these. We are to live like Christ, his apostles, and the church lived in the first century. We want the same heart and the same love.