From John’s First Letter

From John’s First Letter

“And this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent.” John 17:3. These words were firmly implanted in John’s heart when he wrote his first letter. “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.” 1 John 1:3.

“Now by this we know that we know Him, if we keep His commandments.” Ch. 2:3. God created man in His own image in order to have fellowship with man. This fellowship was broken when Adam and Eve did not keep the one commandment God gave them. Jesus, our second Adam, came to restore that fellowship. “He who says, ‘I know Him,’ and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him.” Ch. 2:4. But for those who walk in the light as He is in the light, that fellowship is being restored. Ch. 1:7. “But whoever keeps His word, truly the love of God is perfected in him. By this we know that we are in Him.” Ch. 2:5. John was writing to the children, young people and the fathers who had begun this process of knowing the Father. Ch. 2:12-14.

Satan exalted himself and lost fellowship with God. He is creating a kingdom for all who are outside this fellowship. “He who sins is of the devil, for the devil has sinned from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that He might destroy the works of the devil.” Ch. 3:8. Jesus came in a flesh that could be tempted to sin just as we are, but He was faithful in all His temptations and opened the way back into the presence of God. Heb. 4:15-16. “He who says he abides in Him ought himself also to walk just as He walked.” Ch. 2:6. Through this faithfulness, Jesus developed a deep relationship with the Father during His days on earth such that the Father showed Him all that He was doing. John 5:19-20.

“By this you know the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is of God, and every spirit that does not confess that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is not of God. And this is the spirit of the Antichrist, which you have heard was coming, and is now already in the world.” 1 John 4:2-3. These deceiving spirits from Satan preach another Jesus who did not have to overcome sin in his days on earth. However, Jesus clearly bids us to follow Him and overcome as He did. Rev. 3:21. The battle He won over sin in the flesh, makes Him the greatest hero who ever lived.

“We know that whoever is born of God does not sin; but he who has been born of God keeps himself, and the wicked one does not touch him. We know that we are of God, and the whole world lies under the sway of the wicked one.” 1 John 5:18-19. God wants to have fellowship with us. But in order to have fellowship with Him, we must follow the exhortation from John: “Do not love the world or the things in the world.” Ch. 2:15-17. It is pride to give in to what our eyes see and our flesh is drawn to, when it is contrary to God’s commandments. “And we know that the Son of God has come and has given us an understanding, that we may know Him who is true; and we are in Him who is true, in His Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God and eternal life.” Ch. 5:20.