The disciples also had testified that christ was the son of god, the savior of the world. For we cannot stop speaking about what we have seen and heard. But first john appears to be written to believers to promote fellowship in the family of god. He is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. It is attributed to john the evangelist, traditionally thought to be the author of the gospel of john and the other two johannine epistles. Rather i conclude that it was based on the evidence i will present below. The passage is about believers, since it includes st. Lange and others have taught that this was the time of. He that saith he is in the light that he has true religion, or is a christian. Oct 29, 2010 this is an all saints sunday sermon about the fellowship of believers.
Believers resources sermon by jerry cosper, 1 corinthians. In his opening chapter, john records 7 names and titles of jesus that identify. The first epistle of john, often referred to as first john and written 1 john or i john, is the first of the johannine epistles of the new testament, and the fourth of the catholic epistles. Christians are being made holy but fallible in the course of time, one may stumble to sin due to weakness. And were looking at 1 peter chapter 2 verses 4 through 10. Introthe letter known as 1 john was sent to a group of believers who were in the midst of an unsettling situation. The unfruitful branches in john 15 5 is not required by the context. Knowing jesus study 1 leaders guide jesus christ is god jesus is eternal and one with the father.
John proclaimed that jesus was the light of the world. Lange and others have taught that this was the time of year for pruningfires. This summary of the book of 1 john provides information about the title, authors, date of writing, chronology, theme, theology, outline, a brief overview, and the chapters of the book of 1 john. Proponents of the unbelievers doctrine, state that john is inviting his readers into fellowship which proves that it is written to unbelievers. The epistle of 1 john is about fellowship and communion with christ and communion with christ and fellow believers. Believers need to cultivate their relationship with god daily. John the apostle says that jesus is the light of the world, but. The father heart of god is perfectly seen in the life and ministry of jesus christ. Familiarity, however, does not guarantee that the meaning of 1 john 1. John explained that although jesus has already paid the penalty for a christians sin, we can have victory over sin in daily life and. First, he wanted believers to have fellowship see 1 john 1. Therefore, one of, if not the greatest greek scholars of our day, is stating that the we in 1 john 1.
General introduction overview suppose you are heavily involved in some cause or movement. May 16, 2017 therefore, one of, if not the greatest greek scholars of our day, is stating that the we in 1 john 1. The word is indeed sometimes used in a larger sense, but the reference here appears to be to that which is properly brotherly love among christians. Jun 14, 2012 but let me state up front that i do not assume 1 john 1 was written for unbelievers assumptions of that sort are dangerous. The gifts and grace of god confirmed our testimony about christ in the hearts of the believers. It speaks of who he is, why he came and all about his ministry on earth before his death and resurrection. Many other jewish believers followed him in this fate in the years that have unfolded since this incident happened.
But if we walk in the light as he himself is in the light reveals that the. This is not a contradiction, for believers are not slaves to both holiness and sin. The key purpose of 1 john is to set boundaries on the content of faith and to give believers assurance of their salvation. In chapter 2, a wonderful epistle of peter, we come to verse 4, in fact, verses 4 through 10 which is a rich, rich section of scripture. Walking in the light is not a description of a class of spiritual believers. Believers resources sermon by jerry cosper, 1 corinthians 1. His intense moral earnestness and his very love made him hate evil, and sternly condemn it. What does john want believers to know that you find yourself wavering on.
They emphasize that god is light and love and every true believer will demonstrate gods light and love. Please see the end of this paper for more on this with a piece from pastor bill wenstrom. Relation of epistle to gospel of johnanalysis of 1 john. Because sin is serious and it is opposed to the reasons. The gospel of john chapter one 1 b e l i e v e r s b i b l e s t u d y the gospel of john chapter 1 introduction. A verse by verse exegetical and inductive indepth bible study in john.
First john 1 reminds us that there is tension in the life of the believer, for just as believers will walk in holiness they will also sin. Aug 24, 2016 thus, john grounds the purification of believers not in the confession of sin itself, since no confession could possibly make satisfaction for sin or merit anything from god, but instead in the blood of christ 1 john 1. This demonstrates that believers can walk in darkness, and anyone who is honest, has come to realize this themselves. This is why the gospel of john is such a great book for new believers to study, because it tells us, over and over again, often times through the words of jesus himself, that he is the messiah, the christ, the. He was the one who john had met and personally got to know. Written by john the elder to house church believers, 1 john, 2 john, 3 john echo the gospel of john. The books also address deceivers who spread false teachings and fear rather than love. How we walk determines if we have fellowship with him or not. Notice that the same word for passing away is used in 1 john 2. I have always had difficulty accepting first john 1. I became a believer in christ at a young age, based primarily on the witness of significant others in my family. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. We find ourselves now in an ongoing study of 1 peter.
Project a powerpoint comparion of john 1 and 1 john 1. Those of us who are believers, then, even though all our sins have. Teaching continual confession for fellowship in this context is not biblical. But first, let me challenge two traditional arguments used to suggest that 1 john 1, and particularly verse 9, is meant for christians. We all need to keep weeding the gardens of our spiritual lives. It is the hope of hypocrites, not of the sons of god, that makes allowance for gratifying impure desires and lusts. If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. The gospel of john is such a great book to study, as a new believer, because it speaks so clearly about jesus. First, observe that this verse is a conditional statement. In a world that hates jesus, we are called to love him and his.
Study guide1,2,3 john growing christians ministries. Echoing jesus, 1 john says that in eternity past, jesus was with the father and came to reveal to us that our fellowship is with the father 1 john 1. Jesus stated, they that have been cleansed, dont have to be cleased all over again. A fallencondition focus verses 5 and 1011 look closely at verse 5. The gospel of john is such a great book to study, as a new believer, because it. Total forgiveness and the confession of sin grace to you.
Finally, early church writers and historians have universally recognized john as. I can remember my personal search for an integrating center for my life. The fellowship spoken of in 1 john is that of being saved, not that of being on speaking terms for the. Since to walk in the light involves confessing our sins 1. This text, in fact, suggests that 1 john was written after 2 john, for the heretics in 2 john were itinerant preachers who were still considered part of the church. Do believers need to confess their sins for forgiveness. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. The fellowship of believers sermon by scott bradford, 1. It also shows that there were the group of gnostics who in fact did not have fellowship, salvation with the group of believers.
John 9 commentary, one of over 110 bible commentaries freely available, this commentary provides notes on all 66 books of the bible, and contain more than 7,000 pages of material. The fellowship of believers sermon by scott bradford, 1 john. Hope awakens fearfive reasons against sin in believerssin. Some take it as believers only, some take it as a collective we. Comfortable christianity often means a weak christianity. Abbott smith, a manual greek lexicon of the new testament, 3rd ed. The body of believers who constitute the church are in the family of god, though the family is larger than the church. Tony evans challenges christians who have grown comfortable and complacent in their faith. Lets open our bibles then again tonight to our study of spiritual privilege, spiritual privilege. This view may be combined with one or both of the following 5. Read more about understanding confession of sins in the context of 1 john 1. John was the apostle of love, but he was also a son of thunder.
It is a community of committed believers serving the lord in a center for research and practicum. R ecently, there has been great debate on whether 1 john, chapter 1 was written to believers or unbelievers. Studies from 1st, 2nd, and 3rd john bible study guide. But let me state up front that i do not assume 1 john 1 was written for unbelievers assumptions of that sort are dangerous. Christians are slaves only to holiness who, because of weakness, sometimes forget their true master and sin. Westcott argued for the third option, a public confession before other believers, openly in the face of men, based on the use of the verb ojmologevw jomologew to refer to open witness elsewhere in the johannine corpus 1 john 2. Some of them had abandoned faith in jesus the messiah as it had first been taught to.
The gospel of john is about relationship and union with christ. The letter known as 1 john was sent to a group of believers who were in the midst of an unsettling situation. Finally, early church writers and historians have universally recognized john as the author of this account. Dana and manteys a manual grammar of the greek new testament confirms this. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just, and will forgive our sins and. He doesnt believe in christians confessing sin and claims that 1 john 1.
Ive been listening to bob george on the radio and am confused. Jesus had testified the truth that he was the son of god. Verse 6 the believers were sure of their salvation. This article is more like a bible study, so i recommend that you get your bible, a pen and a piece of paper. Jan 02, 2020 the key purpose of 1 john is to set boundaries on the content of faith and to give believers assurance of their salvation. 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, purifies us from all sin. Most contemporary scholars consider the author to be unknown. The church and the family are both in the kingdom of god but are not synonymous terms. Some of them had abandoned faith in jesus the messiah as it had first been taught to them.