Now, as I read the books of the Bible over and over again, I like to give names to certain books. Recently I decided to call the first epistle of John “The Book of Sin.” I admit that I was a little surprised when that title came to me, but it certainly seems appropriate when one considers that he both begins and ends the book with that topic… well, not quite.
John begins his first letter explaining his unique credentials for even being able to write such a profound book:
That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, of the Word of life;
2 (For the life was manifested, and we have seen it, and bear witness, and shew unto you that eternal life, which was with the Father, and was manifested unto us;)
3 That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you, that ye also may have fellowship with us: and truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ.
4 And these things write we unto you, that your joy may be full. (1 John 1:1-4 KJV)
John begins his letter by telling his readers that he himself heard, saw, gazed upon, and even touched “that which was from the beginning,” the very “Word of Life.” John does not repeat hearsay, he does not recount what another told him, not even what another reliable witness told him. John himself is the reliable eye witness and he tells us what he saw, what he experienced. The Word of Life actually “manifested” itself to John and the other apostles. He saw it, he bears witness to it, and now he intends to show us exactly what he saw… eternal life! This eternal life he says, “was with the Father,” and then it “was manifested unto [him].”
Do you comprehend how profound this is? People have always, and especially today, worked hard to cast Jesus Christ as only a legend, a myth, a religious superstition. And if we did not have the written, sure word of prophets like John this would be a relatively easy task indeed. But we do have the written word, the Scriptures of Elohim, the One God who reveals himself to mankind whom he created.
Why does God reveal himself to men? Why did John write this letter? He wrote in order to enable us who read it to come into fellowship with him and with others who believe like him. He wrote to bring us into fellowship with God the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ. He wrote to enable us to become part of God’s very family, members of Elohim himself. This is what John meant when he wrote earlier wrote his Gospel and said, “But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name.” (John 1:12)
“And these things write we unto you, that your joy may be full.” (1 John 1:4)
