December 18 A READ 1 JOHN 1–5
Fellowship Barometer
OVERVIEW
John, the beloved apostle, writes to believers with a pastor’s heart, calling them “dear children” and “dear friends.” He gives at least five reasons for writing: to promote fellowship (1:3), to produce joy (1:4), to protect holiness (2:1), to prevent heresy (2:26), and to provide hope (5:13). Fellowship with God is not a vague, nebulous experience; it can be an objective, daily reality as believers forsake sin, obey God, and love one another. John offers three tests that can serve as a “fellowship barometer” for his spiritual children in their walk with God: (1) Have I confessed my sins to God (1:9)? (2) Am I walking in obedience to the light of God’s Word (2:4-5)? (3) Am I demonstrating a love for other Christians (2:9-10)? Those who answer yes to each one can say with John, “Now we live in fellowship with the true God because we live in fellowship with his Son, Jesus Christ” (5:20).
MY DAILY WALK
Christmas is less than a week away. No doubt you have pondered and puzzled over what you should get for who as you celebrate the birth of the Savior. Here is a gift-giving suggestion you may have overlooked: Why not offer an unsaved friend or family member the gift of eternal life?
At perhaps no other time during the year will your loved ones’ thoughts turn more readily to spiritual things than at Christmas. Perhaps all that is keeping them from coming to faith in Jesus Christ is a clear, convincing presentation of who he is and why he came to earth—a presentation you could share via a letter, over the phone, or just sitting around the Christmas tree. Begin to pray right now that Christmas Day will mark even more than the birth of the Savior. Pray that it will mark the spiritual birth of someone you love.
CHRISTMAS IS THE SEASON TO FOCUS ON THE GREATEST GIFT OF ALL.
INSIGHT
Contrasting John’s Gospel with His First Epistle | 1 Jn. 1:1
The Gospel of John: Written to spark belief (20:31)
The Epistle of 1 John: Written to ensure belief (5:13)
The Gospel of John: Emphasizes miracles
The Epistle of 1 John: Emphasizes love
The Gospel of John: Historical
The Epistle of 1 John: Experiential
The Gospel of John: Addressed to “everyone” (3:16)
The Epistle of 1 John: Addressed to “my dear children” (2:1, 18, 28)
INSIGHT
“That You May Know” | 1 Jn. 5:13
Why does John use the word “know” (5:13) so often in his letters? Because he is writing to counteract the false teaching of Gnostics—whose name comes from the Greek word for “know.” They believed salvation was for the spiritual elite who had knowledge of divine secrets. John’s message is clear: the gospel is about knowing the real Jesus. No other knowledge can save us.
Introduction
1We proclaim to you the one who existed from the beginning,* whom we have heard and seen. We saw him with our own eyes and touched him with our own hands. He is the Word of life. 2This one who is life itself was revealed to us, and we have seen him. And now we testify and proclaim to you that he is the one who is eternal life. He was with the Father, and then he was revealed to us. 3We proclaim to you what we ourselves have actually seen and heard so that you may have fellowship with us. And our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son, Jesus Christ. 4We are writing these things so that you may fully share our joy.*
Living in the Light
5This is the message we heard from Jesus* and now declare to you: God is light, and there is no darkness in him at all. 6So we are lying if we say we have fellowship with God but go on living in spiritual darkness; we are not practicing the truth. 7But if we are living in the light, as God is in the light, then we have fellowship with each other, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, cleanses us from all sin.
8If we claim we have no sin, we are only fooling ourselves and not living in the truth. 9But if we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness. 10If we claim we have not sinned, we are calling God a liar and showing that his word has no place in our hearts.