Day 480: The reason I write - 1 John 1 vs 1-4

1-2 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 - 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,  3-4  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. And we are writing these things so that our joy may be complete. 1 John 1:1-4 English Standard Version

An old expression says 'seeing is believing'. And it's true that, if we see an event with our own eyes, it's very difficult for someone else to tell us that the event didn't happen. But what about people who didn't see the event? Well, the next best thing would be to hear an accurate description of it from a truthful eye witness.

That's what the apostle John set out to do when he wrote his gospel and his 3 letters near the end of the Bible – and also the book called Revelation. Towards the end of his gospel he says: “Jesus did many other signs in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book - but these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God - and that, by believing, you may have life in his name.” (John 20:30-31) And in the very last chapter he says: “This is the disciple who is bearing witness about these things, and who has written these things, and we know that his testimony is true.” (John 21:24)

In vs 1-2 of today's reading he refers to a person whom he calls 'the word of life'. What was he essentially saying about that person?

He says that this person had been ‘with the Father’ – but had been revealed to people, including himself. But the point of what he says is that it was not some phantom appearance, or just a dream or figment of their imagination. They SAW that person, and touched him. This is the same John who wrote in his gospel how one of the disciples, named Thomas, said he would never believe that Jesus had risen from the dead ‘unless he could touch and feel the wounds in Jesus' hands and side’. And Jesus later appeared to Thomas and invited him to do just that!

So what John is doing in this letter is to strengthen the case he made at the start of his gospel when he wrote the words “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.  And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.” (John 1 vs 1 & 12)

But John wasn't writing just to prove a point or win an argument. And it wasn't just an academic matter for the head only. Why was he writing this letter? (vs 3-4)

He was writing so that his readers could enter into, what he called, 'fellowship with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ'. The word fellowship was an intimate word that implied having something in common. It's like saying you are invited into a strong relationship and into the inner circle of a group. But he isn't talking about some 'secret society'. The gospel is a message that is freely preached to all. It openly tells men and women of the eternal life that God gives to all who receive His beloved Son Jesus Christ as Lord. And it's a fellowship that leads to overflowing joy.

So John's reason for writing the things he did was so that readers who never got to meet and see Jesus themselves, can discover and share the joy that John and the other apostles experienced when Jesus lived among them. We can take encouragement from what Jesus said to Thomas after He showed him that He really was alive. Thomas said then: 'My Lord and my God.' And Jesus replied: “Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.” (John 20:29)