Dig Deeper
The theme of 1 John 1 is fellowship with God established
by the incarnation of Jesus Christ. John declares, “The life appeared; we have
seen it and testify to it, and we proclaim to you the eternal life, which was
with the Father and has appeared to us” (1 John 1:2).
Jesus Christ introduced by John as “the Word of
life” “was from the beginning” (1 John 1:1). Here John begins his first epistle
(letter) similarly to his gospel, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word
was with God, and the Word was God” (John 1:1). Jesus Christ is eternally the
Son of God. When the beginning began, He “was.”
It is God the Son along with the Father and Spirit who declared in Genesis
1:27, “Let Us make man in Our own image…” The incarnation then
is the eternal Son of God becoming human, or as John writes, “The life appeared…”
In his gospel John further explains the
incarnation, “The Word become flesh and made His dwelling among us” or
literally “tabernacled among us” (John 1:14). His original hearers would have
immediately identified Jesus “dwelling among us” with the tabernacle of the
Exodus. What do the following Scriptures reveal about God’s presence in the
tabernacle reveal about His desire for fellowship with His people?
Exodus 25:8; 29:45-46; 40:34-36; Leviticus 26:11;
and Deuteronomy 12:11--
According to the following Scriptures, why was
Christ’s incarnation necessary for fellowship with God?
Ephesians 2:18-19; Romans 5:10; 2 Corinthians
5:18-19; Colossians 1:20-22; and Hebrews 10:19-22--
While John’s emphasis in his epistle is fellowship
with God, he does express his desire for fellowship with one another, “so that
you also may have fellowship with us” (1John 1:3). What insights about the
connectedness of fellowship with God and one another do you glean from the
following Scriptures?
1 John 1:3; Matthew 18:20; Mark 9:37; John 17:21;
and 2 Corinthians 13:11--
Application
How will you
pursue deeper fellowship with God this week?
Memorize This
1 John 1:9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our
sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. HCSB
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