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Prologue (1:1-4)John begins the book by affirming his apostolic authority by reminding his readers that he was an eyewitness of Jesus. Therefore, if they are in fellowship with him, they are in fellowship with Jesus. The Author is An Eyewitness to Eternal Life Manifest (1:1-2)John begins his book by reminding his readers that he heard, saw with his own eyes and touched with his hands, Jesus. He is affirming that Jesus came in the flesh, for he didn't just see and hear, but physically touched Jesus. But John doesn't use Jesus name. Instead, he forces us to deal with the wonder of the incarnation by saying that he saw, heard and touched the One who was from the beginning. He saw, heard and touched the very manifestation of the Word of Life. When John speaks, he speaks as an eyewitness of the eternal life made flesh before us in the person of Jesus (1:2). So when John and the apostles testify and proclaim the message of eternal life, it is as an eyewitness of the one who was with the Father from the beginning as it was manifest to John and the apostles. Fellowship with the Father, the Son and with the Author (1:3-4)What John saw, he passed on to his readers. When they heard the message of Life, they heard it from an eyewitness. Because John was there with Jesus, if you have fellowship with John, then you have fellowship with Jesus. If you have fellowship with Jesus, then you have fellowship with the Father (1:3). The false teachers were not eyewitnesses to Jesus, and therefore have no authority in their teaching. Therefore, if you want to be assured of eternal life, don't listen to the false teacher who weren't even present with Jesus. Instead listen to the apostolic teaching. Listen to the ones who saw eternal life manifest in the flesh. Eternal life is found by remaining in fellowship with John and the apostles, not in fellowship with the false teachers who have broken away from these believers. John is writing these believers so they might doubt neither their salvation nor their eternal life and instead find the joy that comes from fellowship with God and His Son (1:4). Fellowship with the God of Light (1:5-3:10)Fellowship Means Walking in the Light (1:5-2:2)God is light. Therefore, those who walk in the light will see their sins exposed by God. When we walk in the light and admit our sinfulness, then we will be forgiven. However, those who deny their sin walk in darkness and will not be forgiven. Those in Fellowship Admit Their Sins (1:5-2:2)Fellowship with the God of Light (1:5-7)So what is the message that John heard from Jesus and has passed on to them? Namely, that God is light and in Him there is no darkness (1:5). What does it mean that God is light? What is the nature of light? Light reveals the darkness. When even a small candle is brought into a darkened room, the light shines and darkness disappears. Therefore, light and darkness cannot occupy the same space. Therefore, if we walk in darkness, we cannot have fellowship with God, for light eliminates the darkness, and God is light (1:6). But if we walk in the light, then we have fellowship with the God of light (1:7). Walking in the light, however, does not mean that we walk without sin. Instead, walking in the light means that we walk in a place where our sin becomes evident, for our sinfulness is revealed in the light. In Isaiah 5, when Isaiah found himself before the throne of God, the only thing he could see is his own sinfulness. Being in the presence of God reveals our unworthiness and our own sin. To walk in the light is to walk where our sins our exposed. But the good news is that it is only when our sin is exposed and revealed that it can be cleanses by the blood of Jesus. Fellowship with the God of light results in the forgiveness of sins. Fellowship Requires Confession of Sins (1:8-10)If we dwell in darkness, our sin remains hidden. When in darkness, then we deceive ourselves into thinking that we have no sin. Being in darkness allows us to hide from the fact that we are sinners (1:8). But if we walk in the light, our sin becomes obvious, and we then can confess and admit that we are sinner. Only then can God do his work on us, faithfully forgiving and cleansing us from unrighteousness (1:9). To walk in the light is to be in a constant state of honesty about our sin and about the holiness of God. Whenever we get to the point where we think that we no longer need a savior, that we no longer need to be forgiven, we begin to walk in darkness, deceiving ourselves and cutting ourselves off from fellowship with God. To do so is to make God a liar. That is proof that God's word is not in us (1:10). Fellowship Comes Through the Advocate (2:1-2a)Walking in the light means we admit our sins, not that we don't sin. However, the automatic forgiveness that comes from confession can lead us to an attitude of license. If we can just go out and sin and then just confess it, then why not just sin all the more (Romans 6:1)? Of course not. So John reminds them that he is writing these things “so that you may not sin” (2:1a). As he will make clear later, those who have been forgiven no longer abide in their sin (3:6). John is writing this not so we can continue to abide in our sin, but so that if we do sin, we know that we can be forgiven (2:1). What is the mechanism of our forgiveness? John states that it comes through two roles on which Jesus takes. First, he is our advocate (2:1b). Jesus serves as our defense attorney before God, pleading our case in light of his righteousness. Secondly, he is our propitiation (2:2a). Jesus' blood sacrifice on the cross appeases God's wrath on our behalf. Jesus Died for the Sins of the Whole World (2:2b)This propitiation is not just for us, but for the whole world. This does not mean that all persons have had their sins atoned for by Jesus death. Instead, it means that Jesus death is sufficient to cover the sins of the whole world, if the whole world were to walk in the light and admit their need for propitiation. One of the tenants of extreme Calvinist doctrine is the doctrine of limited atonement. This doctrine teaches that Jesus died only for the elect. However, this passage clearly teaches that Jesus died for the whole world, not merely the elect. Jesus death was for all persons. However, only the elect will realize their need for salvation and therefore receive the benefits of this sacrifice. Nonetheless, the blood of Jesus is an adequate sacrifice, not just for your or my sins, but for that of the whole world. When Jesus became sin on our behalf, he took on not just our sins, but the sins of everyone, even the most evil tyrant or coldest murderer. The weight of Jesus burden should cause in us great wonder and awe. Furthermore, when we see people who refuse to admit their need for salvation, it is like watching a gift which has already been paid for go without being opened. The waste of such a great sacrifice of love should cause in us great grief. Fellowship Means Loving Your Brother (2:3-17)Those in Fellowship Keep Jesus' Commands (2:3-6)With our sins forgiven, there should be a change in our behavior. Jon says that we can know that we now have fellowship with Jesus because of our attitude towards his commandments. Those who know Jesus keep his commandments. Those who do not keep his commandments do not know Him (2:3-4). Keeping Jesus commandments is not what brings us into fellowship with Jesus. Instead, fellowship with Jesus is what brings us to keep His commandments. If we are struggling to obey Jesus, the answer is not to work harder at obedience, but to go back into the light, admit our sins, and let the forgiveness of God bring to obedience. Those in Fellowship Love Their Brothers (2:7-11)If those in fellowship keep the commands of Christ, what are His commands? As John outlines the command of Christ, he reminds them this is nothing new. He has told them Christ's commandment from the very beginning (2:7). However, John is writing this anew because now that the darkness has passed away and light is beginning to shine, it is good to reiterate this teaching (2:8). This is probably a reference to the recent departure of the false teacher from their fellowship. This commandment I simple: that we love one another. If you abide in the light, you will love your brother or sister in Christ (2:10). If you say you abide in the light but hate your brother is in the darkness (2:11). They cannot see their own sin. If you are in the darkness you can deceive yourself into thinking that you are better than your brother. Therefore you can consider yourselves to be worthy of God's favor while your brother is not. However, if you walk in the light, you can see how unlovely you are, and then be amazed at the unconditional love of God. Therefore, we can love our unworthy brother or sister in Christ unconditionally because in the light we are aware that we are unworthy recipients of God's unconditional love. John Assures His Readers that they are in Fellowship (2:12-14)In verses 12-14 John writes in a repetitious but almost poetic style, speaking to little children, fathers and young men. He repeats the phrasing for each category, with a slight change in tense (“I am writing vs. I have written” (which is not picked up by the NIV).
Commentators debate the meaning of both the changed tense as well as the nature of the different categories. Some believe the categories are the physical ages of the people to whom John is writing, while others believe it to be spiritual ages. Commentators are even more confused by change in tense. What is clear is that John is trying to be inclusive of all his readers, assuring them, that unlike the heretics who have left the fellowship, his readers are in right fellowship with him and with God. John is and has written to them to assure them of their salvation. Their sins have been forgiven (2:12), they know the Father (2:13c) and the Son (2:13a, 14a), and they are strong, abiding in the word of God and have overcome the evil one (2:13b, 15b). Those in Fellowship Don't Love the World (2:15-17)John is contrasting his audience with the heretics who have left them and who love the world. They act on the desires of the flesh, the eyes and in the possessions of the world (2:16). Those are foolish pursuits, for all that they desire will pass away as the world passes away (2:17a), while those who pursue after the will of God will live forever (2:17b). Fellowship Requires No Special Knowledge (2:18-3:10)Those in Fellowship Need No Additional Knowledge (2:18-27)The antichrists broke fellowship (2:18-19)John describes the false teachers who have broken away from the fellowship as antichrists. These are not the one ultimate Antichrist who comes in the very last days, but they are one of many antichrists who will appear in the last days. They have demonstrated that they are antichrists who are not saved because they have broken fellowship with true believers. If they had been true believers, they would not have broken fellowship with the community of true believers. John seems to be assuring his readers that they belong to the true followers of Christ and that those who have left are the false teachers pursuing a false message. Knowing Jesus is all you need (2:20-24)Apparently these antichrists taught, like the Gnostics, that they possessed as secret knowledge. This special revelation gave them a higher plain of spirituality. Without this knowledge and without their guidance, others would be left behind and be unable to achieve a higher level of relationship with the Father. But John assures his followers that they have the Holy Spirit (“anointing from the Holy One”) and that is all they need (2:20). This book was written to give his readers new information they didn't already have, because they already know the truth (2:21). There is no additional secret knowledge which they need. Indeed, those who claim to have this secret knowledge are liars who lack even the most basic truths of true fellowship: namely, that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God (2:22). If you deny Jesus, you deny the Father (2:23). But if you remain in this basic truth, which John taught them from the beginning, then you have fellowship with both the Son and the Father (2:24) and you have eternal life (2:25). The purpose of the book (2:25-27)John is writing this book about the false teachers so that they can be assured that they have the truth, they have fellowship with God and they have eternal life (2:26). Because they have the Holy Spirit and because they have remained in Him, they don't need anyone to teach them any new special revelation (2:27a). The Holy Spirit provides them with all the truth they need (2:27b). Those in Fellowship Will Be Like Jesus (2:28-3:3)Therefore, John exhorts them to remain in fellowship with the Holy Spirit, because then they can be confident and without shame when Jesus comes again (2:28). They can confidently appear before the righteous one because they themselves will be righteous (2:29). Those who have remained in fellowship are the children of God (3:1). But while those in fellowship are indeed God's children, we are not yet all that we should be. We have been saved, but we are still looking forward to a time when our salvation will be made complete. We look forward to the time when we will see Jesus and we will be like Him (3:2). One day, when we see Jesus, we will no longer struggle with our sinfulness, for one day we will be purified of our sin, just like Jesus is pure. Someday soon we will be like Him. Until then, we purify our hearts by fixing our Hope in Him. We purify ourselves by fixing our hope in this. For the God who raised Christ from the dead and gave him glory (1 Peter 1:21) will one day make us just as He is, sharing in His glory (John 17:22-24). No special knowledge or new teaching is required. All that is required is to remain in fellowship with Jesus, and you will someday achieve perfect spirituality. Those in Fellowship Practice Righteousness (3:4-10)While the false teacher taught that there was special knowledge necessary to achieve perfection, John teaches that remaining in Jesus is all you need. Instead of looking at some higher knowledge of proof that you are on the path to perfection, John, instead says, look at the practice of your current life. If you are beginning to show external signs of righteousness, then that shows you are one who is going to achieve full righteousness when Jesus returns. If, however, your life shows no improvement, and you are remaining in your sins, then it doesn't matter what special revelation you think you might have. That alone is evidence that you don't have the truth. For John, salvation is not a point in time where we are justified in our sins. Instead, John presents salvation as an on-going process which reaches it fullness in the coming of Christ. If you are in fellowship with Jesus, you have been forgiven from your sins, but you are not yet completely without sin (1:8-9). When Jesus returns, then, finally you will not only have forgiveness from sin, but you will be righteous, without sin, just as Jesus is (2:29). In the meantime, there should be a steady progress in your practice of righteousness. Not that we become perfect, for that will only happen when Jesus returns. But our daily practice should be more and more that of righteousness than sin. Jesus came to take away sin, and in Jesus there is no sin (3:5). Therefore, those who remain in Jesus should not be remaining in their sin (3:6). If you merely look at the forgiveness offered by Jesus as a license to continue in your sin, and you desire to and actively continue to do the same sins, then John doesn't want you to be deceived (3:7). Those who continue to practice sin are not born of God (3:9-10). When John speaks of “keeping commandments” and “practicing righteousness” as opposed to “practicing sin,” he is not saying that those in fellowship have become perfectly obedient. If we think that we can perfectly obey then we are a liar, we deceive ourselves and we make God out to be a liar (1:8, 10). Instead, John uses the words “abide” and “walk” (2:6). Abiding can also be translated as “remaining” or “dwelling.” Walk has the connotation of a continual progression as we go about life. When we encounter the commandments of Jesus, those who have been forgiven and therefore have fellowship with Jesus tend to dwell and walk in his commandments (2:6), as opposed to remaining or dwelling in sin (3:6). [Next: Fellowship with the God of Love]
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