A Study in 1 John - The Basis of True Fellowship

Introduction: 1 John 1-4

The life, death and resurrection of Jesus is not merely legend. He was seen performing miracles. He was heard preaching the Good News. His lifeless body was handled. But he was also seen risen. He was heard by hundreds of individuals (1 Cor. 15:6). His resurrected body was handled by those who needed proof he was not a ghost - proof of the holes in his hands, feet and side. John begins his letter this way, because if it is true that Jesus is who He said He was - than to have fellowship (a relationship) with Him would mean everything. The amount of joy such an individual could know would be off the charts. Eternal joy due to eternal fellowship with an eternal Savior.  

 

Honesty: The Basis of True Fellowship: 1 John 1: 5-10

Honesty is key to any healthy relationship. It's when spouses aren't honest with each other that divorces happen. Communication is everything. So why would we expect anything different with our relationship with God?

 

 There is no darkness in God. None. This is not the case for the human race. We are a pride-scarred people who do not easily accept others who are clearly better than us. Have you ever been around someone who is just good at everything? They may not brag once about their achievements, but if they just so much as mention one of them, we tell all our friends that they are the most arrogant person we know. Why? Because then we might escalate ourselves to their level. Again, we serve a God in Whom there is no darkness. We must come into fellowship with Him acknowledging that such is not the case with us. When we offer ourselves to God, we offer Him our nothingness. 

We offer Him our filth, and ask Him to take it from us. We acknowledge that He is everything that is good and we are everything that is bad. We can only have fellowship with Him if we are aware how odd such a fellowship is, and we will only have fellowship with one another if we come together as a naked body of humiliation, clothed in the righteousness of Christ. Christ is faithful to forgive us of our crookedness. Now, in that promise - in that wonderful promise - let us walk with Him and others in His righteousness.