TUESDAY
1 John 1:1–4 1 What was from the beginning, what we have heard, what we have seen with our eyes, what we have observed and have touched with our hands, concerning the Word of life— 2 that life was revealed, and we have seen it and we testify and declare to you the eternal life that was with the Father and was revealed to us — 3 what we have seen and heard we also declare to you, so that you may have fellowship along with us; and indeed our fellowship is with the Father and with His Son Jesus Christ. 4 We are writing these things so that our joy may be complete.
One of the most difficult tasks of interpreting a text is to discern the intent of the author. Discerning the intent is an interpretive task that I desperately wish we did more of when we consume media content and news. It’s usually easy to see when you’re looking for it, even if it isn’t explicitly stated. Thankfully, John states his reason for declaring the life revealed to his audience—that is to say—the reason for writing this letter.
Here in verse 3 we get his first of two reasons for writing this letter. The “so that” indicates that what follows is his reason for declaring what he has experienced and perceived regarding the life revealed.
His reasons for writing this letter and declaring the truth of the gospel that he has seen and perceived are simply beautiful. He wants his audience to have fellowship with himself and the apostolic witness. Through the connection formed by this gospel, they also have fellowship with the Father and Jesus. He also states that he wants their joy to be complete. This we will talk about next week at Christmas Eve service.
We will unpack what “fellowship along with us and with God” means throughout the week. For today, however, let’s just sit with the positive framing of John’s purpose for declaring the gospel that he has seen and perceived.
This gospel is the life revealed. This gospel is God’s beautiful story of redemption from the beginning. This is the Word of life. This is the eternal life. He wants his audience to know and experience that life as well. His reason for declaring the gospel comes from a place of love. He has experienced the fullness of life in the gospel and he wants others to experience it as well. He is extending an invitation of fellowship with himself and God. This fellowship is only received by those who accept the apostolic gospel of the life revealed.
As Christians, our reason for declaring the gospel is love. Remember, last week we said this declaration is to those who have already professed Christ. John is writing to Christians who are being influenced by those who have abandoned the true gospel. John’s primary purpose then is to remind Christians of the truth they believe in the gospel—to persevere in the truth of the gospel through the challenges they are facing. So think of this less in the context of evangelism (which also applies there) but more in the context of your Bible study or small group conversations or just a conversation with a fellow believer.
Today I would invite us to simply reflect on whether or not the reason we declare the gospel to one another is love. Sometimes I think we say that but deep down our declaration of the gospel is out of a posture of defensiveness. We want to convince someone else to believe what we believe and so validate ourselves. When we disagree with someone, we have to prove that we are right regardless of the actual evidence. This is pride. Pride is the opposite of love. So our reason for declaring the gospel to others is often to solely prove that we are right.
Of course, you might be right! But if your posture in declaring the truth is not genuine love, then you are wrong according to Jesus. Remember, Jesus told us the second greatest commandment is to love our neighbors as ourselves (Matt. 22:39). In Ephesians 4:15 we are called to “speak the truth in love.” This, again, is in the context of the church and discipleship.
Speaking the truth in genuine love dramatically changes the way many of these conversations would go. We would be far less defensive and far less angry. We would be far more patient in waiting for the person. We would be far more kind in our responses.
We struggle with this in the church on non-essential doctrinal issues. John here is writing about essential doctrines of the gospel and even in these matters, his purpose in declaring the truth of the gospel is loving. Church, we must learn to do this again.
Reflection
Reflect on the posture of your heart when you were last in a conversation with someone in the body of Christ that you disagreed with. Were you declaring the truths found in the gospel out of a heart of love or defensiveness? Were you just trying to prove to yourself and the others that you were right or were you speaking out of love for them?
Revisit that scene and imagine how a posture of love would change the conversation.