1 John 1

1 John ~ Forward ~ John the apostle of love writes basically concerning the bride of Christ and her relationship with her husband. This can be seen in the gospel where it is said he leaned upon Jesus breast, the endearing position of a wife to her beloved husband. The epistles also carry the same thought.
Vs 1 “That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, of the Word of life; (For the life was manifested, and we have seen it, and bear witness, and shew unto you that eternal life, which was with the Father, and was manifested unto us;) that which we have seen and heard declare we unto you, that ye also may have fellowship with us: and truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ.” ~ As in the forward John’s writings differ from all of the other gospels and epistle writers, inasmuch as his writings tend to emphasize the closeness of the disciples to their Lord (Jh 21:20, 1 Jh 2:20). Here we find the intimacy of them (from not before the beginning) in that they were touched by the fact that through him they could find fellowship with both the Father and the Son (son of man, their husband.

Vs 4 "And these things write we unto you, that your joy may be full." ~ The purpose of this writing was to give the disciples the joy of feeling this closeness, and to understand how it came about as recorded in 2 Th 2:13 and 1 Jh 2:20. It is God the Father who hath chosen and betrothed those called to the wedding of the son of man, Jesus (Hos 2:19, Mt 22:14, Acts 2:47, Rom 8:28). It is the Holy Ghost that has administered the marriage covenant with the dealt faith, which defines the completed work of God as He was in Christ reconciling all of his family unto himself (2 Cor 5:19). Upon believing they are sealed with the Holy Ghost of promise (2 Cor 1:22, Gal 3:29, Eph 1:13, 4:30, Rev 7:4). After having been so sealed they cannot be deceived. Some may through pride fall away, but they do so presumptuously, and it they continues in teaching a false doctrine, after much longsuffering Jesus will cut they off as Jehovah did the Jews (Rom 11:10, Heb 6:4, 10:29).

Vs 5 "This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all. If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie (John 8:44 ‘he is a liar, and the father of it’), and do not the truth: but if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood (as the Passover Lamb) of Jesus (the man) Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.” ~ This epistle was also designed to give the disciple an understanding of the value of this closeness, for in this relationship was the understanding that the Passover blood provided a covering, insomuch as they were able to feel the cleansing power found in the covering. Remember this is forgiveness, covering, putting our sins in remission. It does not do away with our sins; simple puts them in remission, a position so they will not hinder our service to out Husband.

Vs 8 “If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.” ~ This verifies the position taken above, for we are reminded that we are all sinners, for there is none righteous, no not one, but the cleansing effect of the Passover blood availed in confessing that we are indeed sinners, thus providing the needed covering, wherein we are then able to worship our husband in an acceptable manner. The lesson is very clear that only those who see themselves as sinners have access to this covering; when one, as the Pharisee, denies the cleansing power of the Passover blood, having seen it (Mt 21:32), is cast out into outer darkness (Mt 7:23, Heb 10:29, Mt 22:13). This cleansing is not the eradication of our sins as that which is accomplished by the atoning blood, but simply a Passover covering so one can enter the bride’s chamber there to sup with their husband, the son of man Jesus. This lesson is portrayed in the Old Testament by the first two kings of Israel; that is where King Saul failed in his position as king in not following God’s instructions concerning the king of the Amalekites (1 Sam 15:15).

This was a presumptuous doctrinal sin, whereas David’s was a moral sin in having Eriah killing in battle. In the human mind David should have suffered a greater punishment, yet (2 Sam 12:13 ~ the LORD hath put away thy sin; thou shalt not die.). David was said to be a man after God’s own heart (1 Sam 13:14), and did not lose his kingship, whereas God turned his back on Saul and he lost his kingship. Grace for grace ~ what a merciful God we have to give the little flock such a Passover covering, designed to allow the firstborn an access into the bride’s chamber. This is also pictured in the account of Israel and Judah. In Jer 3:8 “I saw, when for all the causes whereby backsliding Israel committed adultery I had put her away, and given her a bill of divorce; yet her treacherous sister Judah feared not, but went and played the harlot also.” Why? Because it seemed good (Jer 18:4, Mt 11:26, Lk 10:21) in thy sight, whereof he had made a covenant with Judah. Gen 49:10 “The sceptre shall not depart from Judah, nor a lawgiver from between his feet, until Shiloh come.” The phrase, ‘from between his (Judah) feet’ is the position of bearing children. Deut 28:57 “Her young one that cometh out from between her feet.” Gal 4:27 ‘Rejoice, thou barren that bearest not; break forth and cry, thou that travailest not: for the desolate hath many more children than she which hath an husband does. Now we, brethren, as Isaac was, are the children of promise. But as then he that was born after the flesh persecuted him that was born after the Spirit, even so it is now.’ Here we find that those who have been added unto the church (Acts 2:47), are less than those who have take only his name to take away their reproach (Isa 4:1, Jh 4:18).