Message - 1 John Verses 2-4: Eternal Life And Fellowship With Joy Complete Series

MESSAGE - 1 JOHN VERSES 2-4: ETERNAL LIFE AND FELLOWSHIP WITH JOY COMPLETE

On the previous occasion when we looked at the opening verse of this glorious first letter of John, we explored many thoughts that are contained in that marvellous verse. John testified to all he had seen and heard and touched when the Lord was on earth. He faithfully recorded the essentials of the faith so clearly through the Holy Spirit. Today we are going to do the next three verses. Let us look at the opening verses of Chapter 1.

{{1John 1 v 1 What was from the beginning, what we have heard, what we have seen with our eyes, what we beheld and our hands handled, concerning the Word of Life –

1John 1:2 and the life was manifested, and we have seen and bear witness and proclaim to you the eternal life which was with the Father and was manifested to us - 1John 1:3 what we have seen and heard we proclaim to you also, that you also may have fellowship with us, and indeed our fellowship is with the Father, and with His Son Jesus Christ.}}

ETERNAL LIFE WITH THE FATHER

VERSE 2. Verses 2 and 3 are an expansion of the opening statement in verse 1. Verse 2 parallels John 1 v 14 in the gospel – {{John 1 v 14 The Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth”.}} You see that word there, “beheld”, the one where they not only saw, but contemplated and saw beyond just a physical form. John is categorically stating that they saw and could testify to all that happened, but the main thrust of verse 2 is “eternal life”.

What is this eternal life he speaks of in the verse? It is the life vitally connected to the Almighty, the Eternal God who inhabits eternity, who knows the end from the beginning, and who is the great I AM. Eternal life resides with the Eternal God, but in the fullness of time, this life was manifested to the disciples. That was through the One who became flesh, who dwelt among them. You see, we are considering the Godhead here, and Jesus was the eternal Son revealing the Eternal Father to them. Jesus brought the life of God to them and now John confidently proclaims that eternal life to the readers. It is that life that was laid on the line for us, that He was alive, and was dead, but now is alive forevermore, and has brought everlasting life to us. That is what John says in verse 2. What a gigantic acceptance this is that the Eternal Son should grant life to us forever.

Never lose sight of the cost in this, for He who was without sin became sin for us that we can now be reckoned as the righteousness of God. Don’t let that go in one ear and out the other. You were redeemed by the blood of the Lamb at great cost.

Human contemplation is usually insufficient when we try to explore the immensity of God. God is so great and so much beyond us that our capacity for understanding is limited, but God knows that. It is the reason why the Lord spoke about many things, but at a level we understand. He has given us all we need to know in this temporal life. There are so many wonders and facts that we can’t possible know and glories that would almost shatter our human minds, but in heaven we will understand, and we will participate in those things that Paul said it was not permitted to know. Jesus was so kind to the disciples revealing just enough, but even then they were not able to grasp things at the time.

One of the problems with us human beings is that we are given to speculation, and if speculation is not contained within boundaries, then it can run wild, and all sorts of fanciful ideas result. The following two verses could lend themselves to speculation but we would be very unwise to do that. I said the Lord gave us what we needed to live, but there was so much more He refrained to give – for our real benefit I believe! I will leave these two verses with you without comment just to marvel at how good God is:-

2Corinthians 12:4 was caught up into Paradise, and heard inexpressible words, which a man is not permitted to speak. 1Corinthians 2:9 but just as it is written, “Things which eye has not seen and ear has not heard, and which have not entered the heart of man, all that God has prepared for those who love Him.”