# 1 John 01 đź“–: Walking in the Light
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> [!info] Table of Contents
> [[#đź“ś Scripture Text (NET)]]
> [[#đź“– Verse-by-Verse Commentary]]
> [[#🤔 Interesting Facts / Historical and Cultural Insights]]
> [[#🧠Chapter Summary]]
> [[#✝️ Christ in This Chapter]]
> [[#🔎 Key Observations / 🛟 Life Application]]
> [[#đź’¬ Discussion Questions]]
> [[#✍️ Key Verses to Remember]]
> [[#đź”— Related Passages]]
> [[#🙏 Devotional Reflection]]
> [[#đź“‚ Internal Notes]]
## đź“ś Scripture Text (NET)
(The NET Bible: New English Translation. Biblical Studies Press, 2005)
## The Prologue to the Letter
**Principle**: Jesus is real and eternal.
[[John 01]]
[[#Verse 01.]] This is what we proclaim to you: what was from the beginning, what we have heard, what we have seen with our eyes, what we have looked at and our hands have touched (concerning the word of life—Â
[[#Verse 02.]] and the life was revealed, and we have seen and testify and announce to you the eternal life that was with the Father and was revealed to us).Â
[[#Verse 03.]] What we have seen and heard we announce to you too, so that you may have fellowship with us (and indeed our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ).Â
[[#Verse 04.]] Thus we are writing these things so that our joy may be complete.
### God Is Light, So We Must Walk in the Light
**Principle**: When we follow Jesus, His light shines within us and on the outside.
[[#Verse 05.]] Now this is the gospel message we have heard from him and announce to you: God is light, and in him there is no darkness at all.Â
[[#Verse 06.]] If we say we have fellowship with him and yet keep on walking in the darkness, we are lying and not practicing the truth.Â
[[#Verse 07.]] But if we walk in the light as he himself is in the light, we have fellowship with one another and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin.Â
[[#Verse 08.]] If we say we do not bear the guilt of sin, we are deceiving ourselves and the truth is not in us.
[[#Verse 09.]] But if we confess our sins, he is faithful and righteous, forgiving us our sins and cleansing us from all unrighteousness.Â
[[#Verse 10.]]Â If we say we have not sinned, we make him a liar and his word is not in us.
## đź“– Verse-by-Verse Commentary
###### Overall.
###### Verse 01.
###### Verse 02.
###### Verse 03.
###### Verse 04.
###### Verse 05.
###### Verse 06.
###### Verse 07.
###### Verse 08.
###### Verse 09.
###### Verse 10.
## 🤔 Interesting Facts / Historical and Cultural Insights
#### Interesting connection between first, second, and third John:
- 1 John was likely written to the same churches mentioned in Revelation 2 and 3. It may have been written to the entire church. The point was to encourage the believers and to warn against the false doctrine of Gnosticism.
- 2 John was likely written to a particular church. There is some debate concerning if it was written to a lady who was overseeing a church or if John was referring to a particular church with a feminine pronoun.
- 3 John was written to a particular person. Gaius was likely involved in John’s ministry as a “personal assistant” or sorts. Someone who helped John conduct ministry.
1. 1 John has no greeting or named author. Early church tradition attributes it to the apostle John.
2. The opening words "from the beginning" (1:1) echo the opening of John's Gospel (John 1:1).
3. John uses three senses in 1:1 (hearing, seeing, touching) to stress that Jesus came in a real body.
4. Some early false teachers denied that Jesus truly came in the flesh, which John addresses directly in 4:2-3.
5. The word for fellowship (*koinĹŤnia*, 1:3) means sharing life together, not just friendly contact.
6. John writes so that "our joy may be complete" (1:4), a phrase that echoes Jesus' words in John 15:11.
7. "God is light" (1:5) is one of three short statements in John's writings about who God is, along with "God is spirit" (John 4:24) and "God is love" (4:8).
8. Three times John answers a false claim beginning "if we say" (1:6, 8, 10).
9. John uses "walk" (1:6-7) as a picture for a person's whole way of life, a common Hebrew idea.
10. Early tradition places John in Ephesus in his later years, and the letter was likely sent to churches in that region late in the first century.
## 🧠Chapter Summary
> [!note] 🌱 Still growing. This section is on its way.
## ✝️ Christ in This Chapter
Christ is the Word of life who was with the Father and was seen, heard, and touched (1:1-2; John 1:1, 14). His blood cleanses us from all sin as we walk in the light (1:7).
## 🔎 Key Observations / 🛟 Life Application
> [!note] 🌱 Still growing. This section is on its way.
## đź’¬ Discussion Questions
1. John stresses that he heard, saw, and touched Jesus (1:1). Why does it matter that our faith rests on eyewitness testimony?
2. John says if we claim fellowship with God while walking in darkness, we lie (1:6). What does walking in the light look like day to day?
3. God is faithful and righteous to forgive when we confess (1:9). What keeps people from honest confession, and how does this promise help?
## ✍️ Key Verses to Remember
- đź“– verses 1-3: The apostles proclaim what they heard, saw, and touched, so that we may share their fellowship.
- đź“– verse 5: God is light, and in Him there is no darkness at all.
- đź“– verse 7: If we walk in the light, the blood of Jesus cleanses us from all sin.
- đź“– verse 9: If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us and cleanse us.
## đź”— Related Passages
- 🔗 1:1 → John 1:1-4, 14 – The Word who was with God from the beginning became flesh.
- 🔗 1:1 → Luke 24:39 and John 20:27 – The risen Jesus invites His disciples to touch Him.
- 🔗 1:3 → John 17:21 – Jesus prays that His people would be one with the Father and the Son.
- 🔗 1:5 → John 8:12 – Jesus is the light of the world.
- 🔗 1:5 → James 1:17 – The Father of lights, with whom there is no shadow.
- 🔗 1:6 → John 3:19-21 – People loved darkness rather than light.
- 🔗 1:7 → Hebrews 9:14 – The blood of Christ cleanses our conscience.
- 🔗 1:8 → Proverbs 20:9 and Ecclesiastes 7:20 – No one can say, "I am pure from my sin."
- 🔗 1:9 → Psalm 32:5 – I confessed my sin, and You forgave.
- 🔗 1:9 → Proverbs 28:13 – Whoever confesses and forsakes sin finds mercy.
- 🔗 1:10 → Romans 3:23 – All have sinned and fall short of God's glory.
- đź”— [[John 01#Verse 01.|John 1:1-5]] - In the beginning was the Word, and the light shines in darkness.
- đź”— [[John 08#Verse 12.|John 8:12]] - Jesus is the light of the world.
- đź”— [[Psalm 32#Verse 05.|Psalm 32:5]] - I confessed my sin and You forgave.
- đź”— [[Proverbs 28#Verse 13.|Proverbs 28:13]] - Whoever confesses and forsakes sin finds mercy.
- đź”— [[Hebrews 09#Verse 22.|Hebrews 9:22]] - Without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness.
## 🙏 Devotional Reflection
đź“ť SOAP: [[1 John 01 - SOAP|God is Faithful]]
## đź“‚ Internal Notes