what we have seen with our eyes, what we have looked at and touched with our hands

1 John 1 from the daily reading in the One Year Bible

What was from the beginning, what we have heard, what we have seen with our eyes, what we have looked at and touched with our hands, concerning the Word of Life— ² and the life was manifested, and we have seen and testify and proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and was manifested to us— ³ what we have seen and heard we proclaim to you also, so that you too may have fellowship with us; and indeed our fellowship is with the Father, and with His Son Jesus Christ. ⁴ These things we write, so that our joy may be made complete.

⁵ This is the message we have heard from Him and announce to you, that God is Light, and in Him there is no darkness at all. ⁶ If we say that we have fellowship with Him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth; ⁷ 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. ⁸ If we say that we have no sin, we are deceiving ourselves and the truth is not in us. ⁹ If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. ¹⁰ If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar and His word is not in us.

As man’s knowledge increases, as we gain more knowledge than previous generations, there is a tendency to believe that we have greater wisdom and understanding in all things. What may true with science does not necessarily apply to understanding and comprehending God, His word and His will. 1 Corinthians 3:18-20 says:  Let no man deceive himself. If any man among you thinks that he is wise in this age, he must become foolish, so that he may become wise. For the wisdom of this world is foolishness before God. For it is written, “He is the one who catches the wise in their craftiness”; and again, “The Lord knows the reasonings of the wise, that they are useless.”      While man does continually discover new things, advancing tremendously in science and technology, Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever. (Hebrews 13:8)  All of our increased learning, all of our advanced education, all of the wisdom of this age, does not help us to better know Jesus. In today’s text, John lists his credentials in knowing Christ. He says:   What was from the beginning, what we have heard, what we have seen with our eyes, what we have looked at and touched with our hands, concerning the Word of Life—  and the life was manifested, and we have seen and testify and proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and was manifested to us—  what we have seen and heard we proclaim to you also     Who better to reveal the heart of Christ to us than one who walked with Him? Who better to teach us what Jesus taught than one who was himself taught by the master? Who knew Jesus love better than the one, who at the last Passover meal, laid his head on Jesus chest? Who better to reveal the heart of Christ, than the disciple whom Jesus loved ?(John 13:23)

Yet there are many today who believe, based on the wisdom of this age, they do indeed have a better understanding of the heart of Christ. John says:  what we have seen and heard we proclaim to you also, so that you too may have fellowship with us; and indeed our fellowship is with the Father, and with His Son Jesus Christ. These things we write, so that our joy may be made complete.    In John 17:20-23, Jesus prayed for His disciples saying:    “I do not ask on behalf of these alone, but for those also who believe in Me through their word; that they may all be one; even as You, Father, are in Me and I in You, that they also may be in Us, so that the world may believe that You sent Me.  The glory which You have given Me I have given to them, that they may be one, just as We are one;  I in them and You in Me, that they may be perfected in unity, so that the world may know that You sent Me, and loved them, even as You have loved Me.”     This is the fellowship with Jesus and the Father that John speaks of. John’s desire is that others too, would know that fellowship, his desire to complete his joy is in the completion, the fulfillment of Jesus prayer:  “that the world may know that You sent Me, and loved them, even as You have loved Me.”  

So what is the first thing John tells us in order to reveal the love of God to the world?  He says: This is the message we have heard from Him and announce to you, that God is Light, and in Him there is no darkness at all. If we say that we have fellowship with Him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth… If we say that we have no sin, we are deceiving ourselves and the truth is not in us.    To know the love of God we must know the light of God. To fully know the greatness of the love of God we need to know the greatness of the sacrifice of Christ on the cross. John says:     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… If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.    Romans 5:8 says: God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.        The love of God is not demonstrated in His tolerance or acceptance of our sin. The love of God is demonstrated in the cross, in the tremendous price Christ paid to redeem us from our sin.

Again John says: This is the message we have heard from Him and announce to you, that God is Light, and in Him there is no darkness at all. If we say that we have fellowship with Him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth.     Some today believe and teach that there is no longer sin. They say that the finished work of the cross paid the price for all sin so we can no longer be sinners. John, one who knew Jesus intimately, one who watched as He paid the price for our sins, on the cross; John, one who knew and saw Jesus on both sides of the cross, as a man who walked and taught His disciples and as the resurrected Lord, who conquered sin and death, says:   If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar and His word is not in us.    Jesus Himself says: “God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life. For God did not send the Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world might be saved through Him. He who believes in Him is not judged; he who does not believe has been judged already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. This is the judgment, that the Light has come into the world, and men loved the darkness rather than the Light, for their deeds were evil. For everyone who does evil hates the Light, and does not come to the Light for fear that his deeds will be exposed. But he who practices the truth comes to the Light, so that his deeds may be manifested as having been wrought in God.”      If we choose to walk in darkness, we cannot walk in or with God, in whom there is no darkness. If we love darkness rather than the Light, we don’t walk in the love of God, but rather in the judgment of that darkness.  

As the knowledge and understanding of man increases throughout the ages, we indeed have a better understanding of many things. But when it comes to understanding and knowing the heart, the will and the love of God, I trust those who knew Jesus on both sides of the cross. I’ll trust the words of Jesus Himself. I’ll trust both Him who is the Word and the word which is the revelation of Him. I’ll know His love as demonstrated on the cross.

Heavenly Father, Lord Jesus Christ; precious Holy Spirit thank You for the demonstration of Your love, the cross of Christ. Thank You that because of Your great love, because of the greatness of Your sacrifice for me, I no longer need to walk in darkness. Instead as I confess that I have sinned, You cleanse me from my sin and I can walk with You in the light. Holy Spirit guide me as I daily walk out my salvation in and through Christ, my Redeemer and Savior, the Light of the world.   Amen