Bible Commentaries
1 John 1

Verse 1

That which was from the beginning ; that which was in the beginning, and therefore existed from the beginning. He means the Son of God in his eternal nature. John 1:1 .

Which we have heard ; when made flesh and dwelling among us. John 1:14 .

Our hands have handled ; Luke 24:39 ; John 20:27 .

The Word of life ; the Word is here used, as in John 1:1 ; John 1:14 , for Christ’s divine and eternal person; and he is called "the Word of life," because he has life in himself, and is the author of life natural and spiritual. John 1:4 .

Verse 2

The life was manifested ; by becoming flesh. John 1:14 .

Was with the Father ; dwelt with him from eternity. John 1:1 ; John 1:18 ; John 16:28 ; John 17:5 ; John 17:24 . The evidence that He was in the beginning with God became a man, not in appearance only, but in reality-that he took upon him human nature, and died, the just for the unjust, to bring men to God, is abundant and perfectly conclusive. All therefore who act rationally will believe these truths, and trust in Christ for salvation.

Verse 3

Have fellowship with us ; in our union and communion, through faith, with the Father and the Son.

Verse 4

That your joy may be full ; by your being thus brought into full fellowship with God and Christ. The religion of Christ is benevolent, leading all who enjoy its benefits to desire that others should enjoy them, and labor to extend them to all people.

Verse 5

God is light ; his nature is light. He is perfect knowledge and purity.

No darkness ; the opposite of light: no ignorance or impurity. God is in all respects perfect; and all that he does is perfectly holy, wise, just, and good.

Verse 6

If we say ; the apostle deduces from what he has just said of God’s nature a most weighty inference. Since He is light, we must walk in the light, or we cannot have fellowship with Him.

Walk in darkness ; live in error and sin.

Do not the truth ; do not obey it, or act in accordance with it. Those who think they love God and yet live in sin are deceived.

Verse 7

Walk in the light ; know and obey the truth.

Fellowship one with another ; joyful communion with each other and with God.

Cleanseth us from all sin ; expiates the guilt of all our sin, and cleanses our souls from all its pollution. This cleansing, so far as it is a work of sanctification, is not a momentary act, but a process which God carries forward till it ends in our perfect and everlasting holiness. It is given to those who walk in the light as God is in the light, seeking daily to know and do all God’s will. The atonement of Christ is the ground, faith in him the means, and the Holy Ghost the author of sanctification; and all who truly believe, confess and forsake their sins, will, at the close of their probation, become completely and unchangeably perfect.

Verse 8

Say that we have no sin ; that we are without sin, and need no forgiveness. Men who think they are now sinless are deceived; and those who say they have not sinned, commit aggravated sin by treating God as a liar.

Verse 9

Confess our sins ; to God, and forsake them. Proverbs 28:13 .

Faithful ; to his promises of forgiveness to the penitent. Proverbs 28:13 .

Just ; to himself and all the great interests of his kingdom.

Cleanse us ; from the guilt and the defilement of sin, so as at last to present us spotless before the throne of his glory with exceeding joy. Judges 1:24 .

Verse 10

We make him a liar ; treat him as a liar, for he says all have sinned; and the facts that all die, and that all who are saved must be saved through the death of Christ, prove this. Romans 3:23 ; Romans 5:12 ; 2 Corinthians 5:14 .