1 John 1

KJV · Chapter 1/5

1That 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;

2(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;)

3That 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.

4And these things write we unto you, that your joy may be full.

5This 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.

6If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth:

7But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.

8If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.

9If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

10If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.

📖 Chapter study

Summary

John testifies about Jesus, whom he personally saw, heard, and touched, proclaiming that God is light and in him there is no darkness at all. He teaches that confessing our sins brings forgiveness and cleansing through Jesus.

Explanation

John, who was likely already a very old man when he wrote this letter, begins by reinforcing his personal, physical experience with Jesus—likely to counter a teaching that denied Christ's true human, bodily reality. The statement that 'God is light and in him is no darkness at all' sets an absolute moral and spiritual standard by which to measure the Christian life, with no middle ground between light and darkness. The invitation to confess sin, with the assurance that God is 'faithful and just to forgive,' offers practical, ongoing hope for those who fail, without denying the reality of sin or falling into despair. Today's application is that sincere confession of our failures, rather than denying them, is the path to experiencing God's forgiveness and cleansing.

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