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1 João 1

Bob Utley · Citado em PreceptAustin

1 João 1:1

Utley says that the neuter pronoun WHAT "speaks of the dual aspects of God’s message which are: (1) the message about Jesus; and (2) the person of Jesus Himself (cf. 1Jn 1:8, 10; 2:20, 24; 3:11, 14). The gospel is a message, a person, and a lifestyle." What was (eimi - imperfect tense) from the beginning (arche) -

1 João 1:6

Utley - The heretics claimed that fellowship was based on knowledge only (ED: Gnosticism ~ gnosis = knowledge). This was an aspect of Greek philosophy from Plato. However, John asserts that Christians must live Christ-like lives (cf. 1Jn 1:7; Lev. 19:2; 20:7; Mt 5:48). McDermond adds that "The first portion of 1Jn 1:6 highlights this inconsistency. The claim is that some see themselves in fellowship with God. In just the previous verse (1Jn 1:5) the point is made that God is light, meaning authentic and good, and there is no darkness in him. Therefore one may (or might) assume that those people claiming fellowship are authentic and good as well. But as the author reflects on their lives, he concludes differently. They are walking in darkness. (1 John--Commentaries: Believers Church Bible Commentary) (Bolding added for emphasis) J Sidlow Baxter (Explore the Book page 310ff) comments that First John is… an epistle of guiding tests, we would urge that its several chain-themes be carefully traced and studied the seven distinguishing traits of the born again (1Jn 2:29; 3:9; 4:7; 5:1 (twice), 1Jn 5:4,18); the seven reasons why the epistle was written (1Jn 1:3,4; 2:1,13-17,21-24,26; 1Jn 5:13); the seven tests of Christian genuineness (1Jn 1:6,8,10; 2:4,6,9; 1Jn 4:20). Perhaps it may be useful to set out the last mentioned a little more fully. Seven times there is an "If we say," or "He that saith"; and each time it marks a test by which falsity is exposed. They are seven tests of honesty and reality. They search us. They penetrate like a white flame. They expose hypocrisy. Here they are: 1Jn 1:6 = False fellowship. 1Jn 1:8 = False sanctity. 1Jn 1:10 = False righteousness. 1Jn 2:4 = False allegiance. 1Jn 2:6 = False behavior. 1Jn 2:9 = False spirituality. 1Jn 4:20 = False love to God. Fellowship (2842) (koinonia from koinos = that which is in common, belonging to several or of which several are partakers) describes the experience of having something in common and/or of sharing things in common with others. It describes a close association involving mutual interests and sharing or to have communion (Which Webster defines communion as "intimate fellowship") It denotes the active, joint participation, cooperation and/or sharing in a common interest or activity. John's intended meaning of fellowship in this context is one of several keys which will guide our interpretation of not just this section of the letter and for that matter the entire letter. Fellowship in 1 John 1:6 could refer either to the initial salvation experience or to the subsequent sharing of common interests that follows regeneration (the time referred to as sanctification). The question is whether there are any NT examples of koinonia which refer specifically to the initial salvation experience? Let's observe Paul's statement in First Corinthians… God is faithful, through Whom you were called into fellowship with His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord. (1Cor 1:9+, cf 2Co 13:14+) Comment: This passage clearly refers to the initial salvation experience of the Corinthians. Calling is an integral component of our salvation experience. When we entered the New Covenant by grace through faith, we entered into a union, a oneness, a common (koinonia - from koinos = that which is in common) life with Christ, Who in fact is now the believer's life (Col 3:4) through His indwelling, ongoing ministry of the Holy Spirit (Ro 8:9). This initial "communion" experience with God results in a new spiritual position, "positional" fellowship if you will. In our unregenerate state, we were in Adam, but at regeneration God's Spirit placed us in Christ, into our new position of union with Him. Positional fellowship is of course followed by experiential (relational) fellowship on a day to day basis (aka progressive sanctification), but there has to be that initial moment of supernatural "communion" ("fellowship") at the time of conversion. Almost every commentary agrees that koinonia in 1Corinthians 1:9 refers to the the sharing in common that occurs when one is born again. Bob Utley on "koinonia" in 1Cor 1:9 adds that: God has called us to be in union with His Son both positionally and relationally… Believer's lifestyles after they meet Christ are evidence of their salvation. The United Bible Society Handbook: Perhaps the most important word in this verse is the one that RSV and TEV translate fellowship. REB replaces this noun by a verb having the same meaning: “to share in the life of his Son.” “Share in,” of course, simply means “participate in.” The text implies that the fellowship into which God calls Christians is the fellowship or communion that he himself has with his Son. So the word that translators use here should not refer specifically to the kind of fellowship that Christians have with one another in the church. (Ellingworth, Paul; et al; A Handbook on Paul's First Letter to the Corinthians) Gordon Fee: The reference is to what took place at their conversion. The calling to Christ is a calling to be in fellowship with Christ through the Spirit (cf. 2Cor. 13:14; Phil. 2:1). Thus in all likelihood this language is to be understood not only positionally, but also relationally. Believers are not only in Christ, and as such freed from the guilt of their sins, but are also in fellowship with Christ, and as such are privileged to commune with Him through the Spirit. (See The First Epistle to the Corinthians - Page 45) (Bolding added) In summary, clearly koinonia is used elsewhere in the NT in the context of initial salvation (regeneration, justification, being born again). It follows that John's use of koinonia in 1 John 1:3 and 1 John 1:6 could refer to initial salvation. Stated another way, one cannot exclude that John is referring to the initial salvation experience. Fellowship is a specifically Christian word and denotes that common participation in the grace of God, the salvation of Christ and the indwelling Spirit which is the spiritual birthright of all Christian believers -- John Stott So what does it mean to be in fellowship with God? Salvation is the prerequisite, the fellowship wrought by salvation. We are in the family of God. But once we are in the family of God, enabled by the Spirit, we should seek to walk like children of God (Eph 5:1+), children of light (Eph 5:8+), so that we might experience continual, intimate communion with our Father. Our "objective" fellowship is forever and immutable because it is in Christ. Our "subjective" fellowship on the other hand is changeable. It is not changeable on God's side for He is unchangeable. But when we sin, we experience what amounts to a "short circuiting" of our intimacy and communion with God (cf David in Ps 32:3-4+). We must confess our sins to be brought back into experiential (subjective) fellowship (positionally or objectively we will forever be in fellowship because we are in Christ forever). John desires that his readers be absolutely sure of their objective fellowship, the fellowship of salvation, for without that fellowship, there can be no daily communion with God. Their profession that they had fellowship with God was another lie, for God can have no fellowship with falsehood.

1 João 1:6

Utley explains that "walk" "is a biblical metaphor expressing a moral lifestyle (cf. Eph 4:1-note, Eph 4:17-note; Eph 5:2-note, Eph 5:15-note). God is light with no darkness. His children should be like Him (cf. Mt 5:48-note). Alford observes that the verb peripateo "often in the NT (speaks) of the whole being and moving and turning in the world." (1 John 1 Commentary) It is important to note that the verb peripateo is in the present tense which means that those who make a claim or profession of having fellowship with God, at the same time are choosing to continually, habitually live in the darkness! Robert Lightner agrees with this interpretation writing that "verb translated "walk" (1Jn 1:6) is in the present tenseand the subjunctive mood in Greek. The reference therefore seems to be to continuous, habitual sinning. Sin is the habit of the person's life....The entire lifestyle and behavior of this person is lived in the realm of darkness." (Twenty-First Century Commentary) THOUGHT - Beloved, how could this description of a professed believer possibly describe one who has truly been born again and has the Holy Spirit living in their body, urging and enabling holy behavior? That's a rhetorical but serious question because of the serious implications of such a lifestyle. Such a person is on a fast track to eternal punishment in hell! Alfred Plummer comments that the meaning of walk in the present tense "expresses not merely action, but habitual action. A life in moral darkness can no more have communion with God, than a life in a coal-pit can have communion with the sun. For ‘what communion hath light with darkness?’ (2Cor. 6:4). Light can be shut out, but it cannot be shut in. Some Gnostics taught, not merely that to the illuminated (Ed: intellectually enlightened) all conduct was alike, but that to reach the highest form of illumination (Ed: "enlightenment") men must experience every kind of action, however abominable, in order to work themselves free from the powers that rule the world. (1 John 1 Commentary)(Bolding added) Colin Kruse notes that "What it actually means to 'walk in the light' and to 'walk in the darkness' is not explained in this letter. Probably the best explanation of what it means is to be found in the Fourth Gospel (Read John 3:19, 20, 21) This suggests that 'walking in the light' involves a willingness to be open towards God and his revelation in Christ, while 'walking in the darkness' involves a refusal to do this (See The Letters of John - Page 63) (Kruse quotes Charles Baylis who concludes that 'walking "in the light" means receiving God's revelation of Himself through His Son, and receiving eternal life and forgiveness of sins', while 'walking "in the darkness" is walking in death, rejecting that revelation'. Baylis adds "walking in darkness means abiding “in death” and not having eternal life abiding in one. The one who walks “in the darkness” is one who has rejected the revelation of God in Jesus Christ, eternal life (the light)." See The Meaning of Walking “in the Darkness” 1 John 1:6) -- By Charles P. Baylis Bibliotheca Sacra 149:594, April 1992) (See Walking in Darkness) As John Stott says "The present tense in the Greek verb implied habit, continuity, unbroken sequence." (Borrow The Epistles of John : an introduction and commentary) McDermond adds that 'Here walk is in the present subjunctive in the phrase ''while we are walking,'' suggesting that this possible condition is a continuous or habitual pattern of behavior, and that such people are repeatedly and consistently choosing darkness over the light of God’s revelation in Jesus Christ (see 1Jn 1:1–4). (Ibid) John Butler - One of the heresies of that day was the idea that you could live in sin and at the same time be in fellowship with God. For “fellowship” to occur one must have things in common with the one with whom he wants to fellowship. Therefore a person cannot live willfully in sin and have things in common with God Who is holy. Those who claim to have fellowship with God and who live unholy lives are fakers. They are not real believers. (Analytical Bible Expositor: 1, 2, 3 John & Jude) (Bold added) William MacDonald minces no words declaring that "A man who says he has fellowship with Him and habitually walks in darkness was never saved at all." (Borrow Believer's Bible Commentary) Martyn Lloyd-Jones describes walking in darkness - walking in darkness (means) living in the realm of darkness, being controlled by the ideas of the world and of sin, belonging to a kingdom, the kingdom of darkness, the kingdom of Satan, the kingdom of this world, the kingdom that is rebellious against the kingdom of God. In other words, the people who walk in darkness are not those who, as it were, are constantly committing some foul sin. They may be highly respectable — indeed, they may be very moral — but they are walking in darkness because they are outside the light of the Gospel of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ; it is a realm to which people belong; it is an outlook upon life in general. (Fellowship with God) (Bolding mine). W E Vine - The conditions thus laid down serve to distinguish actual possession from mere profession. There is an intimation of what the apostle develops more fully in the body of the epistle, namely, the distinguishing mark which differentiates the children of God from the children of the devil (see 3:10). In this passage the distinction is between walking in darkness and walking in the light. The former is the condition of the unregenerate, the latter of those who are related to Him who is light (1Jn 1:5). To walk in the light we must be partakers of His nature. The word rendered “walk” suggests the habitual or constant course of life. John Ritchie - If a person's normal habitual way of walking is contrary to the light, if it is evident that his manner of life is not in keeping with the character of God, John declares that he lies and does not the truth. His profession is false; he lies. He does not do the truth, for his walk is contrary to the truth. John does not say he is a backslider, or a disobedient child. His habitual walking in darkness proves he is a false professor. He has never been born of God—solemn and searching truth. (What the Bible Teaches) Burdick asserts "Fellowship with Him, that is, claiming saving relationship with God, professing to know Him personally, the person who is in fellowship with God will display the characteristics of God. Such a person must walk in the light. If, however, he is walking habitually in darkness there is no basis for his claim". Matthew

1 João 1:9

Utley notes that in this context faithfulness "refers to God the Father (cf. Dt. 7:9; 32:4; Ps 36:5; 40:10; 89:1, 2, 5, 8; 92:2; 119:90; Isa. 49:7; Ro 3:3; 1Cor 1:9; 10:13; 2Cor 1:18; 1Th 5:24; 2Ti 2:13). This truth is our surest hope! John