What is the meaning of 1 John 1:3? We proclaim to you John writes with the confidence of someone under divine commission. He isn’t speculating or sharing private insights; he is publicly announcing truth that must be heard. • Acts 1:8 shows Jesus sending witnesses “to the ends of the earth,” the pattern John follows here. • 1 John 1:1–2 precedes this verse and establishes that the message originates in the eternal Word who “became flesh.” • Luke 1:2 reminds us that reliable testimony comes from those who were “eyewitnesses and servants of the word.” The apostolic proclamation is the channel through which God’s revelation reaches every generation. what we have seen and heard The gospel is rooted in history, not imagination. John was there. • John 1:14 declares, “The Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen His glory.” • In Acts 4:20 Peter and John insist, “For we cannot stop speaking about what we have seen and heard.” • 2 Peter 1:16 contrasts myth with eyewitness testimony, affirming the same certainty. Eyewitness reality assures believers that faith rests on verifiable acts of God. so that you also may have fellowship with us John’s aim is relational, not merely informational. The gospel draws people into shared life. • Acts 2:42 depicts early believers devoted to “the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship.” • 1 Corinthians 1:9 says we are “called into fellowship with His Son,” which automatically unites us to one another. • Philippians 2:1–2 links fellowship to mutual love and unity. The proclamation invites readers into the same circle the apostles enjoy—one body, one family. And this fellowship of ours “Fellowship” (koinōnia) means participation in something bigger than ourselves. It is a living bond, not a casual association. • John 17:21 records Jesus praying “that they may all be one… so that the world may believe.” • Ephesians 2:19 reminds us we are “members of God’s household.” • Galatians 3:28 underscores that earthly distinctions fade in this shared life in Christ. True fellowship is the outworking of God’s eternal plan to create a people for His glory. is with the Father The vertical dimension grounds the horizontal. We relate to each other because we first relate to God. • John 14:6 shows Jesus as the only way to the Father—our access point for fellowship. • Romans 5:1–2 celebrates peace with God “through our Lord Jesus Christ… into this grace in which we stand.” Any authentic community must flow from restored communion with the Father. and with His Son, Jesus Christ Father and Son are inseparable, and believers share life with both. • John 15:4–5 invites us to “remain in Me,” promising fruit that proves genuine connection. • Colossians 1:13 describes being transferred into “the kingdom of His beloved Son.” • Hebrews 10:19–22 shows how Christ’s blood gives bold access into the Most Holy Place, drawing us close. Union with Jesus is the heartbeat of fellowship, sustaining and defining every relationship. summary 1 John 1:3 reveals an unbroken chain: apostles witnessed Christ, proclaimed Him, and now invite all hearers into the same fellowship they enjoy with the Father and the Son. The verse affirms the historical certainty of the gospel, the relational purpose of its proclamation, and the divine source of true community. To embrace this message is to step into a living, eternal partnership with God and His people. |
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