The Grands Letter (1 John/GLJ)

Dear Grands,

1 John 1:1-10, “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.”

If you’ve ever watched water boil, you have some idea of how the Apostle John is feeling as he labors with intense joy writing to the Jewish believers of his day and to us! There is no question about where John has been or what he has done, for joy such as he is espousing has originated with the LORD Jesus Christ. Still, he says that he has seen and touched the very Word of Life! Now, he is encouraging us to do the same.

His announcement says that “God is Light, and in Him there is no darkness”—not one little bit! There are those who claim to know Him but live in darkness (i.e., evil). John is adamant in saying that if we claim to be in fellowship with the Savior, yet continue to walk in the darkness of moral filth, we are simply lying—lying in the effort to mislead others into thinking that we are living in a pure and honest relationship with Jesus Christ. But that cannot be! Those who pretend to be in fellowship with the LORD are simply lying.

Those who have faithfully confessed their sins to the LORD Jesus Christ have changed position with those who are retaining life in the darkness of moral filth. Christ alone can cleanse one from mortal sin. Yet, he must first confess (agree with God about) his sin and ask for His forgiveness. Christ will forgive sin. That’s what He does, and He does it quite well.

Those who trust Jesus understand what it is to be saved (born again). Have you trusted Him? I pray that you have; for when you do, you will understand what it means. And you will want your friends to understand it, too. God bless you abundantly!

Heartily in Christ,

Gene L. Jeffries, Th.D.

United States of America

“We will never know that Christ is all that we need,

Until He becomes all that we have.”

– Corrie ten Boom