1. It is quite rewarding to compare John 1:1-18 verbally to 1 John 1:1-5.
2. The word "What" in 1 John 1:1 speaks of the dual aspects of God's message which are the Message about Jesus and the person of Jesus Himself.
3. 1 John 1:8-2:2, according to scholars, must be held in balance with 3:6-9. They are two sides of one coin. They possibly refute two different errors: a. Theological error (no sin) and b. Moral error (sin does not matter).
4. The word "Was" in 1:1a fully asserts our Savior's pre-existence.
5. John often repeats the theme of Christ's pre-existence.
6. The word "Beginning" is alluding to Genesis 1 and John 1.
7. The phrase "the message we have heard", refers to John and the other eyewitness hearers and the followers of Jesus during His earthly life.
8. 1 John 1: 1-4 refers to the physical senses.
9. John is passing on Jesus' revelations, not his own.
10. The awesome phrase "God is Light" is emphasizing; the revelatory and ethical aspects of God's nature (Ps. 2:7; Isa. 60:20; Micah 7:8; 1 Tim. 6:16; James 1:17) Source-Dr. Utley
11. The Gnostic false teachers asserted that light referred to knowledge, but John asserts that it refers also to ethical purity. Various scholars
12. The changed life and the changing life of love, forgiveness, and purity is one of the profound evidences of a true conversion. Various scholars.
13. The phrase "in Him there is no darkness at all", is an assertion of the unchanging holy character of God. This should be a topic that we often express our gratitude for in our prayers.
14. The phrase "we have fellowship with Him", reveals that the heretics claimed that fellowship with God is based totally on knowledge alone.
15. The Apostle John is asserting that Christians must live Christlike lives. Please read Matt. 5:48 and Romans 8:28-29.
16. Since our Great God is light with no darkness, we should be like HIM.
17. The phrase "but if we walk in the Light" (1 John 1:7), is a biblical metaphor expressing a moral lifestyle.
18. The phrase above is emphasizing continuing action.
19. Truth is a key concept in John.
20. Many writers say, "Believers are to think and live like Jesus. We are to reflect God's character to a lost world."
21. "Christianity is based on believers sharing Jesus' life. If we accept His life in forgiveness, we must accept His ministry of love. Knowing God is not abstract truth, but initiates fellowship and godly living." Dr. Utley
22. We should be thrilled that our Great God wants to forgive us more than we want to be forgiven.
23. The phrase "cleanses us from all sin" is focusing on a one-time cleansing, but also on an ongoing cleansing of a believer.
24. "The way to acceptance by a Holy God is not denial, but recognition of our sin and acceptance of His provision in Christ." Please read Romans 3:21-23. Source Dr. Bob Utley
25. All of us should realize that we can deceive ourselves when it comes to the reality of sin in our lives.
26. The phrase "we are deceiving ourselves", is referring to personal, willful rejection of truth, not ignorance.
27. "Confession" in 1 John 1:9, refers to the following: a. a specific naming of sins. b. a public admitting of sins. c. a turning from specific sins.
28. "Forgive and cleanse" in 1 John 1:9, refer both to the salvation of the lost and to the ongoing cleansing necessary for fellowship with God.
29. The Greek word "sin", means miss the mark."
30. The phrase "I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin", reveals that John is seeking to bring a balance between the two extremes of a. taking sin too lightly. b. Christian harshness and brittleness over personal sins. Various Scholars.
31. John is lovingly writing these truth in 1 John 1:1-2:2. He wants the Holy Spirit and the Gospel to change the hearts of the people He is writing to in this letter.
32. One writer said, "The only thing that keeps the whole world from being saved is not sin, but unbelief. However, humans must respond and continue to respond by faith, repentance, obedience, and perseverance."