Wonder of Christ's Coming

1 John 1:1-10

          In coming to earth Jesus revealed His humanity.  First John 1:1 speaks of Him as One we have heard, seen, and handled.  These things could not be said of a spirit.  Verse 2 speaks of His life being manifested.

          In coming to earth Jesus also revealed His deity.  Verse 1 speaks of His eternality, "That which was from the beginning."  When there is a manifestation, it follows that there was something or someone to be manifested.  The Life then that was manifested, according to verse 2, was the eternal life of Jesus manifested on earth.  That eternal Life is also said to have been with the Father, before He was manifested on earth.

          The writer of 1 John is the same as the writer of the Gospel of John.  In the first chapter of that gospel, Jesus is named the Word.  In the 14th verse of that chapter the Word is said to have been made flesh, which is again referenced to His incarnation.  It is important to note also that Jesus was not a man who became God.  He was not even a man in whom God dwelt.  Jesus was and is a man who was God and that God became man.  He is as much man as He is God and as much God as He is man.

          Our experience with Christ is definitely real.  That Manifested Light enables us to have fellowship.  John had fellowship with the Father and with the Son, according to verse 3.  He wished for us to have fellowship with him.  We have a mutual fellowship with other saints and with Jesus Christ.  That fellowship with Christ is of necessity based on the shed blood of Jesus Christ.  That shed blood cleanses us from all sin (past and present).  Our continued fellowship (not salvation) with Christ, verse 7, requires our walking in the light.