John makes a simple point in this letter: faith in Christ produces eternal life and this life, now evident in us, produces love - a holiness of life. Lenski identifies 1:1-4 as the core of the letter, although most other commentators see 1:5, "God is light", and 4:8, "God is love", as the core elements.

v1-2. John, along with the other apostles, saw, touched and heard the divine "life." This "life" is present in God's revelation, in his Word, and was operative long before the creation of the universe. This Word became flesh in the birth of Jesus. So, the divine "life" was present in Jesus and in him they saw, touched and heard it. All who hear the Word (the gospel) and believe it, similarly possess the divine life - "eternal life."

v3-4. John chooses to describe eternal life in the terms of fellowship with God. The same idea is found in Jesus' words recorded in John 17:3, "this is eternal life: that they my know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent." The word "fellowship" is best imaged in the intimacy of marriage, so "fellowship with the Father and his Son" involves a living and eternal union with God in Christ. This intimate union with the divine is also mutually shared between believers. The divine life makes us family.

v5. John now defines the content of this revelation, or Word from God. Jesus is the source of this revelation, and belief in the Word produces eternal life. "God is light" is the revelation. He is the light in the sense of possessing pure life-giving knowledge. He is the source of pure truth, a truth in which error can have no place, Jn.8:12.

v6-7. John next deals with three false claims made foolish by this truth ("God is light"), v6, v8 and v10. The point is simple enough, "if we claim" to be in fellowship with God then we will reject these three false claims. First, sin doesn't matter. The truth is that a person who is in fellowship with God, who is radiated by his light, will not "walk" in unrighteousness, Jn.3:19-21. That is, their life-style will not be oriented toward sinful living. Their relationship with Christ will produce a caring relationship with the brotherhood. John is not saying that a true believer will be free from sin. He is speaking about orientation, not failure. A believer is oriented toward the love of the brotherhood. To make this point clear, John goes on to speak of Christ's sacrifice working in the present to purify us from sin. When we walk in the light our constant failures are exposed and slowly, through faith in the inworking Spirit of Christ, we are oriented toward the care of others rather than self.

v8. Second, the denial of our sinful nature. The truth is that a person who is in fellowship with God will recognize their sinfulness. When a person walks in the light their evil nature is exposed. A believer knows they are a sinner.

v9. At this point John gives us a solution to the problems posed in the three false claims. We are all sinful, both in nature and deed. The way through this problem is by confession. This idea is dealt with differently by commentators on this passage. For some, it is either an ecclesiastical confession to a confessor priest, or a general confession said by members of a worshipping congregation. For others, it is the daily listing of our failings, both known and unknown. Yet, it is more likely that John is speaking about a recognition of the old Adam in us. As we walk by the light so we are reminded of whom we are; "my righteousness is but filthy rags", "all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God." For John, confession is but a recognition that we stand at the foot of the cross, by grace through faith, and not of works lest anyone should boast.

v10. Third, the denial of sinful behavior. A person who is in fellowship with God sees wrongdoing as evil. The light enables us to recognize immorality as immorality.

C.S. Lewis described God as the "Transcendental Interferer." Our passage for study tells us something about the Transcendental Interferer and we, his many friends.

First, verses 1-4 tell us about the Transcendental Interferer's person and the relationship that exists between him and his friends. We are in "fellowship" with him, says John. Life in all its fullness, or more rightly "eternal life", is a quality of existence which is best understood in the terms of the intimacy of marriage. The sensual bonding that exists between a male and a female, images the relationship that is possible between the believer and Christ. In Christian theology the title given to this doctrine is Mystical Union.

Second, verses 5-10 identify three lies that must be rejected by his friends (v6, v8, v10). John tells us something of the quality of the Transcendental Interferer's person. He is "light", a radiance of perfection. It is because of this perfection that we cannot pretend to be in a relationship with Him while claiming that sin doesn't matter, or that we are free from sin, or even worse, that our evil behavior is not sinful. Sin does matter.

Finally, the passage identifies a truth that must be believed. Gladly this truth is a very simple one, namely that we must constantly accept God's mercy for the limited person we are.

"There is no sinless Christian", Luther. Discuss.