January 12, 2026

1 John 1:1-4

22 minutes

This week on Beyond the Message, Jake, Ian, and Sam recap the kickoff to our 1 John series with verses 1-4 in chapter 1. John’s opening aim is surprisingly clear: joy. Writing as an aging apostle and “father” to the churches, John addresses real threats inside the church—false teaching, growing worldliness, and a drift in devotion. But he’s not swinging for behavior modification. He’s aiming for something deeper: fellowship with the Father and the Son, and the kind of shared life in Christ that makes joy full.

John validates the real, embodied Jesus (“heard…seen…looked upon…touched”) and then calls the church into true koinonia—partnership, shared devotion, shared truth—not merely religious socializing. The warning is sober: lowering the bar of doctrine and discipleship doesn’t create a healthier church; it creates weaker fellowship and diminished joy. The invitation is better: real Christian fellowship is the pathway to real, lasting joy.

Highlights from the message:

1 John is written with a fatherly, pastoral tone - John’s boldness flows from deep love—“my little children”—and his concern for the church’s future.

Bad doctrine is the “scenic route” to bad living - John addresses false teaching not as an abstract debate, but because wrong beliefs eventually shape real behavior.

John opens by punching holes in false teaching about Jesus - He insists Jesus is both eternal (“from the beginning…with the Father”) and incarnate (“heard…seen…touched”).

Worldliness is a live threat to the church- Sin is normalized; holiness feels strange. This drift doesn’t just break rules—it kills joy.

John states his motive plainly: complete joy (1 John 1:4) - The letter isn’t “shape up” moralism; it’s an invitation into deeper joy through deeper fellowship.

Fellowship is not primarily social - Koinonia is shared partnership in truth and devotion, not merely being friendly, attending events, or hanging out.

Joy is communal and contagious - John says “our joy,” not just “your joy”—a devoted church strengthens one another’s joy; lukewarmness weakens it.

Lowering the bar of fellowship weakens the church and confuses the world - At best it dilutes the sweetness of true fellowship; at worst it deceives people about being right with God.

A devoted church is not anti-evangelistic—it’s evangelistic - Like Acts 2, deep devotion + deep fellowship becomes a platform for gospel credibility and real spiritual fruit.

Practical application:

Audit your “fellowship” expectations

Do you think fellowship = social time, good vibes, and niceness?

Or fellowship = shared truth + shared devotion + shared life in Christ?

Move your relationships toward koinonia

Ask in CG / friendships: “What’s the target we’re aiming at together?”

Then take one step: pray together, confess sin, open Scripture, pursue obedience together.

Treat “lukewarmness” as a joy issue, not just a discipline issue

When you feel dull toward God, don’t only ask “What should I stop doing?”

Ask: “What am I seeking joy from that isn’t Jesus?”

Let doctrine do its intended work

Don’t treat theology as trivia; John ties doctrine to discipleship.

Read 1 John slowly, asking: What is true about Jesus? What does that require of my life?

Choose one “worldliness” pressure point and name it

What makes sin feel normal for you right now (media, habits, spending, bitterness, secret sin)?

Name it, confess it, and bring another believer into the fight.

Resources Currently Available at the Veritas Church Bookstore:

1 John - The Gospel-Centered Life in the Bible

1-3 John - Knowing The Bible 12 Week Study

1,2, & 3 John For You - God’s Word For You

Don’t Follow You Heart

1-3 John ESV Scripture Journal

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By Veritas Church, Cedar Rapids, IA

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