A real Christian is not someone who simply says they know about Jesus but is someone who has a personal experience of Jesus. There is a very big difference to being a Christian in name and being a Christian in reality. And that is the big theme that the apostle John focusses on in the five chapters of 1 John.
John writes about many ‘anti-Christs who have come’ (1 John 2:18) so he wants people to know how to recognise and know the real Jesus, outlining several key truths about Jesus.
1. Jesus is God who came to Earth (John 1:1-2,14; 1 John 1:1-3; 1 John 4:2-3).
2. Jesus is the Son of God (John 20:31; 1 John 3:23; 1 John 4:15; 1 John 5:5)
3. Jesus is the saviour of the world (1 John 2:1-2; 1 John 3:16; John 3:16)
4. Jesus is coming again (1 John 2:28; Acts 1:9-11; Revelation 22:12)
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1. Jesus is God who came to Earth. Christianity is rooted in real history in real time. Jesus is a real person who was born in Israel 2000 years ago in the time of Roman rule. He was an observant Jew who became a well-known rabbi for His healing and teaching ministry in the region of Galilee. He suffered and was crucified under Pontius Pilate and His resurrection caused an explosion of Christian belief throughout the Roman empire. These are the facts of history, but who was Jesus? That’s the question that caused great debate in the first century and continues to do so today. So, the apostle John wanted everybody to be clear who Jesus was (John 1:1-2,14; 1 John 1:1-3). The Greek word for Word refers to Jesus Christ, the eternally existing second person of the Trinity. In other words, John was not only saying that Jesus was God in human form walking on this earth, but also that he and the other disciples had firsthand experience of the eternal God being with them at a particular moment in time. They had seen Him and touched Him. To know Jesus is first to understand that God is great and Almighty way up in the heavens, and also that He came down to earth. He is called Emmanuel which means ‘God with us’. Knowing that Jesus came in the flesh is a sign of a real Christian (1 John 4:2-3).
2. Jesus is the Son of God. John explained that he wrote his gospel so people would believe in Jesus and have life through Him. (John 20:31). In his first epistle John states that it is a God given command to believe that Jesus is the Son of God and that this is a sure sign that someone is truly connected to God (1 John 3:23; 1 John 4:15; 1 John 5:5). Of course, other religions may believe and proclaim that Jesus was a prophet but as Christians we believe and proclaim what the first apostles proclaimed, and that Jesus was more than a prophet: He was and is the Son of the God (see: CS Lewis ‘Mere Christianity’ and Bono from U2 references on Jesus being the Son of God).
3. Jesus is the saviour of the world (1 John 2:1-2; 1 John 3:16; John 3:16). What John is saying is that God loves all people, of all colours, from all cultures, all nations and all religious backgrounds. He loves Muslims, Jews, Hindus, Sikhs, atheists and Christians. He loves you and He loves me. Jesus died on the cross to pay the sins of the whole world. John here is giving us reassurance that Jesus is in our corner petitioning for us to the Father. He is our advocate. So don’t allow yourself to feel guilty for your sins but come and confess your sins and receive the forgiveness that Christ offers to us when we trust and believe in Him.
4. Jesus is coming again (1 John 2:28). There are many references in the New Testament to the Second Coming of Jesus Christ, all promising that He will return to earth with great power and glory. John was with the disciples when Jesus ascended to Heaven and was promised to return (Acts 1:9-11). Today the return of Jesus is much closer than we know so we need to get ready (Revelation 22:12). So how confident are you that you will be ready to meet Jesus on that day? How confident are you that your sins are washed away? Today we must ask ourselves, do we really know Jesus? Well, if you are not sure, this your moment to get to know Him personally. Right now, you can have an encounter with Jesus.
