Shabbat Shalom, everyone. This Shabbat meeting, I'm going to begin to teach from the first epistle of John, in Hebrew, HaIgeret HaRishona LeYohanan. Will you please turn with me to the writings of the apostle John? This is not the Gospel. This is the letter that Yochanan wrote to the early first century believers in Yeshua, the Messiah. John, Yochanan, wrote his epistle rather later than other epistles that were written by other apostles. I want to begin today by the grace of God to give us some introduction to this letter. And I would like to begin by simply reading the first verse of the first epistle that John Yochanan wrote.

And I would like you to notice that this is a very important verse. It says in verse 1 of 1 John 1: "That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled of the word of life." I just want to begin today by simply reading this first verse of 1 John 1. Now 1 John is a very interesting letter because when John was writing his epistles, his letters to the early centuries among the people of God, he wrote these letters in order to help the believers to understand that they are part of the family of God.

When you and I became believers in Yeshua, the Messiah, we not only have entered into the body of Christ or the body of Mashiach, we not only have entered into what is called the kingdom of God, which we have, but we have also entered into the family of God. And I would like to emphasize this today in the ministry meeting. You see Paul, that is Shaul, emphasized the body of Mashiach, the body of Christ. On the other hand, Peter, Shimon Petros, he emphasized the kingdom of God. But what John had been led by the Spirit of God to teach and to emphasize in his letter, it's not so much the body of Messiah, and not so much the kingdom of God, but he emphasized the family of God.

In Hebrew, the Mishpacha, every one of us that was born of the Holy Spirit of God, have entered into the family of God. And when it's come to the family of God, with your immediate family, you will share your concern and your love and your care for the family of God. Just like a parent, a mother or a father will share with his or her children some intimate things when it's come to their love and care and concern for each other. And so, John, in his writing, specifically the letters, he's emphasizing the family of God, the Mishpacha. Now, mind you, it doesn't mean that he doesn't talk about the kingdom or about the body of Messiah.

Just the same like when Shaul Paul wrote about the body of Messiah, it doesn't mean that he didn't talk about the family or the kingdom of God. Or just the same as Shimon Petos, when he emphasized the kingdom, he also spoke about the family of God and the body of Messiah. But nevertheless, the major emphasis in this letter, 1 John, is the Mishpacha, the family of God. And you like it or not, beloved brothers and sisters, we are part of a family. Yesterday, when we were together in our Bible class, and we were reading the text in the Bible in the book of Numbers, we have noticed how many accents we have by those who read the text in the Bible.

One of them were coming from the former Soviet Union. Another one came from China. Another one came from Israel. Another one came from Germany. Another one came from another country. And we had in this group of believers, the Mishpacha. We are a composition, not only of Jewish people and non-Jewish people, but a composition of people that come from every people and tongues and nations of the world. And it's so precious to realize that we are part of a family. And so now, John, just by way of introduction, we want to talk about a little bit of who is that Yohanan, John. And we also want to know what is the theme of the book of the 1st John.

When was this book written? What is the date that this letter was written? What was the purpose that Yohanan wrote these letters, specifically 1st John, the whole epistle? And what was the condition that prevailed when Yohanan wrote this epistle? The condition that prevailed, the false teaching that already rose among the people of God in the 1st and 2nd century of the church age. And just to give you a little bit of highlight about the division of the epistle of 1st John. So first of all, let's talk about this author. You know, Yohanan was a Jewish fisherman. He was not a Greek philosopher. He was just a Yehudi Jewish fisherman who lived in the Galil in Galilee.

And he was one of those Hebrew Jewish Israeli people who lived in the north. And he was simply a fisherman. Dayag in Hebrew. I want you to turn with me for a moment to Matthew chapter 4. And just to read the verse there. It's very interesting that how Yohanan, John, became a disciple of Yeshua the Messiah. In Matthew chapter 4 we read these words. Notice that Matthew 4 verse 21 and 22 it says: "And going on from then, he, this is Yeshua, saw other two brethren. James, Yaakov, the son of Zebedee, and John, Yohanan, his brother, in a ship. With Zebedee their father, mending their nets. And he called them.

And notice this, beloved brothers and sisters. They immediately left the ship of their father and they follow him, Yeshua." Here we find out that Yohanan, John, was a fisherman. He was living in Galilee. He was fishing in the Sea of Galilee, in the Kinneret. And as he was fishing, we find out that Yeshua, the Mashiach, the Messiah, saw him and his brother, Yaakov and Yohanan, James and John. And they were working with their father, Zebedee, and they were mending their nets. And Yeshua called them. Just the same like he called earlier to Simon, Peter, and Andrew, his brother. "Come, follow me, and I will make you fishers of, not fish right now, but fishers of men." And in response, what Yohanan did, he was a young man at that time, of course.

You know what it says in verse 22? "Immediately they left their fathership, and their father even, and they followed Yeshua, the Mashiach." Beautiful to see. But to realize that when John wrote his epistles, his letters, "To remind ourselves that he was not a Greek philosopher, but he was a simple Jewish fisherman who lived in the Galil and served with his father, fishing for fish. And Yeshua, the Mashiach, have called them to become now fishers of men." Amazing. Now we find out about John, as we read about him a little bit more, that John was not only called by Yeshua to become official of men, he also was one of the twelve apostles.

One of the Shlichim. I want you now to turn with me in the next book, to Mark chapter 3. And I want you to notice what we read there about these men by the name of Yohanan, who wrote the epistle. Mark chapter 3, we read this about John. Look at this. It says in verse 17. "And James." This is Yaakov, the son of Zebedee. "And John," Yohanan, the one we are speaking about. "The brother of James, and the surname of them." Notice what they were called, James and John. "Bonergs," which is the sons of thunder. In Hebrew, it's actually "Bnei Regosh." It's more correct to say it in Hebrew.

It's a little bit confusing when you read it in the English text. "Bnei Regosh." In fact, they were sons. "Bnei Regesh." It comes from the word "thunder." They were like being aroused many times. They were the kind of a person that was aroused. He's called a son of thunder. Later on, we find out about him when he wants to pour up judgment of someone. He asked the Lord to bring down fire from heaven upon someone when he was really not happy with someone's condition. And so, he's called here the son of thunder. Actually, both of them were called children of Bnei Raam. The sons of thunder.

This is the kind of man John had been. But yet, beloved brothers and sisters, you find out that he was also a man that had much affection. He was a person that we find him in John chapter 13 in verse 23 that he leaned in the upper room on Jesus' breast. Do you remember that? In John chapter 13. I'm going to turn to this passage. This time, another gospel here. John chapter 13 and verse 23. Look what it says there in the Pesach, in the Feast of Passover. It says, "Now they were leaning on Yeshua's bosom one of his disciples whom Jesus loved." whom Yeshua loved. He was leaning on the bosom of Yeshua in the upper room when Yeshua were gathering all the disciples, all the apostles together in preparation for the celebration of Pesach and in view of the fact that he was going to go to die on the tree, to die on the cross.

You know what John did? He was leaning on Yeshua's bosom. And you know this tells us that he was so near to our Lord Yeshua the Messiah, so he was ready to listen to the voice of our Lord Jesus the Messiah. He was leaning on him. And you notice what he's writing here in verse 23. He doesn't say I am the disciple who love Yeshua or love Jesus. But it says in verse 23, the disciples whom Yeshua loved. Whom Jesus the Messiah loved. You know, sometimes we talk a lot about us loving the Lord. But John in his writing never said I love Yeshua. Rather, Yeshua loved me.

And this is so beautiful to see. You know, because our love to Yeshua changes. Some days soothes us, other times it doesn't. Our affection towards our Lord Yeshua the Messiah changes. But his love for us never changes. And that's why Yohanan John is saying to us here that I am the disciple, Talmid, that Yeshua loves. The love of our Lord Yeshua towards John, towards you, towards me, towards the people of Israel, towards the nations of the world, towards the body of Messiah is so supreme. And John says, I am the disciple, not only the one who loved the Lord, and I'm sure he did, but I am the disciples whom Yeshua loved.

And this is such a commendation to say about John, the writer of this text, of this letter. Now, I want you to also notice, brothers and sisters, that we don't read who actually wrote this. You notice how we began? First John, chapter one, verse one, that which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, of the word of life. It doesn't say like any other letters, like when Peter wrote, he wrote Simon Peter, a servant and apostle of Yeshua the Messiah. When Paul wrote, he says, Paul, an apostle, a servant of Yeshua the Messiah.

But when John wrote his letter, he doesn't write here, I am John, who am writing to you this letter. And that's why some people may not ascribe the writing of this letter to John. Nevertheless, beloved brothers and sisters, all that is written in this book, in this letter, including what is written in the Gospel of John, the Gospel of John, gives the evidence that it is none else but the Apostle Yohanan, Apostle John himself, who gave us this letter that's called 1st John, this epistle that is called the 1st Epistle of Yohanan, of John. Now, what is the theme of this book? And I love the theme of this book.

I mentioned already earlier, the theme of the book is the family of God. Even if we are not practicing it in many ways at times, but really we are a family that is a collection of sinners that have been forgiven and saved and brought into the family of God. Every one of us here, and I hope all of us here are believers in Yeshua, the Messiah. And every one of us is a part of this wonderful family that's called the family of God, the Mishpacha, as we say it in Hebrew. And so, it is important for us to notice how many times John uses expression "little children".

And I want you to see that for a minute with me, brothers and sisters, turn to 1st John chapter 2. Notice in verse 1 it says, "My little children". The word "yeladim" is mentioned. "yeladim k'tanim", "yeladai haktanim" in Hebrew, "my little children". 1st John 2 and verse 1. Just turn the page to 1st John chapter 3 and verse 18. Again, you notice Yohanan is saying, "my little children". He is talking to the children of God, to every one of us who is a believer in Yeshua, the Messiah. Back to chapter 2 again, I want you to notice a couple more verses. He doesn't there use "my little children". But in 1st John 2 and verse 12, He says, "I write unto you little children", "yeladim k'tanim".

Notice verse 13 at the end, "I write unto you little children". Again, you notice that verse 18, it began little children, "yeladim k'tanim". Again, He is saying there. And if you go further down to verse 28, "and now little children". You see, what is John doing? He is writing to the mishpacha, to the family of God. It's not addressing necessarily one local city or town, but he is writing to the whole family of God. Whether we are here locally in this city, this country. Whether we are in another city, in another country. He is writing to the whole family of God. And He is calling all of us little children.

We might be eight years old, nine years old. Or we might be five, six, seven years old. If we are believers, we are part of this family. And He calls them, oftentimes, "little children". Go to chapter 3 of 1 John. It says in verse 7, "little children". Notice verse 10 of chapter 3. "In this the children of God are manifest". He is writing to the children of God. And I can just go on in chapter 4 and verse 4. Again it says, "Ye are of God little children". "Yeladim k'tanim". You belong to God. And if you go a little bit further into chapter 5 and verse 2. He says, "By this we know that we love the children of God".

Someone who is not a child of God. This letter will not be helpful to him or to her. Because he or she are not part of the family of God. But He is writing to believers. And every believer has to realize that he or she are part of the family of God. And he is really writing family secrets. Things that you share with your immediate family. You know husbands and wives will share with each other. Secrets you might say. Things that are very special only to them. And then it will be broader with the children. The husband, the wife, the father, the mother and their children.

You will share with them things that you will not share with the people of the world. Or people who are not part of the family. So John, Yohanan is emphasizing the family of God. So, the writer, the author is Yohanan. The fisherman from the Galil. From Galilee in the land of Israel. The theme is really little children. The family of God and concern with all the needs among the people of God. Now, thirdly. This is also important by way of introduction. When did John write this letter? The epistles. First John. Chapter one to five. Second John. Third John. When did Yohanan write these letters? When 70 AD have come over our nation of Israel in the land.

You remember the Romans destroyed the city of Jerusalem. Burned the temple in Jerusalem. Have killed over a million Jewish people. And many of the believers have been scattered abroad. Apparently, history will teach us that Yohanan, John moved to Ephesus. Asia Minor became a central of what we would call the assembly, the church. The majority, you might say, the growth of the church was in Asia Minor. In Jerusalem, many of the early Jewish believers have been persecuted and scattered outside of the land of Israel. Well, John was in this area that is known as Asia Minor in Ephesus. And in Ephesus, he became prominent spiritual leaders in this local church, the local assembly in Ephesus.

When he wrote the Gospel of John, he wrote it between 85 to 90 AD. By that time, brothers and sisters, most of the apostles already died. In fact, the first person of the 12 apostles who died was his own brother, Yaakov, James. He died first. I'm not talking about Yaakov, the brother of Yeshua, the Messiah, that we just finished the study of the book of James. I'm talking about James, the brother of Yohanan, Yaakov, the brother of John. He died. He was the first one to die. But the last one to die was Yohanan, John. He was the youngest of the apostles or disciples. It took much longer time for him to remain in Ephesus.

And he wrote between 85 to 90 AD the Gospel of John. Then immediately sometime after, seeing what was going on among the people of God, he wrote the epistles of John between, some suggested, 90 to 95 AD. He was writing a general letter to the believers all over, wherever they are. He wrote it for you and for me as well today. We don't read in these epistles anything in connection with the empire Domitian who persecuted the church. And later on, if you remember, he took John and he cast him into the island of Patmos, which is present day Greece today. There in the island of Patmos, Yohanan wrote the book of Revelation around 96 AD.

So he wrote the Gospel between 85 to 90, somewhere there. Then somewhere between 90 to 95, Yohanan wrote the epistles, the letter in which we are studying today, 1st John. And after he was sent to the island of Patmos, he wrote the last book of the Brit HaChadasha, the new covenant that we know as Chazon or Revelation. And he wrote it by divine inspiration when he was on the island of Patmos. And it was about 96 AD. By that time, John was a very, very old man. Then after he left the island of Patmos, he was sent back to Ephesus. And eventually, Yohanan died in the city of Ephesus. I remember when I took one of my tours to Asia Minor, we went to visit the tomb where supposedly John was buried in this area outside of the island of Patmos.

Patmos, of course, in the area that is Ephesus. So, the time, the date of the writing of the letters here is between 90, you might say, to 95 AD. By that time, brothers and sisters, there was a reason why Yohanan wrote this letter. And I believe it is good for all of us to understand why we even studied this letter. There is more than one reason why John wrote to us this letter and to the whole family of God. You see, because we live here in this world, and we are oftentimes influenced by this world, there is always a danger in each one of our lives, not only somebody else, me, you, all of us are in danger of falling away from the narrow path that God has called us to follow.

And so, as we study the book of 1 John, you will notice some reasons why did he write this letter to the believers among the family of God. Let me give you some of the reasons. Let me give you some of the reasons. Notice that. We are in 1 John, chapter 1. And notice the first reason that Yohanan wrote in verse 4. He wrote this letter in order that believers in Yeshua will have fullness of joy. Look at this. 1 John, chapter 1, and verse 4. He said, "These things write we unto you that your joy may be full." You see, brothers and sisters, many times we as believers in Yeshua the Messiah have not much joy in our lives.

And we have to distinguish between happiness and joy. Happiness depends upon what's happening. If things happen good, we got a good job, we got promotion, things are well with us, we are happy. But joy is far behind it. Sometimes you see believers who are going through persecution and trials in their lives, but they have an internal joy in their hearts. Like what we read the Hebrew writer Nehemiah Nehemiah who said, "The joy of the Lord is our strength." He wrote it to our own people of Israel many years ago when Israel just returned back from Babylon. Shaul Paul wrote, "Rejoice in the Lord always." The book of Philippians.

Again I say, "Rejoice." You see, John wrote this letter that we will have joy in our lives. Not only joy, but notice he said that your joy may be full. It is so sad when we are, at times, joyless believers. How sad it is when a believer has no joy. And the writings of this epistle to the family of God, to the children of God is for the express purpose that they will have joy. And just like you and I as parents, when we have our own children and when they don't walk right and don't obey the Lord. And you can see that they are not happy in Yeshua.

How can you be happy and joyful when you are not communicating with the Lord and living in obedience to the Lord? We cannot be happy and joyful. Sometime again we sing, "When we walk with the Lord in the light of His word." And you remember how we read, "What a shadow He lay on our way." So when we do His good will, He abides with us still and with all who will trust and obey. And when a believer does not obey the Lord, we know in our own hearts, we are not joyful. So John is writing, and he says, notice he said, "These things I write unto you," 1 John 1:4, "that your joy may be full." Not partial, but full.

A cup of water that is running over. Sometimes the psalm is running over, running over. My cup running over. It's overflowing with joy because one is rejoicing in Yeshua, the Messiah, what He has done for us. His care and love for us. The joy of the Lord is your strength, Nehemiah said to our people of all. That's the first reason. Look at the second reason, beloved brothers and sisters, in 1 John 2:1. Why did he write this letter in order that believers will not live a life of sin? Look, 1 John chapter 2: "My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not." Now it is so interesting.

He knows very well that a believer is capable of sinning. How many times? We have dishonored the Lord with sins that came into our own life. We know that. John writing this letter. Why? That you will live a life that is pleasing to the Lord. That ye sin not. Now, he doesn't say, he doesn't mean, you notice immediately after that he says, if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father. We're going to talk about it when we're going to get to that. Yeshua the Messiah is our advocate. He is our righteous one. He is advocating on our behalf. But the point that he is really emphasizing that you will not live an ongoing life of dishonor to the Lord, a sinful life.

Because after all, he wants his people to live a life that is pleasing to the Father. And so he's saying to them that it will not be an ongoing sinfulness in your own life and will take you away from fellowship with God the Father. And we know, brothers and sisters, when we sin and do not judge it, there is a cloud. Our fellowship with God, it seems to be broken. Not our relationship, our eternal relationship, but you don't feel the presence of the Lord in your life. Because we have willfully, consistently, on an ongoing basis, dishonored the Lord in a persistent life of sin. And John says, that ye sin not.

Don't live this kind of life. You might fall, repent. You might stumble, go back. Don't carry on in that pathway because you will not enjoy the things of the Lord in your life. So the first reason, that you'll have simcha, joy. The second reason, that you will sin not, no chet, no sin in your life on an ongoing basis. Look at the third reason. The third reason is, again, in 1 John, this time, chapter 3 and verse 11. Look at this. And the third reason is very important. For this is the message that you heard from the beginning, that we should love one another. You know, I'm thinking about this expression many times.

Among the people of God, it makes you wonder what's going on. Do we love the brothers and sisters? I didn't say, do we like them? I say, do we love them? What's the difference between liking them? What's the difference between liking them? You know, we might not like the personality of each other. We all have a different kind of personalities. Some of us are harsher. Some of us are softer. Some of us are aggressive. Others are just careless. And so we all have a different type of personality. But you notice he says again in 1 John 3 and verse 11, he says, this is a message that you have heard.

In other words, I write this message to you that as it was in the beginning, that we should have love for one another. You remember Yeshua said in John chapter 13 to the Gospel. He says, "By this shall all men know that you are my disciples, if you have love one towards another." You know, love towards the brethren is important among the people of God. You know, years ago somebody left a certain assembly, a certain church, because there is no love in this local church. And then you ask him the question, where does the Bible say for you to expect love from others? The Bible says you are to give love to the other.

That's what the Bible did. You should love one another. It doesn't say you should wait for receiving love from one another. We are to practically show this love among the people of God. Now, of course, if someone loving us, obviously we will be receiving love. But the exhortation is always love one another. And if we have love among the brothers and sisters, Yeshua said in John chapter 13, it's evident in the life of the people of God. Now, if somebody is going to come in the midst of a local assembly, a local church, and they see bickering and fighting, and the people of God, this one talks about the others, and the others talk about this one, and this constantly bickering among the people of God, he or she will say, "Listen, there's no reason for me to be here." They say that they say that they are Christians, that they are Mashiach followers, look at the condition that prevails among them.

Instead of showing love, it is evident that they really don't care for one another. One of the best testimony of a local assembly, local church, that they are really in the will of the Lord, if there is love among the people of God. I want to read John 13. In fact, I read verse 34 and 35. Yeshua in the upper room, he just washed the disciples' feet. And now look what he says there, just towards the end of this chapter, he says, "A new commandment I give unto you, that ye love one another, as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another." Brothers and sisters, what a beautiful thing it is to see the brothers and sisters love one another, even though we don't agree about the personalities, the way in which a person sometimes behaves, but the responsibility is to love the brethren.

This is an evident that we belong to Yeshua the Messiah. So, the first reason: joy. The second reason: that we will sin not. The third reason is that we will have love towards the brethren, towards one another. The next reason is again back in 1 John chapter 2. And this is in verse 18. The fourth reason is that believers be aware of false teachings of those who are against Yeshua the Messiah. Look at this: 1 John chapter 2, in verse 18, it says, "Little children, it is the last time, as ye have heard that Antichrist shall come, even now there are many Antichrists against Mashiach, whereby we know that it is the last time." This is in verse 18.

Now notice verse 22. Who is a liar? But he that denies that Yeshua is the Mashiach, that Jesus is the Messiah. He is Antichrist that denies the Father and the Son. Now this is amazing, brothers and sisters. I am telling you that this condition of denial of the Messiahship of Yeshua, those that are really against Yeshua the Messiah, did not start now. Already a long time ago, at the beginning, the foundation of the body of Messiah, of the ecclesia, of the church, of the family of God, there are those who crept in and already begin to sow the seed against the Messiah and those that follow him.

And you notice he calling them little children in the last time, as it says in 1 John 2:18, "This is the last time, as you have heard of them, Antichrist, this is a person that will come. But he will come, yes, but there is many, as it says, but now there are many anti-Mashiach, anti-Christ, whereby we know that it is the last time." Well, John, nearly 2,000 years ago, already showed us that the professing church, the professing assembly already had been infected by many who crept in and were really, instead of for the Messiah, they were actually against Yeshua the Messiah. And he's calling them, in verse 22, "liars." You know, the truth will remain firm, it will never change.

But those who teach false doctrine, and really against the Messiah, they have already have crept in among the people of God in the first century already, and John writing about those individuals that have already crept into the professing church, into the professing assembly. Brothers and sisters, I'm telling you, today, as we live closer to the end of the church age, we know how much it is existing today, and we need to be extremely careful. That's why we are to stick to the ABC of the Word of God, and this is the safest place for us where we are sticking to the Word of God. Now, fifthly, turn with me to chapter 5 of 1 John.

The fifth reason why this letter was written to the family of God, it says in 1 John, chapter 5 and verse 13, this epistle was written to give believers the assurance of salvation. 1 John, chapter 5 and verse 13, again notice the word, "These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God, that ye may know that ye have eternal life, that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God." Many times when we preach the Gospel, sometimes little children coming to the front. Some of them come to accept the Lord, others coming because they are not sure if they are really saved, if their sins have been forgiven.

And you know, I hope that none of us here in this room is not sure of his or her salvation. And John wrote this epistle, verse 13 of 1 John, chapter 5. These things are written. Why, John? Because it's written for you that are already believing in the name of Yeshua the Messiah, that you may know. Notice it said that you may know. It doesn't say that you may feel. You know, sometimes we don't feel like saved. Because our feelings are not so good. You see, something happened to me in my life and I don't feel like I am saved. But the Bible doesn't teach us about your feelings.

The Scripture is teaching us the facts. For God so loved the world, number one, that He gave His only begotten Son, number two, that whosoever believeth on Him, number three, shall not perish but have everlasting life, number four. It's clear this verse, John chapter 3 and verse 16. God's love for men brought about the necessity for sending Yeshua the Messiah when Yeshua died for us on the tree. Anyone who believe on Him have an everlasting life. He's saved. He's secure. And our feelings have nothing to do with this fact. You see, you are either in or you're out. You are either a believer or you are not a believer.

You cannot sit on the fence. You are either going to heaven or you're going to hell. There is no in between. You cannot be saved for a few months and then lost for other few months and then re-save again and then get lost again. You know, if it's depending upon our feeling and upon our performance, we're not sure when we will ever be saved. And that's why John writes this letter. In 1 John 5 verse 13 he says, "These things have I written unto you that those you already believe in His name, I am writing this to you that you may know." And this is knowing it is a fact.

We're knowing this truth. We sometimes sing this song, the B-I-B-L-E, the Bible, the Torah. This is the book, he said. He said, I'm standing on the book because what it says, it's a fact. It has nothing to do with how you and I feel, but it has everything to do with what God says in His Word. And if God says that whosoever believeth on Him shall not perish but have everlasting life, they simply have to accept it. And not to depend upon our feeling, but to depend upon the written Word of God. It will never change. You know, people think that because their views about the Bible will change the Bible.

It will never change. The Word of God remains true to what the one who has given this to us said. He is true and what He has given to us remains firm and will never ever change. So, beloved brothers and sisters, five reasons why this epistle was written. Number one, that our joy may be full. Number two, that we will sin not. Number three, that we have loved one towards another. Number four, to be careful from false teachers and false teaching. Number five, to have assurance that we are saved. That we have an eternal life. That ye may know that ye have. Not that ye may have, but you already have an eternal life because you have trusted in Yeshua the Messiah.

So, so far we had the author is Yohanan. The theme is the family of God. The date is between 90 to 95 AD. And the purpose is five-fold which we have this before us. Joy, sinning not, loving each other, be careful from false teachers, and also assurance of salvation. This is so important for us to get hold of. Now, let's talk a little bit as we are moving along about the false teachers that have risen already at that time. You know, it is so interesting that false teaching has been in every generation. You know, our people Israel, before Yeshua the Messiah came, have experienced false prophets. Many, many false prophets have risen in the history of our people Israel.

And it didn't take too long when the body of Messiah was formed. When the family of God had been brought together in church history, false teaching had begun. When God doesn't work, Satan doesn't work. When God works in lives of people, Satan, who is the enemy of God and God's people, always introduce some leaven in the midst of the people of God. False teaching. Now, let me just tell you some things about the heresy that existed by the Gnostics of those days that made it necessary for John to write this letter. Look what they believed. The Gnostics, they taught that knowledge is a superior virtue.

In other words, you might have a special insight that it's greater than anything else. Even greater than the Word of God. Like one might be saved by knowing a lot. Well, knowledge, actually the Bible says, puffs you up. And the Bible wants us to know certain things about the Word of God, but we are to know it from the written Word of God. Secondly, these Gnostics did not interpret God's Word literally, but intellectually. You know, we have to be very careful, brothers and sisters, to interpret Scripture by its own, by Scripture. Not by what we think, not by our intellect. You know, the greatest men on earth, the brilliant scientists and the brilliant lawyers and doctors and all these brilliant men.

Many of them, not all of them, haven't yet acknowledged the fact that they are sinners and they need forgiveness of sins. They can outshine us all when it's come to be brilliant. And yet the greatest minds need to be contained and brought back to the simple written Word of God. And here we find out that many at that time when the Gnostics did not interpret God's Word literally, but intellectually. And that is driving men, oftentimes, away from the ABC of the Word of God. Look also, the Gnostics did not believe that God created the world since in this world there is much evil. And they say God could not create this kind of world.

How can a holy God create a world that is in such a condition? But they don't realize that when God created the world, God created the world suitable for men to live here in this world. But men have sinned. And men departed from the will of God. And that's why this world is in such a condition. It's not because God has created an evil world. Evil came by men. Evil came by Satan. But God has created the world suitable for mankind to live here in this world. But sin has separated us from God and brought about the judgment of God upon the human race. Here's another, and this is very important in light of 1 John.

The Gnostics denied the deity of Yeshua HaMashiach. They denied the fact that God and men are united together in one. This is why we read earlier when Yeshayahu, the Hebrew prophet of old, when he wrote by divine inspiration. He wrote about the coming of the Mashiach. Where it says that unto us a son is given. A child is being born. A son is given. And the government shall be upon his shoulder and his name shall be called. And you remember one of his name was El Gibor. Mighty God. You know, God has entered humanity through the Jewish virgin Miriam. And now God took union humanity with his divine nature.

There's only one that is sinless, undefined, separate from sinners. And his name is Yeshua who was born in the city of Bethlehem in a supernatural way. This Holy One that is born of you shall be called the Son of God. And he entered humanity. And he took union. Listen to these brothers and sisters. He took union humanity with divine nature. And in Yeshua, the Messiah, we have God and men in one. This man is a holy man. And yet at the same time is the eternal Son of God. But the Gnostics, they denied the deity of the Messiah. They also denied the triunity of the Godhead.

In other words, just like today, many people deny that there is only one God. But this one God exists and consists in three persons. What we recite every Shabbat. Shema Yisrael Adonai Eloheinu Adonai Echad. He or Israel, the Lord our God. The Lord is one. There is one God. But yet he exists and consists in more than one person. The Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Now we have to be careful here. Because the Father and the Son are distinguished. The Spirit and the Father are distinguished. And yet all the triune. The Father, the Son, the Spirit. One God. We don't believe in three gods.

One God consists and exists in three persons. Now this is very important because some people teach that sometime Jesus is acting as the Father. And another time he is acting as the Spirit. And sometime he is the Son. In other words, it's just the same. Like some suggest it's like water. Sometime it is water. Sometime it is steam. Sometime it is ice. But that's not the teaching of the triunity at all. The Father is not the Son. The Son is not the Spirit. Yet all three persons are united in the Godhead. It is not God the Father who died on the cross. It is God the Son as man who died on the cross.

It's not God the Holy Spirit who took union humanity with its divine nature. But it is God the Son who took union humanity with his divine nature. That's why you remember, for example, at the baptism in the Gospel of Matthew. Yeshua went into the water. Yeshua went into the water. And as he came with Yohanan, Hamadbil, John the baptized. He baptized him when he came out of the water. It is the person of the Son as man. And it was the Father's. The heavens were open. And he says, this is my beloved Son. That was the voice of the Abba, of the Father. And then the Holy Spirit of God descended as a dove and lighted upon him.

We see it. We see the three persons of the Godhead expressed there when Yeshua was coming out the water at the baptism in the Jordan in the south of Jerusalem. Beautiful to see that. But the Gnostics, they denied the divine nature of the Messiah. But they also denied the triunity of the Godhead. Now, brothers and sisters, do you know who else is denying that? Many other religious groups are denying it today. Including, unfortunately, our own people who do not understand that the Mashiach is divine. Emmanuel, God with us. And that he entered humanity in a supernatural way through the virgin Miriam, whom no man knew her.

Joseph did not know her until she had given birth to her firstborn son. And she called his name Yeshua, salvation. Jehovah, the Savior. This name presents before us his person. Jehovah, God, the Savior, Moshiach, the Savior. That is who Yeshua is. And the Gnostics deny that. And you know what? Somebody said this like this. And I thought it was very, very interesting. If you try to explain the triunity, you will lose your mind. Because who can explain that? But you try to explain it out, you will lose your soul. Because no one who denied the divine nature of Yeshua and the triunity of the Godhead can ever be biblically founded.

Denying the truth of the scripture makes one not suitable for the presence of God. Therefore, we have this clear warning to the believers where Yohanan, John, was writing to them. You know, the Gnostics also believe other things that I'm not going to add in this introduction. But they have denied the truth of the word of God, the divine nature, and the triunity of the Godhead. Now, let me quickly move on to another guest. A couple of thoughts. What about the division of the book? Basically, we really can say that the book divides itself into two sections. But we may add a third one. In 1 John 1:1-4, we have the introduction of the epistle.

Then 1 John 1:5-1 John 2:29 We have the theme that God is light. God is holy. Let us therefore have true fellowship with Him. That's what John is saying in this first epistle. God is light and in Him there is no darkness at all. Not at all. And then the remaining of the epistle. 1 John 3:1 to 1 John 5:21 The theme and the thought is God is love. Let us therefore love God and love one another. So you see, God is light, chapter 1 and 2. God is love, chapter 3, 4 and 5. That is the division of this book of the epistle of John. Now, please bear with me. Go back to our first verse.

1 John 1:1. And I am reading this verse again. That which was from the beginning. Which we have heard. Which we have seen with our eyes. Which we have looked upon. And our hands have handled of the word of life. In other words, John began this epistle by writing about the one that was from the beginning. Now, if you know your Bible, and I hope you do. There are three beginnings that are found in scripture. First of all, we have in Genesis chapter 1 verse 1. In the beginning, in the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. Then you jump all the way to the Brit HaChadasha, to the New Testament in John chapter 1.

And John began his gospel by saying, In the beginning was the word, and the word was with God, and the word was God. And then thirdly, we have in this epistle, 1 John chapter 1 verse 1. That which was from the beginning. So we have three beginnings in scripture. And every one of these beginnings is linked with the person of Yeshua, the Messiah. Now, if you want to have some insight about those three beginnings. Every one of these beginnings talks about different period of time or history. In fact, the order should not be Genesis 1 verse 1, and then John 1 verse 1, and then 1 John 1 verse 1. No, the order should be really John 1:1, then Genesis 1:1, and then 1 John chapter 1 and verse 1.

Why? Simply because of this. The Gospel of John, Yohanan, begins with "In the beginning was the word." He talks about the Messiah, the eternal Son of God. And he takes us as far back as you want. You don't even know, you have no imagination. In other words, you don't even know how far you want to go, but go as far as you want. In the beginning, he was there. In fact, the Gospel of John speaks about the divine nature of the Lord. And he takes us into eternity past. In other words, in eternity past, he was there. In the beginning was the word, John 1:1, and the word was with God, and the word was God.

That's how John began his Gospel. In other words, the one that we belong to, Yeshua the Messiah, is the pre-existent Son of God. In the beginning, he was already there. You want to go for 10,000 years? He was there. You want to go as far as a million years, if there are such a thing like this? He was there. In the beginning was the word. You want to go a trillion of years, if there is such a thing? He was the ever-existing God. In the beginning was the word. And the word was with God. And the word was God. But when we go back to Genesis chapter 1: "Bereshit bara Elohim et ha-shamayim ve-et ha-aretz." In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.

That takes us to a certain period of time. As far as we know, beloved brothers and sisters. If we go to the time of the creation of humanity. You know we are about 5,770 something years in the Jewish calendar. Almost 6,000 years ago. You might say that Genesis chapter 1:1 takes us as far as about 6,000 years from our vantage point of time. John chapter 1:1 takes us as far as your imagination can take you. The word God was there. The Messiah Yeshua in his divine nature was always there. But Genesis 1:1 takes us to creation. There was a certain period of time in the history that God has decided to create the heavens and the earth.

But the epistle of John takes us to another period of history. While John takes us to eternity. Genesis takes us to 6,000 years to creation. John in his epistle. 1 John chapter 1:1 takes us to another period of time. And this time is the time of the incarnation. It takes us about 2,000 years ago from our vantage point of time. That which was from the beginning. 1 John 1:1. Which we have heard. Which we have seen with our eyes. Which we have looked upon. And our hands have handled. We touched him. And he is that word of life. You know what it takes us. 1 John 1:1 takes us to Bethlehem. When Yeshua the Messiah was born.

In the city of Bethlehem. In the land of our forefathers. The land of Israel. When he entered humanity. When God became a man. And you know John taking us all the way to the time where God had become a man. I mean this is a mind bugging. It is amazing. How John could say. You know. Brothers and sisters. My little children. I want to tell you. That this one. Had a beginning in his incarnation now. He always had a beginning in his divine nature. But now he entered humanity. And he became a man. And I want to tell you. Yohanan is saying. We have heard him.

We have seen him with our eyes. We have looked upon him carefully. And we actually have handled him. We have touched him. We have touched him. We rubbed shoulders with him. He is the word of life. He is the one that I want to write you about. He is saying. In this ministry. As he is writing. And he is saying. That is the one. That has entered into this world. In his humanity. And we touched him. You can just imagine. John literally. Leaning on Yeshua's breast. And Yeshua's bosom. Literally embracing him. And touch him. And touch him. And show affection towards him. They have literally walked with him.

And lived with him. Here in this world. But he had to become a man. In order for them to enjoy that. And that is why this epistle. Is speaking about Yeshua the Messiah. In his incarnation. And how it is important. For the people of God. For the family of God. To have fellowship. With Yeshua the Messiah. Because. While we are not. Seeing the Lord. Whom having not seen. We love. But nevertheless. He is the one. That John. Yohanan. And Peter. Shimon. And James. And all the apostles. Have literally. Enjoyed his presence. They enjoyed. To spend time with him. Because they heard him. They saw him.

They handled him. And they actually. Spent time with him. Until he went to the cross. And he died there. For the sin of this world. That's what John. Is writing about. Beloved. Brothers. And sisters. And I. Think. That is so much food. For us here. As we study this epistle. And I pray. That the Lord. Will help us. As we study this. And we'll see. How much. John. Wanted his. Children. To get a handle. Of the person. Of Yeshua. The Messiah. To have fellowship. With him. And to follow him. So we all. Going to grow. As we are part. Of this. Family. Of God. So to live their life.

In a way. That it is. Honoring. To him. To be. To be. To be. To be. To be.