Meditation 264
1 John 1:1-2:2
The letter we call 1 John was written to a group of Christians to keep them from being led a stray by false teaching. From the themes that are covered in this letter is seems that the community that is being addressed is familiar with the gospel of John. In the prologue of 1 John, which is 1 John 1:1-4, we read of the Word that was with God from the beginning. This word was revealed to the writer(s) of 1 John, and so this truth is being shared, so that the hearers of the letter might have fellowship with the author.
At first reading it could seem that this is an easy calling to faith, we are being invited to fellowship. This is a word that conjures up social gatherings where we usually enjoy food, and always enjoy one another’s company. Fellowship may seem be the easiest of the spiritual disciplines to follow. Unlike prayer it does not require that we set time aside from the usual round of activities, it is not a denial of desire like fasting is, it is not as confusing as the reading of scripture can be, fellowship is not hard to practise. This would be true if fellowship was simply the gathering of like minded people. Fellowship in reality “is a call to embody the love of God made known in Jesus Christ.” (Elizabeth Johnson. Working Preacher)
One of the themes that comes up in 1 John 1:2 is eternal life (cf John 3). The writer of 1 John is declaring what has been made known concerning eternal life so that fellowship is made possible with the congregation of people being addressed. This fellowship is first with God, and them with other believers (1 John 1:3) the word translated fellowship is koinonia, which is a transliteration of a Greek word. Koinonia is joint participation in an event or experience, a holy, covenantal fellowship. Fellowship is much more than simply a gathering of like minded people, it is a call to embody the love of God, which has been made known in Jesus and by which we are forgiven.
Fellowship is more than a warm cozy feeling. Fellowship is what motivates congregations of Jesus’ followers to have compassion on those who are repeatedly tactless, it is what helps us to live up to what we said we would do, it is what enables us to love one another as Jesus loves us. Fellowship is, as much as it is possible, being the face of Jesus to another. Fellowship is the embodiment of the love of God made known in Jesus Christ.