THE Eternal Life

 I John 1:1 That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we looked upon and have touched with our hands, concerning the word of life— 2 the life was made manifest, and we have seen it, and testify to it and proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and was made manifest to us— 3 that which we have seen and heard we proclaim also to you, so that you too may have fellowship with us; and indeed our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ. 4 And we are writing these things so that our joy may be complete.

When we turn to John's first letter, we often gravitate toward the second half of the first chapter, which focuses on Jesus as the Light and promises us cleansing and forgiveness in Christ.  But we really need to appreciate the first half of the chapter, which points us to the full experience of Christ: hearing, seeing, touching Life in the person of Christ.  Of course, John's experience was totally "in person," where they hearing, seeing, and touching were a physical reality.  But the spiritual is just as real.  It intrigues me that John refers here to the eternal life. It is the one and only, just as Christ is the One and Only Son of the Father, who was manifested, incarnated, came to earth as true Life.  John wanted his readers, including us, to come into that same fellowship with the Father and Son, and the joyful life we can only experience with them.  Forgiveness flows from fellowship.