The book of 1John is not a book one thinks of when they think about the Advent season. Yet, the beginning of the book states much about Jesus' incarnation, the reason that we celebrate Christmas.
1John was written to combat the heresy of Gnosticism, a false teaching that stated that one had to have secret knowledge of God in order to be truly saved. In particular, a branch of that was called Doceticism, which John specifically addressed in this short epistle.
Doceticism claimed that the flesh was all evil in contrast with the spirit being all good. As a consequence they taught others that Jesus could not have had a body. If He would have had a body He Himself would have been evil. John's opening statement of seeing, hearing, and touching Jesus denies their damnable teaching and shows John's audience that Jesus was indeed fleshly, yet sinless at the same time.
In our devotional this week we will consider the reason why Jesus was manifested. We know He came to take away our sin. But His taking away our sin was for our joy!
Johns Christmas Story The Word Becomes Incarnate for Our Joy
by Steven Long
A Biblearc published page
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