In Person Experience

“What was from the beginning, what we have heard, what we have seen with our eyes, what we have looked at and touched with our hands, concerning the Word of Life—” – 1 John 1:1 (NASB)

Each of us who by faith believe Jesus of Nazareth is the Word of Life has a beginning point of faith in Him. The Apostle John, who also wrote the Gospel of John, uses the phrase “from the beginning” here in a different way than he used it in the Gospel, “in the beginning.” In the Gospel, John wrote he was referencing eternity past, even before the creation of the world and where there is no first point. In this letter, written some years later, John is saying “from” the beginning referring to the beginnings of preaching the gospel. A time when his readers first heard about Jesus. Within the context of verses 1-4* (see below) the phrase promises and emphasizes the stability of the gospel message; its contents do not change but remain stable from the very beginning; it is not subject to change based on fads or philosophical ideas. John affirms his testimony with the words, “we have heard…we have seen…we have had physical contact with Jesus. We can trust John’s witness.

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*…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— 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. And we are writing these things so that our joy may be complete.” 1 John 1:2-4 (ESV)