1 John 1 — Hymn Desk

1 2 3 4 5

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Lutheran reading notes

In 1 John chapter 1, the message of the gospel develops the theme of assurance of eternal life through Christ. Lutheran interpretation frequently emphasizes the proclamation of Christ, the distinction between law and gospel, and the promise of justification through faith.

Theme: Apostolic teaching for the Church Key people: Apostles; churches Key place: Various Liturgical use: Epistle lections

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;

1 John 1:1 highlights apostolic teaching for the church with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.

2 (For the life was manifested, and we have seen {it}, and bear witness, and shew unto you that eternal life, which was with the Father, and was manifested unto us;)

1 John 1:2 highlights apostolic teaching for the church with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.

3 That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you, that ye also may have fellowship with us: and truly our fellowship {is} with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ.

1 John 1:3 highlights apostolic teaching for the church with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.

4 And these things write we unto you, that your joy may be full.

1 John 1:4 highlights apostolic teaching for the church with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.

5 This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all.

1 John 1:5 highlights apostolic teaching for the church with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.

6 If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth:

1 John 1:6 highlights apostolic teaching for the church with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.

7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.

1 John 1:7 highlights apostolic teaching for the church with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.

8 If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.

1 John 1:8 highlights apostolic teaching for the church with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.

9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us {our} sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

1 John 1:9 highlights apostolic teaching for the church with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.

10 If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.

1 John 1:10 highlights apostolic teaching for the church with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.

Hymns connected to this chapter

"As Surely as I Live," God Said

"As surely as I live," God said

Carl Döring ·1884

Alas My God My Sins Are Great

Alas my God, my sins are great

Martin Behm ·1610

Alas! And Did My Savior Bleed

And Wilt Thou Pardon, Lord

And wilt Thou pardon, Lord

Cornelius Elven ·1860

Approach My Soul the Mercy-Seat

Approach my soul the mercy-seat

John Newton ·1779

As Rebels, Lord, Who Foolishly Have Wandered

As rebels, Lord, who foolishly have wandered

Jaroslav J. Vajda ·1980

Attende Domine, et miserere

Medieval ·1000

Before Thee God Who Knowest All

Before Thee, God, who knowest all

Christian Behm ·1602

Before Thy Throne I Now Appear

Before Thy throne I now appear

Gerhard Tersteegen ·1730

Before You God the Judge of All

Before You God the Judge of all

Carl Bernhard Garve ·1802

Before You, God, the Judge of All

Before You, God, the Judge of all

Before the World Began

Before the world began, one Word was there;

Blessed Is The Man, Forever Blest

Blessed is the man, forever blest

Nicolaus Selnecker ·1572

Blest Be the Tie that Binds

Blest be the tie that binds

John Fawcett ·1782

By Adam's Fall is All Forlorn

By Adam's fall is all forlorn

Lazarus Spengler ·1524

Chief of Sinners Though I Be

Chief of sinners though I be

William McComb ·1824

Christ is the World's Light

Christ is the world's light, he and none other

George William Kitchin ·1873

Christ, Mighty Savior

Christ, mighty Savior, Light of all creation

Jaroslav J. Vajda ·1980

Come to Calvary's Holy Mountain

Come to Calvary's holy mountain

Samuel Rodigast ·1675

Out of the depths I cry to thee

Martin Luther ·1524

Deep Were His Wounds

Deep were his wounds, and red

William Cowper ·1779

Father Who the Light this Day

Father, who the light this day

Latin hymn, attributed to Ambrose of Milan ·1500

From Depths of Woe I Cry to Thee

From depths of woe I cry to thee

Martin Luther ·1524

From Depths of Woe I Cry to You

From depths of woe I cry to you

Martin Luther ·1524

From Depths of Woe, Lord God, I Cry

From depths of woe, Lord God, I cry

Martin Luther ·1523

God Was There on Calvary

God was there on Calvary

Kirby Dalseth ·1974

God of Day and God of Darkness

God of day and God of darkness, now we stand before the night;

He Whose Praise the Shepherds Sounded

He whose praise the shepherds sounded

His Mercy Is More

His mercy is more than all my sins

Jenn Johnson ·2014

Holy Majesty Before You

Holy Majesty before you

Friedrich Rückert ·1839

I Am Trusting You Lord Jesus

I am trusting you, Lord Jesus

Edgar Page Stites ·1876

I Come to Thee O Blessed Lord

I come to Thee, O blessed Lord

Ludwig Helmbold ·1563

I Come, O Savior, to Thy Table

I come, O Savior, to Thy table

Johann Gerhardt ·1630

I Come, O Savior, to Your Table

I come, O Savior, to Your table

Gerhardt Behm ·1653

I Lay My Sins on Jesus

I lay my sins on Jesus

Horatius Bonar ·1843

I See Thee Standing Lamb of God

I see Thee standing, Lamb of God

Nicolai Leonhard Zinzendorf ·1738

I Want to Walk as a Child of the Light

I want to walk as a child of the light

Kathleen Thomerson ·1984

I do Not Come Because My Soul

I do not come because my soul

Ernst Behm ·1858

Immortal, Invisible, God Only Wise

Immortal, invisible, God only wise

Walter Chalmers Smith ·1867

Jesus Lover of My Soul

Jesus, Lover of my soul

Charles Wesley ·1740

Jesus My Truth My Way

Jesus my Truth, my Way, my Life

Oswald Allen ·1858

Jesus Paid It All

I hear the Savior say

Elvina Matilda Hall ·1865

Jesus Sinners Does Receive

Jesus sinners does receive

Erdmann Neumeister ·1718

Jesus Sinners Will Receive

Jesus sinners will receive

Erdmann Neumeister ·1718

Jesus Sun of Righteousness

Jesus, Sun of Righteousness

Christian Friedrich Gellert ·1757

Jesus Your Blood and Righteousness

Jesus, your blood and righteousness

Nicolaus Zinzendorf ·1740

Jesus the Very Thought of Thee

Jesus, the very thought of thee

Bernard of Clairvaux ·1150

Joyful, Joyful, We Adore Thee

Joyful, joyful, we adore thee, God of glory, Lord of love

Henry van Dyke ·1907

Joyous Light of Heavenly Glory

Joyous light of heavenly glory

Carl Doving ·1909

Just as I am, Without One Plea

Just as I am, without one plea

Charlotte Elliott ·1835

Kyrie, God Father in heaven above

Martin Luther ·1526

Lamb of God Pure and Sinless

Lamb of God, pure and sinless

Nicolai Decius ·1541

Leaning on the Everlasting Arms

What a fellowship, what a joy divine,

Light of Light, O Sole-Begotten

Light of Light, O Sole-Begotten

Aurelius Clemens Prudentius ·1884

Long Before the World Is Waking

Long before the world is waking

Jaroslav J. Vajda ·1980

Lord Have Mercy

Lord have mercy, Christ have mercy, Lord have mercy on us.

Lord Jesus Christ My Life My Light

Lord Jesus Christ, my life, my light

Nikolai Frederick Severin Grundtvig ·1836

Lord We Confess Our Numerous Faults

Lord, we confess our numerous faults

Dudley Tyng ·1849

Lord When We Bend before Thy Throne

Lord, when we bend before Thy throne

Johann Heermann ·1630

Lord to Thee I Make Confession

Lord to Thee I make confession

Aurelianus Prudentius Clemens ·405

Lord, to You I Make Confession

Lord, to You I make confession

Oswald Gerhardt ·1659

My Soul's Best Friend What Joy and Blessing

My soul's best friend what joy and blessing

We hold the death of the Lord deep in our hearts.

O Blessed Light, O Trinity

O blessed Light, O Trinity

O Christ You Are the Light and Day

O Christ, You are the light and day

Philipp Nicolai ·1599

O Christ, Who Art the Light and Day

O Christ, Who art the Light and Day

Philipp Nicolai ·1599

O Gladsome Light, O Grace

O gladsome light, O grace

Unknown (Ancient Greek) ·300

O God From God O God From Light

O God from God, O Light from Light

Ambrose of Milan ·1389

O God of Light's Great Mystery

O God of light's great mystery

Thomas A. Dorsey ·1944

O How Shall I Receive Thee

O how shall I receive thee

Martin Behm ·1610

O Light Whose Splendor

O Light Whose Splendor Throngs the Skies

Jaroslav J. Vajda ·1980

O Sinner Come Thy Sin to Mourn

O sinner come thy sin to mourn

O Splendor of God's Glory Bright

O Splendor of God's glory bright

Ambrose of Milan ·380

O Thou that Hear'st when Sinners Cry

O Thou that hear'st when sinners cry

John Parlour ·1750

O Trinity Most Blessed Light

O Trinity, most blessed light

Ambrose of Milan ·1400

O Trinity O Blessed Light

O Trinity, O blessed Light

Ambrose of Milan ·1380

O What Precious Balm and Healing

O what precious balm and healing

Johann Heermann ·1630

O Word of God Incarnate

O Word of God Incarnate

William Walsham How ·1864

O Zion Haste Your Mission High Fulfilling

O Zion haste, thy mission high fulfilling

Mary Ann Thomson ·1873

Oh Gladsome Light of the Father Immortal

Oh gladsome light of the Father immortal

Unknown (Ancient Greek) ·300

Oh, How Good It Is

Oh, how good it is when the family of God

Keith Getty and Stuart Townend ·2012

On Our Way Rejoicing

On our way rejoicing

Frances Ridley Havergal ·1871

Out of the Deep I Call

Out of the deep I call

Martin Behm ·1602

Renew Me, O Eternal Light

Renew me, O eternal Light

Johann Friedrich Starck ·1724

Savior When in Dust to Thee

Savior when in dust to thee

Robert Grant ·1815

Siyahamba ekukhanyeni kwenkhos

Softly Now the Light of Day

Softly now the light of day

George Washington Doane ·1824

Softly and Tenderly Jesus Is Calling

Softly and tenderly Jesus is calling, calling for you and for me

Will L. Thompson ·1880

Sun of My Soul Thou Savior Dear

Sun of my soul, thou Savior dear

John Keble ·1820

Sweet the Moments Rich in Blessing

Sweet the moments rich in blessing

James Allen Madan ·1862

The Morning Sun is Brightly Beaming

The morning sun is brightly beaming

Nicolai Grundtvig ·1817

The Saints in Christ Are One in Every Place

The saints in Christ are one in every place

Timothy Dudley-Smith ·1984

The Ten Commandments Are the Law

The Ten Commandments are the law

Martin Luther ·1524

There Stands a Fountain Where for Sin

There stands a fountain where for sin

William Cowper ·1772

There is a Fountain Filled with Blood

There is a fountain filled with blood

William Cowper ·1771

There's a wideness in God's mercy

These Things Did Thomas Count as Real

These things did Thomas count as real

Jaroslav J. Vajda ·1980

Thou Whose Almighty Word

Thou whose almighty word

John Marriott ·1825

Through Jesus' Blood and Merit

Through Jesus' blood and merit

Martin Behm ·1610

To Thee, Omniscient Lord of All

To Thee, omniscient Lord of all

Johann Heermann ·1630

To Thee, Our God, We Fly

To Thee, our God, we fly

Martin Behm ·1602

To Thy Temple I Repair

To Thy temple I repair

William Cowper ·1779

To You Omniscient Lord of All

To You, omniscient Lord of all

Martin Behm ·1610

Today Thy Mercy Calls Us

Today thy mercy calls us

Oswald Allen ·1852

When Over Sin I Sorrow

When over sin I sorrow

Martin Behm ·1610

When Sinners See Their Lost Condition

When sinners see their lost condition

Johann Heermann ·1630

When o'er My Sins I Sorrow

When o'er my sins I sorrow

Heinrich Behm ·1602

Wilt Thou Forgive that Sin Where I Begun

Wilt thou forgive that sin where I begun

John Donne ·1633

You Are the Way; Through You Alone

You are the way; through you alone

Nikolai Grundtvig ·1837