1 John 1:3-4

Developing a Fellowship With John, the Father and His Son

After the parenthetical thoughts of verse 2, John resumed the thoughts of verse 1 by emphasizing again his position as an eyewitness. It appears this epistle was written, in part, to answer those who did not believe God could take a fleshly form because, they thought, flesh was sinful. John responded with great emphasis on the firsthand nature of his account. The word "fellowship" comes from the Greek word Koinonia which Thayer says means "fellowship, association, community, communion, joint-participation."

John said his purpose in writing was to enhance development of such joint-participation between himself and the Christians addressed. Actually, such began when one became a Christian which made him a partner with the Father and His Son (compare 1 Corinthians 1:9; John 13:8; John 14:23; John 17:21-23). It continued as each experienced the blessings of his Father-son relationship with God and was manifested in reverent, yet joyful, worship at His feet. If they grew in their fellowship with the Father, Son and their fellow Christians, then their joy would be filled to the brim and so would John's (1 John 1:4; 3 John 1:3-4)