Where does Theology Begin (1 Jn 1:1-4)

In an ultimate sense all theology (Theo - God, Logy - Study) begins with God. There are three components to theology in a simple sense:

1. God - how He has revealed Himself to man
2. God - who He is
3. God - how man understands this revelation of God and God himself

Let's examine these three aspects from the verses in question...
1Jo 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-- 1Jo 1:2 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-- 1Jo 1:3 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. 1Jo 1:4 And we are writing these things so that our joy may be complete.

1. God - how He has revealed Himself to man
If God did not reveal Himself at all to man, the creature cannot know the Creator. The Bible repeatedly shows God as revealing Himself through various means - Nature, Events, People, Scripture and ultimately The Word.

God chooses to reveal Himself to man because of His love for His creatures and in order to display His grandeur for His own purposes, wherein the creation sees and basks in God's glory.

In this text, we see a few specific aspects of this revelation:
a. The earthly ministry of Jesus Christ witnessed by the Apostles
- That which ... we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we looked upon and have touched with our hands,
- we have seen it, and testify to it and proclaim to you the eternal life,
b. Jesus being called the Word, defines God's Self revelation to man in His person
- the word of life-- - the life was made manifest

This revelation is true and also complete.
- Any further revelation that contradicts this truth of God cannot be true.
- Anything that adds to this revelation must also be false since God's Word would not be complete.

2. God - who He is

God is an inexhaustible study in Himself and we can only know what God has revealed. Some aspects of God in this text are:

a. God is Eternal:
- That which was from the beginning,
- the eternal life,
b. Jesus is God (source of life, Eternal) and Man (physical being):
- 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-- c. God revealed Himself in Jesus
- the life was made manifest, and we have seen it, and testify to it and proclaim to you
- which was with the Father and was made manifest to us-- d. God has relationship with man
- our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ.

3. God - how man understands this revelation of God and God himself

Can man understand this revelation of God? Absolutely yes. If God spoke an alien language that man cannot understand, that revelation is not helpful or meaningful. But God send His Son, the Word, to speak to all men, once for all, in a manner that cannot be misunderstood.

a. The apostles understood this revelation
- That which ... we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we looked upon and have touched with our hands, - the life was made manifest, and we have seen it,

b. The apostles communicate that revelation to us through the scriptures
- 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

c. This creates the relationship with God and also other believers, which is joy unto us.
- 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.

The purpose of this revelation is not just intellectual knowledge, but a true knowledge in essence, that we will know, believe and trust in this God now revealed to us through the apostles. What lasting joy may we have, but to know God and be known by Him and to know those who are His?

There is one caveat to this note - not all believe, even though John writes assuming faith since he writes to the church who are already believers.

So, where does Theology Begin?
- How has this begun for you (if you are a believer)
- Where are you on this (if you do not yet believe in Jesus Christ)
- How do you tell those who do not yet believe about the excellencies of Jesus and why they need to believe?