The Truth We Handle - 1 John 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” - 1 John 1:1

Facts matter. In the last four years, we have seen the rise of “fact checkers” who scour the globe with a fine-tooth comb because facts matter. Yet fact-checking is no new business. When Moses establishes the legal system of Israel, he declares that a fact can only stand upon two or more witnesses (Dt. 19:15). In this case, life and death hung upon the facts. How much more so eternal life? The fact of the matter is that it is difficult to believe. Our hearts are susceptible to suspicion, in danger of doubting. After each trial and temptation, we find ourselves asking, “Are these really the facts?” Yet the apostle aids us in our weakness by doubling down – we have heard, we have seen, we have looked upon, we have touched with our hands. We have more witnesses to the resurrected Christ than almost all ancient figures. The question is now – why? Why does this fact matter?

In our weakness and doubt, we may rest assured that we have a Savior who has heard us, who has seen us, who has looked upon us, and who extends to us his nail pierced hands. He did not die and rise in the shadows for only the intellectually curious to discover; he died on a hilltop in a public manner and appeared afterwards to many in order to aid and strengthen all those wearied and heavy-laden. If we would face the facts by faith and believe in him, we would “rejoice with joy that is inexpressible and filled with glory, obtaining the outcome of your faith, the salvation of your souls” (1 Peter 1:8-9).