<p>1:4 <i>And these things we write, that your joy may be made full</i>- John saw himself as manifesting to his brethren what the Lord Jesus had manifested to him. John records how the Lord had said: &quot;I have said this to you... that your joy may be fulfilled&quot; (Jn. 15:11), but he then says of himself that &quot;We are writing these things so that your joy may be fulfilled&quot; (1 Jn. 1:4 RV). He saw himself as the face and mouth of Jesus to his brethren; and so are all of us who are in Christ. He wanted them to receive the spirit of Christ, the Comforter, so that their joy might be filled up by having His spirit of joy. Perhaps John felt that his converts were lacking in the spirit, and wanted them to be filled with it as he was.</p><p>Note how John repeats his Lord&rsquo;s use of various terms, e.g. &ldquo;little children&rdquo;; and how here he appropriates the Lord&rsquo;s phrase &ldquo;that your joy may be complete&rdquo; (Jn. 16:24; 17:13) to the way <i>he</i> spoke (1 Jn. 1:4). These are just a tiny fraction of the examples possible. We are to speak, think and feel as He did; to <i>be</i> as He was and is; to be brethren in Him.&nbsp;</p>