I was reading in the book of first John last night.  John wants to reassure people that what he had encountered was first hand.  That he is a first hand witness to events concerning a man named Jesus from the town Nazereth.

So he begins in the first sentence by saying that he has heard it, seen it with his eyes, looked upon the events and has handled numerous parts of the events.  This is not hearsay.

Then he says," That which we have seen and heard, we declare unto you, so that you also may have fellowship with us..."  Then he continues by saying, "This then is the message which we have heard of him..."  John was making sure that those people out there, (who believed in Jesus being the Christ) had the assurance of hearing it from someone who had been there when it all happened.  He was an on the spot reporter.

If you read through this short letter you find that he used the word "Know" 36 times.  He wanted people to know.  To have assurance.  In 2:3 he says, "And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments."  Know that you know.  I love to hear first hand accounts.  He emphasizes that he is writing this down so that they will "know."  And uses the word "write," or "written" or "declare" at least thirteen times.

"Give me the facts," someone might have asked.  And John said, "Here's what I know; here's what I saw, experienced and I know absolutely to be the truth.

When John, Peter, Jude, Matthew, or James write something, you have a first hand, three year observance of the life of Jesus.  Paul asserts that he met Jesus on the road to Damascus and is also a first hand believer.  Paul did a 180 degree turn around from murdering Christians to becoming one of them.  I'm a believer in part because of what they wrote.