OVERVIEW OF THE BOOK OF 1 JOHN
AUTHOR: Although the author does not name himself, the content, style, and vocabulary used by the writer strongly suggests he is the John the Apostle, brother of James and son of Zebedee and Salome, who also wrote the Gospel of John and Revelation.
DATE OF WRITING: The book was most likely written between 85-95 A.D., from Ephesus.
PURPOSE OF WRITING: The book of 1 John, which seems to assume the reader's familiarity with the Gospel of John, was written to warn Christians about the increasing threat of false teachings and to reassure them of the certainty of their faith in Jesus Christ. One of the most serious false teachings that confronted early Christians was the error of Gnosticism in two forms: (1) one which denied Christ's humanity and claimed He was a ghost (Docetism); and (2) another that regarded Him as a dual personality, who alternated between being divine and human (Cerinthianism). Because there was not a complete New Testament to guide believers in their faith, many churches were misled by false teachers who promoted their own ideas and advanced themselves as church leaders. John wrote this book to set the record straight on some important doctrinal issues, in particular the identity of Jesus Christ.
OUTLINE OF BOOK:
· 1 John 1:1-2:2: The Creation of God's People-the entrance into His fellowship.
· 1 John 2:3-17: The Confirmation of God's People-the evidence of our Christian fellowship.
· 1 John 2:18-3:24: The Characteristics of God's People-the definition of our Christian fellowship.
· 1 John 4-5: The Charge to God's People-the authority of our fellowship.
BRIEF SUMMARY: Because 1 John is about the basics of faith in Christ, it helped believers (and us today) to reflect honestly on the reality of their faith. It helped answer the question: am I a true believer? John told them they could discern this by looking at their own actions. If they loved one another, that was solid evidence of God's presence in their lives. On the other hand, if they were confrontational, self-seeking, and seldom put other's interests first, they, in fact, did not know God. While believers aren't expected to be perfect, they must recognize their own sin and seek God's forgiveness. Seeking God's cleansing and making amends to others was a vital part of knowing God.
PRACTICAL APPLICATION: 1 John is a book about love and joy. It explains the fellowship we have with others and with Jesus Christ. It distinguishes between happiness, which is always temporary, and true joy, which John guides us to achieve. If we take 1 John's words and apply them to our daily lives, the true love, commitment, fellowship, and joy we seek can be ours. As an apostle who knew Jesus Christ intimately, John coherently explains how any of us can enjoy the same close and intimate relationship with Him. John testifies as a witness concerning his personal experiences of how God became flesh and lived among men, which means that Christ came here to live with us and He still lives with us. Just as He walked the earth alongside John, so does He also walk through every day with us. We need to apply this truth and live as if Jesus is beside us every minute of the day. If we do this-put it into practice every day-we will go a long way towards perfecting ourselves, our personal holiness, in the image of Jesus Christ.
