As you glance through the Bible you will see that some of the
books (like the Psalms) are over a hundred pages long while others (like 2
John) are less than a page in length. 1 John is one which is not very long –
about 5-7 pages in most versions (like my J. B. Phillips’s New Testament
have 8 pages only). But this short book – a letter or an epistle – is packed
with a great deal of vital information about our faith and many helpful
guidelines regarding how to live as followers of Jesus Christ. Yes, 1 John
(or the First Letter of John) is for Christ’s disciples not for non-Christians.
But before we begin our study of 1 John, let’s consider a few important questions:
Who Wrote It and Why?
In the early Church, there was general agreement that the Apostle John wrote the letter (not John the Baptist!). For one thing, the subjects, style and wording of 1 John are like those in the Gospel of John. Also, the writer of 1 John claims to have been an eyewitness to the death and the resurrection of Jesus Christ, our Lord (see 1 John 1:1,3 and 4:14). Furthermore, the author of 2 and 2 John refers to himself as “the elder.” These two letters, along with 1 John, have usually been thought to have been written by the same author. Often in his later years, John was called “the Elder.”
After serving for years as a disciple of Jesus, John spent a great deal of his time writing the Gospel according to John (or the Gospel of John), which describes the life and times of Jesus; 1, 2, 3 John which help Christians understand what they should believe and do; and the Revelation, in which he talks about the glorified and the second coming of Jesus.
We may tend to think or depicted Jesus’ disciples as saints who walked around with halos over their heads. Nah! John was a man who was very much a human being like the rest of us. Even though he talked often in his writings about love and forgiveness, he evidently had a hot temper. At least, he was. Jesus once called John and his brother James “sons of Thunder” (see Mark 3:17). One time, John got so angry – maybe he was very jealous – that he wanted God to destroy a village with fire, something Jesus refused to do (see Luke 9:51-56).
What Was the Setting?
In his later years, John settled in the city of Ephesus, a place where Christians were struggling with the teachings of false teachers and were tempted to leave their own faith. These false teachers or prophets denied that Jesus was really God’s Son (see 1 John 2:22). These teachers were claiming to be “in the light” but did not really care how they lived. They were unloving and sinful even as they claimed “special knowledge” regarding God. These false teachers were true liars, hypocrites!
In his own special way, John wrote a letter to his fellow believers (“my children”) to try to reassure and strengthen them. He wrote this letter as elder (authority) and as grandfather (relationship) to his children and grandchildren – a letter packed with wisdom, advises, encouragements, helps, truths and warnings. John was also concerned that the faith of some Christians was becoming more of a ritual than something real and active. By the time John wrote this letter (about A.D. 92, shortly after writing his Gospel), the thrill of being true believers in the early days of Christianity had begun to decrease but the hype for spirituality increase. The commitment of some Christians had become lukewarm rather than passionate. Many found it hard to stand up for their beliefs and preferred “to belong to the world” (John 15:19).
Lord Jesus Himself had predicted this possibility, as well as the coming of false teachers when He said: “Watch out that no one deceives you. For many will come in my name, claiming: ‘I am the Christ,’ and will deceive many… At that time many will turn away from the faith and will betray and hate each other, and many false prophets will appear and deceive many people. Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold, but he who stands firm to the end will be saved” (Matthew 24:4-5, 10-13, NIV).
John counters two (2) major threads in the false
teachings of the heretics in this letter:
1) They denied the reality of sin. John says that if we continue in sin, we can’t claim to belong to God. If we say we have no sin, we are only fooling ourselves and refusing to accept the truth (1 John 1:6, 8, 10)
1) They denied the reality of sin. John says that if we continue in sin, we can’t claim to belong to God. If we say we have no sin, we are only fooling ourselves and refusing to accept the truth (1 John 1:6, 8, 10)
2) They denied that Jesus was the Messiah – God
in the flesh.
John said that if we believe that Jesus was God incarnate and trust him for our
salvation, we are children of God (1 John 2:22, 4:1-3)
[from Life Application Study Bible, NLT page
2015]
True in the time of John as it is today that the greatest
danger to the Church seemed to come from within, from people who claimed to
be believers but who were false teachers seeking to confuse the true believers
and lead them into damnable false teachings. Happened in our churches today?
Yes! Is 1 John irrelevant for today? Think again.
Now that we’ve identified who the author of 1 John was, why
he wrote it, and the setting in which it was written, let’s get started on what
I hope will be an exciting experience of growing, examining our beliefs, and
purified our faith in Jesus Christ, the Son of God, the Lord. Remember, It’s
All About Jesus.
CLICK TITLE to listen
or watch These Short Studies of 1st Epistle of John
#1 Jesus: I Heard, Seen and
Touched Him, No Secondhand Faith (1 John 1:1-2) https://youtu.be/eygEqZepw70
(Podcast: http://bit.ly/LegasiEpisode1)
#2 Jesus: The Reason for
Authentic Fellowship and the Source of Real Joy (1 John 1:3-4) https://youtu.be/pC4LPn8Q-CA (Podcast: http://bit.ly/LegasiEpisode2)
#3 Jesus Is Light and There Is
No Darkness in Him at All (1 John 1:5) https://youtu.be/LGS_Tnlokvo
(Podcast: http://bit.ly/LegasiEpisode3)
#4 Jesus Shows How Practical
Our Faith Is (1 John 1:6-7) https://youtu.be/I18yrHu1xx8
(Podcast: http://bit.ly/LegasiEpisode4)
#5 Jesus, God's Forgiveness Assured: Confess Your Sin, Don't Hide It (1 John 1:8-9) https://youtu.be/-x7W15zGYgA (Podcast: http://bit.ly/LegasiEpisode5)
#5 Jesus, God's Forgiveness Assured: Confess Your Sin, Don't Hide It (1 John 1:8-9) https://youtu.be/-x7W15zGYgA (Podcast: http://bit.ly/LegasiEpisode5)
#6 Jesus the Righteous
Advocator, Is Our Habitual Sin Breaker (1 John 2:1-2) https://youtu.be/E0j44xpLJbk (Podcast: http://bit.ly/LegasiEpisode6)
#7 Jesus Is Not Only Our Saviour but He Also Our Example of Obedience & Living (1 John 2:3-6) https://youtu.be/NGC1UIHEclc (Podcast: http://bit.ly/LegasiEpisode7)
#8 Jesus has Brought a 'New' Richer & Deeper Meaning of An 'Old' Commandment (1 John 2:7-8) https://youtu.be/GLOR9be1Vqo (Podcast: http://bit.ly/LegasiEpisode8)
#9 Jesus' Message: Love and Light Belong Together (1 John 2:9-11) https://youtu.be/3cnELUrKxjw (Podcast: http://bit.ly/LegasiEpisode9)
#10 Jesus on Spiritual Maturity: From Children to Young Men to Fathers (1 John 2:12-14) https://youtu.be/rq-xw8Hoi4I (Podcast: http://bit.ly/LegasiEpisode10)
#11 Jesus asks for Your Loyalty: God the Father or Money of this World (1 John 2:15-17) https://youtu.be/e_6BESDJYiI (Podcast: http://bit.ly/LegasiEpisode11)
#12 Jesus Hate these 3 Sins: Dominated by Appetites, Outward Show & Try to Look Important (1 John 2:15-17) https://youtu.be/ECGwrucNIRM (Podcast: http://bit.ly/LegasiEpisode12)
#13 Jesus reminds Us: Material Things have No Future and Will Pass Away (1 John 2:17) https://youtu.be/k3qOvQDXhyY (Podcast: http://bit.ly/LegasiEpisode13)
#14 Jesus is Coming Soon: We are Living in "the Last Hour" (1 John 2:18) https://youtu.be/hAWKjMcUPPU (Podcast: http://bit.ly/LegasiEpisode14)
#15 Jesus wants Us to Beware of Antichrists and False Teachings (1 John 2:18-21) https://youtu.be/rao6E51zYAE (Podcast: http://bit.ly/LegasiEpisode15)
#16 Jesus is God's Son: The Liar Denies This Truth (1 John 2:22-23) https://youtu.be/Ix8Sw1_0tns (Podcast: http://bit.ly/LegasiEpisode16)
#17 Jesus is the Original Message: Remain Faithful to Him (1 John 2:24) https://youtu.be/tQnEhhTkv5I (Podcast: http://bit.ly/LegasiEpisode17)
#18 Jesus Promises Fellowship
and Eternal Life, If You... (1 John 2:25) https://youtu.be/pdqHWQqVku0
(Podcast: http://bit.ly/LegasiEpisode18)
#19 Jesus Sends the Holy Spirit to Lives within Us (1 John 2:26-27) https://youtu.be/a1e6iCxf4q0 (Podcast: http://bit.ly/LegasiEpisode19)
#19 Jesus Sends the Holy Spirit to Lives within Us (1 John 2:26-27) https://youtu.be/a1e6iCxf4q0 (Podcast: http://bit.ly/LegasiEpisode19)
#20 Jesus' Return Soon: What
Will We Be Like? Who Will We See? (1 John 3:1-3) https://youtu.be/v7VKzPS9nW4
(Podcast: http://bit.ly/LegasiEpisode20)
#21 Jesus the Perfect Saviour
wants Us to Take Sin Very Seriously (1 John 3:4-7) https://youtu.be/gpo8oUqT3Uk (Podcast: http://bit.ly/LegasiEpisode21)
#22 Jesus Came to Destroy the
Works of the Devil (1 John 3:8-10) https://youtu.be/D5rGZY4Cdys
(Podcast: http://bit.ly/LegasiEpisode22)
#23 Jesus Loves People But Why They Hated Him and the Christians so Much? (1 John 3:11-13) https://youtu.be/ImShQBbD1KM (Podcast: http://bit.ly/LegasiEpisode23)
#24 Jesus says Love and Hate are a Matter of Life and Death (1 John 3:14-15) https://youtu.be/OUzA8rqK7ow (Podcast: http://bit.ly/LegasiEpisode24)
#23 Jesus Loves People But Why They Hated Him and the Christians so Much? (1 John 3:11-13) https://youtu.be/ImShQBbD1KM (Podcast: http://bit.ly/LegasiEpisode23)
#24 Jesus says Love and Hate are a Matter of Life and Death (1 John 3:14-15) https://youtu.be/OUzA8rqK7ow (Podcast: http://bit.ly/LegasiEpisode24)
#25 Jesus showed that Real Love
is Costly
(1 John 3:16-18) https://youtu.be/KC3NdFuaQGo (Podcast: http://bit.ly/LegasiEpisode25)
#26 Jesus is Greater than Our
Heart: Be Confident, Don't Feel Guilty (1 John 3:19-20) https://youtu.be/9PgKraoGsIY (Podcast: http://bit.ly/LegasiEpisode26)
#27 Jesus Answers Whatever We
Ask For, So Come with Bold Confidence (1 John 3:21-22) https://youtu.be/1bm_LfP8MKM (Podcast: http://bit.ly/LegasiEpisode27)
#28 Jesus' Commandments:
Believe in His Name and Love One Another (1 John 3:23-24) https://youtu.be/t3LVdpTu0QY (Podcast: http://bit.ly/LegasiEpisode28)
#29 Jesus Don't Want Us to
Believe Every Spirit but to Test Them all (1 John 4:1-3) https://youtu.be/vblVL_lFvCI (Podcast: http://bit.ly/LegasiEpisode29)
#30 Jesus is Concerns about What
You Believe: Be Open and Closed (1 John 4:4-6) https://youtu.be/4WIwUaPSuro
(Podcast: http://bit.ly/LegasiEpisode30)
#31 Jesus is the Embodiment of
"God is Love" (1 John 4:7-8;13-16) https://youtu.be/tOrNjCOlRnI
(Podcast: http://bit.ly/LegasiEpisode31)
#32 Jesus Loved Us [First]
While We Were Still Sinners (1 John 4:9-10) https://youtu.be/xYSyiESd84U
(Podcast: http://bit.ly/LegasiEpisode32)
#33 Jesus' Love is Not Only For
You (1
John 4:11-12) https://youtu.be/3FzmYP-hc3Q (Podcast: http://bit.ly/LegasiEpisode33)
#34 Jesus gives Us the Key that
Unlocks the Door (1 John 4:13-16) https://youtu.be/7S7eagA56yI
(Podcast: http://bit.ly/LegasiEpisode34)
#35 Jesus' Perfect Love = No
Fear of God's Judgement and Punishment (1 John 4:17-18) https://youtu.be/c6-jUABafjM (Podcast: http://bit.ly/LegasiEpisode35)
#36 Don't Say "I Love
Jesus" But Hate Others (1 John 4:19-21) https://youtu.be/OJeA4erXNsY
(Podcast: http://bit.ly/LegasiEpisode36)
#37 Jesus makes Us Sons and
Daughters of God (1 John 5:1-2) https://youtu.be/-n9ogipN90Y
(Podcast: http://bit.ly/LegasiEpisode37)
#38 In Jesus, We Are
Victorious! (1 John 5:3-5) https://youtu.be/hMtnQG6nFvY
(Podcast: http://bit.ly/LegasiEpisode38)
#39 Jesus is the Son of God:
Three Witnesses, Come Forth! (1 John 5:6-8) https://youtu.be/DY64F1hO3ts
(Podcast: http://bit.ly/LegasiEpisode39)
#40 Jesus is the Son of God:
Nobody can both accept God and deny his Son (1 John 5:9-10) https://youtu.be/iDric6zC8rA (Podcast: http://bit.ly/LegasiEpisode40)
#41 Jesus the Son of God: We Can Have, Know and Enjoy Eternal Life (1 John 5:11-12) https://youtu.be/4DHv29El2QM (Podcast: http://bit.ly/LegasiEpisode41)
#42 Jesus wants to Hear You
Pray: We Have Freedom of Speech with God (1 John 5:13-15) https://youtu.be/4FphmUZZI3M (Podcast: http://bit.ly/LegasiEpisode42)
#43 Jesus' Command: Pray on Behalf of Sinning Brother and Sister in Christ (1 John 5:16-17) https://youtu.be/l4i95LBevF4 (Podcast: http://bit.ly/LegasiEpisode43)
#43 Jesus' Command: Pray on Behalf of Sinning Brother and Sister in Christ (1 John 5:16-17) https://youtu.be/l4i95LBevF4 (Podcast: http://bit.ly/LegasiEpisode43)
#44 Jesus holds Us Secure:
Three Great Assurances from God (1 John 5:18-21, THE END) https://youtu.be/_j_oF-e2_mU (Podcast: http://bit.ly/LegasiEpisode44)
THINK BIG. START
SMALL. GO DEEP.
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