An Introduction to First John


I want to begin my study with you by looking into the book of 1 John. This will be a good point of departure primarily because this is a smaller book, therefore I can devote more of my time digging deeper into a shorter epistle, and then work my way into the more sizable books of scripture.  

We know John the Apostle to be, along with his brother James, one of the sons of Zebedee. Both James and John were given the surname "Sons of Thunder" by Jesus (Mark 3:17), likely a reference to their tempers which were exhibited in Luke 9:54 wherein James and John wanted to call down fire on a village of Samaritans that would not receive Jesus. John often referred to himself as "the disciple whom Jesus loved" in his own gospel, and is also known as "The Apostle of Love" for his self-attributed name, as well as for speaking more about the love of God the Father and His Son Jesus than any other gospel writer.

Like all of John's writings in the Bible, this book is believed to have been written later in his life, and most sources date the writing of this letter to be written at some point between 85 and 95 AD. John wrote this letter to affirm the faith of the true believers in the church, and to combat false teachers that were beginning to rise up in the church. These teachers were referred to as antichrists as their teachings went against the teachings of Jesus and the apostles. John therefore provides proofs to his readers to assure them not only of the authenticity of their own faith, but how they could apply these same tests to other believers and teachers of God's Word. He reminds his "little children" that they are to love one another as God has loved us, reaching back to what our Lord called the first, and greatest, commandment. The apex of this epistle comes in 1 John 5:13 wherein John explains that he has written this letter to the church, the body of true believers in Christ Jesus, to affirm with them their fellowship with the Father and the eternal life that comes through faith in His Son, and to encourage them to continue in the faith of their belief. So join me as we read through this timeless letter from John to the body of Christ.

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