Introduction and summary of
1, 2, 3 John
|
What and where? A letter and two "postcards" from
Apostle John; nearly identical in length, 2 and 3 John are Scripture's
shortest "books," found just before Jude and Revelation
- the Bible's end.
- First John's favorite forms of address are "my little
children," "beloved," and "brethren"
(18 times). The letter answers "How can I know that I am
a Christian and have eternal life?" The word love
occurs over 40 times, half of them in chapter 4.
- Second John is written to an unknown family or church, urging
them to continue in the Father's love and commandments, and not
to listen to those who deny the doctrine of Jesus Christ (1-4,
5, 6, 7-13).
- Third John is written to an Elder Gaius, asking him to receive
and bless ministers who walk in truth and love, and warning him
of Diotrophes, who abuses the church (1-4, 5-8, 9-14).
|
First John's prologue (1:1-4), like that of John's gospel,
bears witness to the eternal life and physical reality of the
Word made flesh. Called "the tests of life," the book
is a treasure of teaching on faith, love, and obedience, leading
the reader to assurance, fullness of joy, and victory (5:13; 1:4;
2:1). We/you know occurs 25 times in five chapters.
It was written when the purity and simplicity of Christian
belief were being threatened by gnostics' teaching salvation through
knowledge. They offered a distant, imperfect God, a Christ who
only "seemed" human, and an optional morality. John
challenges gnosticism by exposing its lies and declaring God's
truth:
- God is light: He who claims fellowship with God while living
in darkness is a liar (1:5, 6).
- God is love: He who claims to love God while hating his brother
is a liar (4:8, 16, 20).
- Christ came in full humanity: He who denies that Jesus Christ
came in the flesh is a liar (2:21-23; 4:1-3).
We can know we are God's children (3:2), not by secret
gnosis, but by three spiritual tests. Hereby we know, if
. . .
- we believe God loved us and gave eternal life through His
Son, Jesus Christ, the world's Savior (3:23; 4:14-16; 5:10-13)
- we love others (2:9-11; 3:11-18; 4:7-21)
- we obey His commandments: He who claims to know God while
walking in disobedience is a liar (2:3-6; 3:3-10).
Each test of life - faith, love, obedience - provides
check and balance to the others. They are repeated and intertwined
by John in ascending spirals: The first spiral uncoils in "light"
(1:5-2:11); the second, in begettal to "life" (2:25-3:16);
and the third, in the Spirit (3:24-5:9). Positive test results
are confirmed by the Spirit within and are summarized as "our
faith" (3:19-24; 5:1-5).
No fear, no shame: Confidence and boldness are the rewards
to those who pass the tests, i. e., those in whom God's love has
been perfected (2:5, 28; 3:2, 3; 4:17, 18).
1 John's ABC's
- A is for abide (12 times): We abide in God
and He in us; let it remain so. . . . anti-Christ (4 times):
Denial of the Father and the Son is dangerous.
- B is for beginning (9 times): This may refer
to creation or to the gospel.
- C is for commandments (14 times): Loving God
= obeying Him.
- D is for declare/testimony/witness (11 times):
The Word who came from God was confirmed by the Spirit, water,
and blood, and is carried by His disciples
About sin, John says . . .
- To deny sin is to call God a liar and deceive ourselves;
to confess sin is to be forgiven and cleansed (1:7-10).
- Getting past sin is the Christian's goal; falling short is
often his experience (2:1).
- Sin goes against God's law and does what isn't right (3:4;
5:17).
- Jesus had no sin; He removes/destroys sin and cleanses us
by sacrificing Himself in love (2:2; 3:5, 8). His people are
known by love and their practice of righteousness - not sin (2:29;
3:6-10; 5:18).
- The Devil sinned always and now dominates the world; his
children are known by lack of love and their practice of sin
(2:2; 3:5, 8; 5:19).
- Sin without faith and repentance toward God leads to death
(5:16-18); sin that is confessed and forgiven through Jesus Christ
does not lead to death, though it may cloud the heart (3:20,
21).
- John insists over and over on two truths: 1) Christians are
not sinless, but they are forgiven; 2) Christians have received
the seed-life of God and therefore do not practice, or continue
in, sin.
| 1 John in a sentence: We
may know that we have eternal life if we believe in God's Son
continually, if we love our brethren truthfully, and if we walk
in His commandments faithfully. |