1 John: Summary & Overview
Overview
First John is a warm, pastoral letter about assurance and love. John writes so believers can know they have eternal life. He provides three tests of genuine faith: believing in Christ, obeying God's commands, and loving one another. The letter is saturated with the theme that 'God is love' and that love is the defining mark of His children.
Key Themes
- •Assurance of salvation
- •God is love
- •Walking in the light
- •Tests of genuine faith
- •Victory over the world
Famous Verses
“We love him, because he first loved us.”
— 1 John 4:19
“If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”
— 1 John 1:9
“Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God. He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love.”
— 1 John 4:7-8
“This is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us.”
— 1 John 5:14
“There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear.”
— 1 John 4:18
Key Facts
- Testament
- New Testament
- Genre
- Epistle
- Author
- John
- Date Written
- ~85–95 AD
- Chapters
- 5
Related Books
Read 1 John in Context
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