Names of the Book
English: | 1 John |
Greek: | 1 Ιωάννης |
Transliterated: | 1 Iōannēs |
Other names: | The first epistle of John |
Who
Wrote the book: | the apostle John |
Are the key people: | John, Yeshua |
Is it written to: | Gentile believers |
What
G-d is light (1 John 1:1-2:27) |
G-d is love (1 John 2:28-4:21) |
G-d is life (1 John 5:1-21) |
When
Was it written: | c 80-85 CE |
Did the events occur: | c 80-85 CE |
Was it canonized: | c 120-170 CE |
(see the Timeline of the First Century) |
Where
Was it written: | Ephesus |
Did the events occur: | no place specifically |
Why
1 John was written to inform us that: |
Even believers sin and require forgiveness. |
G-d commands believers to love one another. |
Believers are part of G-d's family by faith. |
False teachers often teach licentiousness. |
Introduction
As people from various religious backgrounds became believers, they brought with them the baggage of their prior beliefs. One of those false beliefs was that of "dualism" which taught that everything spiritual was "good" and everything physical was "bad". Because of this false belief, some were teaching that Messiah did not come in the flesh but was instead only a divine spirit. In his first letter to the believers in Asia Minor, the apostle John addresses this error and affirms to his readers both the divinity and humanity of Messiah. He exhorts believers to live their lives with love and obedience with are the hallmarks of true faith and provides these words of comfort and encouragement: "By this we know that we love the children of G-d, when we love G-d and observe His commandments. For this is the love of G-d, that we keep His commandments; and His commandments are not burdensome." (1 John 5:2-3)
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