Reference: John, First Epistle of
Easton
the fourth of the catholic or "general" epistles. It was evidently written by John the evangelist, and probably also at Ephesus, and when the writer was in advanced age. The purpose of the apostle (1Jo 1:1-4) is to declare the Word of Life to those to whom he writes, in order that they might be united in fellowship with the Father and his Son Jesus Christ. He shows that the means of union with God are, (1) on the part of Christ, his atoning work (1Jo 1:7; 2:2; 3:5; 4:10,14; 5:11-12) and his advocacy (1Jo 2:1); and (2), on the part of man, holiness (1Jo 1:6), obedience (1Jo 2:3), purity (1Jo 3:3), faith (1Jo 3:23; 4:3; 5:5), and love (1Jo 2:7-8; 3:14; 4:7; 5:1).
See Verses Found in Dictionary
It is of what has been in existence from the Beginning, of what we have heard, of what we have seen with our eyes, of what we watched reverently and touched with our hands--it is about the Word who is the Life that we are now writing. That Life was made visible, and we have seen it, and now bear our testimony to it, and tell you of that Immortal Life, which was with the Father and was made visible to us. read more. It is of what we have seen and heard that we now tell you, so that you may have communion with us. And our communion is with the Father and with his Son, Jesus Christ. And we are writing all this to you that our joy may be complete.
If we say that we have communion with him, and yet continue to live in the Darkness, we lie, and are not living the Truth. But, if our lives are lived in the Light, as God himself is in the Light, we have communion with one another, and the Blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin.
My children, I am writing to you to keep you from sinning; but if any one should sin, we have one who can plead for us with the Father--Jesus Christ, the Righteous-- and he is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not for ours only, but for those of the whole world besides. read more. And by this we know that we have learned to know him--by our laying his commands to heart.
Dear friends, it is no new command that I am writing to you, but an old command, which you have had from the first. That old command is the Message to which you listened. Yet, again, it is a new Command that I am writing to you-- manifest in Christ's life and in your own--for the Darkness is passing away and the true Light is already shining.
And every one who has this hope with regard to Christ tries to make himself pure--as Christ is pure.
And you know that Christ appeared to take away our sins; and in him Sin has no place.
We know that we have passed out of Death into Life, because we love our Brothers. The man who does not love remains in a state of Death.
His Command is this--that we should put our trust in the Name of his Son, Jesus Christ, and love one another, in accordance with the Command that he gave us.
while all inspiration that does not acknowledge Jesus is not inspiration from God. It is the inspiration of the Anti-Christ; you have heard that it was to come, and it is now already in the world.
Dear friends, let us love one another, because Love comes from God; and every one who loves has received the new Life from God and knows God.
His love is seen in this--not in our having loved God, but in his loving us and sending his Son to be an atoning sacrifice for our sins.
Moreover, our eyes have seen--and we are testifying to the fact--that the Father has sent the Son to be the Savior of the world.
Every one who believes that Jesus is the Christ has received the new Life from God; and every one who loves him who gave that Life loves him who has received it.
Who is he that conquers the world but the man who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?
And that testimony is that God gave us Immortal Life, and that this Life is in his Son. He who finds the Son finds Life; he who does not find the Son of God does not find Life.
Morish
This was doubtless written after the epistles of Peter and Paul. Morally John's writings have their place when the church as a testimony had failed, and the 'last time' had arrived. The three Epistles come in between the Gospel of John and the Revelation. The real remedy for the evils spoken of is the coming in of the Lord as the faithful witness.
Near the end of the first century the error had arisen that Christ had no real body
See Verses Found in Dictionary
But the man who had been restored did not know who it was; for Jesus had moved away, because there was a crowd there.
My children, I am writing to you to keep you from sinning; but if any one should sin, we have one who can plead for us with the Father--Jesus Christ, the Righteous--
I am writing, Children, to you, because your sins have been forgiven you for Christ's sake.
Yes, my Children, maintain your union with Christ, so that, whenever he appears, our confidence may not fail us, and we may not be ashamed to meet him at his coming.
And he who lays his commands to heart maintains union with Christ, and Christ with him. And by this we know that Christ maintains union with us--by our possession of the Spirit which he gave us.
We know that we remain in union with him, and he with us, by this--by his having given us some measure of his Spirit.