The Book of 1 John
A letter offering assurance of salvation through belief, obedience, and love.
Writing to counter early teaching that denied Jesus had truly come in human flesh, John offers across five chapters three tests by which believers can know they belong to God: right belief about Christ, obedient living, and genuine love for fellow believers. The letter is unusually warm, written to little children he loves. Begin at 1 John chapter 1.
About 1 John
First John is the sixty-second book of the Bible, written by the apostle John around AD 85-95 and spanning 5 chapters. Written to counter an early form of Gnostic teaching that denied the full humanity of Christ and used their supposed superior spiritual knowledge to justify moral license, First John provides tests by which believers can assure themselves of genuine salvation and fellowship with God. The letter is written with unusual warmth and intimacy -- John calls his readers little children and overflows with pastoral affection -- even as it draws sharp distinctions between light and darkness, truth and falsehood, love and hatred. Major themes include the reality of the incarnation (Jesus come in the flesh), assurance of salvation through the tests of right belief, righteous conduct, and genuine love for fellow believers, God as light and love, the ongoing intercession of Christ for believers who sin, and overcoming the world through faith. Key chapters include 1 John 1 (fellowship with God who is light, and confession of sin), 1 John 3 (we are children of God -- what love the Father has lavished on us), and 1 John 4 (God is love -- the great declaration). Famous verses include 1 John 4:8 -- Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love -- and 1 John 1:9 -- If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins. First John KJV Bible reading is a profound test and assurance of genuine Christian experience. Read the Book of 1 John online here in full.