Introduction to 1 John

John writes this letter in response to an early heresy, a belief in gnosticism.

"Gnostics do not look to salvation from sin (original or other), but rather from the ignorance of which sin is a consequence. Ignorance -- whereby is meant ignorance of spiritual realities -- is dispelled only by Gnosis, and the decisive revelation of Gnosis is brought by the Messengers of Light, especially by Christ, the Logos of the True God. It is not by His suffering and death but by His life of teaching and His establishing of mysteries that Christ has performed His work of salvation." [quoted from The Gnostic World View: A Brief Summary of Gnosticism]

John focuses much of his attention to dispelling the myth that Jesus' death and resurrection were either an illusion or unnecessary.

The letter may be broken down as follows:

I. I Saw Jesus
II. Live Without Sinning
III. antichrists Are All Around
IV. We're Children of God
V. God = Love, Therefore My Life Ought to Reflect This Love
VI. Testimony of Spirit, Water, Blood
VII. Conclusion

Key Verse: 5:13

I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life (NIV).