1 John: A Verse By Verse Study

Some expositors consider the epistles of John to be the final books written in the Bible. Certainly, John’s epistles are the last which he wrote.

The three epistles are called letters, yet the first epistle is not in the form or style of a letter. It has no salutation at its beginning nor greeting at its conclusion. Its style is more that of a sermon. It bears all the marks of a message from a devoted pastor who had a love and concern for a definite group of believers.

John served as pastor of the church in Ephesus, which was founded by Paul. It has been the belief of the church down through the years that John wrote his Gospel first, his epistles second, and finally the Revelation just before his death. However, in recent years some of us have come to the position that John wrote his epistles last. Therefore, he wrote his first epistle after his imprisonment on the Island of Patmos.

This book was written under a sense of compassion for the many people caught up in or affected by ministries promoting a type of faith “that does not save.” The statement of our Lord that many in religion are on the “broad road,” while only a few find the “narrow road” can be applied to any age. However, the writer believes that in these last times, the broad road has become even more prominent and accepted through popular ministries that are leading many professing Christians astray. The book is an exposition of 1 John that is more than a commentary. The tone is personal, the writing simple, and the meanings substantiated using the Greek text. This careful exposition brings to life the earmarks of sanctification that are present, according to John, in all truly transformed Christians. These marks serve as the God-given knowledge basis for assurance