Scripture Readings - I John

I John

The First Epistle of John was written toward the end of the first century A.D. and has traditionally been attributed by the Church to St. John the Evangelist. The letter has two primary purposes: first, to deepen and strengthen the spiritual life of its readers (1:3–4); and second, to address and correct the false teachings of certain Gnostic teachers who denied that God had truly become man in the person of Jesus Christ (4:2).

A central theme throughout the letter is love. St. John emphasizes that love for God and love for others are essential marks of the Christian life. He teaches that those who know God must also reflect His love in the way they live and in the way they treat one another.

The letter is also characterized by a series of strong contrasts, through which St. John distinguishes the way of Christ from the way of the world:

• Light and darkness (1:6–7; 2:8–11)
• Love of the world and love of God (2:15–17)
• Children of God and children of the Devil (3:4–10)
• The Spirit of God and the spirit of Antichrist (4:1–3)
• Love and hate (4:7–12, 16–21)

Through these contrasts, St. John calls Christians to remain faithful to the truth of the Gospel and to recognize that genuine faith in Christ must be expressed through love, obedience, righteousness, and fellowship with God.