The apostle John wrote this letter already at an advanced age, as a pastor who deeply loves the children he brought forth in the faith. It is the first of three letters bearing his name in the New Testament.
In the opening lines, he returns to the language of his gospel. He speaks of the one who existed from the beginning, whom he himself saw, heard, and touched with his own hands: the Word of life.
The great theme of the letter is fellowship. Fellowship with the Father, with the Son, and among the brothers and sisters in the faith.
To live out this fellowship, one must walk in the light and confess one’s sins. God is faithful to forgive those who come to him sincerely, and Jesus Christ intercedes for those who fail.
John also warns against false teachers who denied that Jesus Christ had truly come in the flesh. For the apostle, this denial reveals a spirit contrary to Christ, and so every teaching must be tested before it is accepted.
Love receives special emphasis in the letter. John states, directly, that God is love, and that whoever truly loves gives proof of having been born of God.
This love does not remain in words alone. John asks that it show itself in concrete acts among the brothers and sisters, just as God loved us first.
The letter also brings a word of assurance. John writes so that everyone who believes in the Son of God may know, without doubt, that they already have eternal life.
Behind the tests of loving, obeying, and believing the truth lies an invitation to simple faith before God. It is worth reading 1 John carefully and letting its words examine the heart.