None of the people who would read John's letter had ever met Jesus.  Like us, they relied on the ministry of the apostles who had met the risen Jesus and been instructed by Him (1 John 1:1-3).  Their message brought eternal life to everyone who confessed their sins and trusted that the blood of Jesus Christ purified them from all sin (1 John 1:7-9).  The apostles heard it from Jesus and the Holy Spirit taught them how to understand it and explain it to others (John 16:12-15).  They, in turn, taught this gospel and many were born again; and churches formed to worship Jesus Christ, through wh

‘Starting’ is often easier than ‘continuing’ through difficulty and hardship.  The need to ‘keep going’ through the challenges is a tough lesson for every child; and yet with encouragement and love the child can learn to overcome the obstacles and develop essential life skills.  The same is true for the children of God.  That was why John wrote his letters … so that God's children, who were so dear to him, would learn to keep trusting the Lord resisting the lure of fleshly lusts, worldly temptations, and false teaching (1 John 2:15-17; 1 John 2:26).

True Christians live at the junction of two realities.  They are, at the same time, passionately loved by God (2 Thessalonians 2:16), and either hated or considered irrelevant by the world (John 15:19).  The love of God gives the believer an intense awareness of being known by our Creator, Redeemer, Saviour and Friend.  But the world has no interest in our relationship with God, except to mock and ridicule.  That is because they do not know Him and have not received His love.

John describes sin as 'breaking the law of God', and then goes on to call it 'rebellion' ('lawlessness' in this translation).  Although we tend to think about sin as doing or saying things that hurt others, the essence of sin is not just breaking commandments but rebelling against God (Psalm 51:4).