T he only good news that we ought to know and remember is that Jesus Christ had already won the war against sin and death. He has made it possible for us to join Him in the afterlife. All we need now to do is accept Him as He is. God is alive today and it may be sometimes be difficult to see this. The world and its demonic nature has still made it look like that only worldly things matter and that the ultimate goal of each one is to achieve their own personal happiness. This is the biggest lie of all, that we should do all to make us happy. Individual happiness at the expense of someone else is the biggest deception of all. The truth is, our lives are never really about us. It is ultimately about God and about others. It is about how you can provide and give joy even at our own expense. This is the model of ultimate and genuine love that Jesus shown us at the cross. "Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s frie...
The three Epistles of John, typically referred to as 1, 2, and 3 John, are short but profound books in the New Testament. They are traditionally attributed to John the Apostle, the same author believed to have written the Gospel of John and the Book of Revelation.
1 John: The Epistle of Fellowship and Love
Summary: 1 John is a powerful letter emphasizing the themes of fellowship with God, love for one another, and the assurance of salvation. Written to believers facing false teachings (specifically a form of Gnosticism that denied the true humanity of Christ), John refutes these errors by reiterating core Christian doctrines. He stresses that true fellowship with God is demonstrated through obedience to His commands, particularly the command to love. The book also provides tests for genuine faith, such as righteous living, love for fellow believers, and belief in Jesus as the Son of God who came in the flesh.
Notable Quotes and Verses:
"That which we have seen and heard we proclaim also to you, so that you too may have fellowship with us; and indeed our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ." (1 John 1:3) This verse highlights the communal aspect of faith and the purpose of the letter.
"If we say we have fellowship with him while we walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin." (1 John 1:6-7) This passage defines the conditions for true fellowship with God.
"My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous." (1 John 2:1) A comforting reminder of Christ's role as intercessor.
"Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him." (1 John 2:15) A warning against worldly attachments.
"See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are." (1 John 3:1) An expression of God's immense love for believers.
"Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God. Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love." (1 John 4:7-8) This is arguably the most famous passage, directly linking love to God's nature and true faith.
"And this is the confidence that we have toward him, that if we ask anything according to his will he hears us." (1 John 5:14) Assurance in prayer.
Historical Facts:
1 John was likely written from Ephesus in the late 1st century AD (around 90-100 AD) when John was an old man, possibly the last surviving apostle. The primary historical context is the rise of Gnosticism, a philosophical and religious movement that denied the bodily incarnation of Jesus and often promoted a dualistic view of spirit (good) and matter (evil). John strongly counters this by emphasizing that Jesus "came in the flesh" (1 John 4:2-3), asserting His full humanity. The letter serves to reassure believers and provide criteria to discern true teachers from false ones.
2 John: The Epistle of Truth and Warning
Summary: This is the shortest book in the Bible, addressed "to the elect lady and her children," which is often interpreted either as a specific Christian woman and her family or as a symbolic representation of a church and its members. John encourages them to continue walking in truth and love, and strictly warns against extending hospitality to false teachers who deny the incarnation of Christ.
Notable Quotes and Verses:
"I rejoiced greatly to find some of your children walking in the truth, just as we were commanded by the Father." (2 John 1:4) Expresses joy over faithfulness.
"And now I ask you, dear lady—not as though I were writing you a new commandment, but the one we have had from the beginning—that we love one another." (2 John 1:5) Reiteration of the central command of love.
"For many deceivers have gone out into the world, those who do not confess the coming of Jesus Christ in the flesh. Such a one is the deceiver and the antichrist." (2 John 1:7) A direct warning against false teachers.
"If anyone comes to you and does not bring this teaching, do not receive him into your house or give him any greeting, for whoever greets him takes part in his wicked works." (2 John 1:10-11) A strict instruction on how to handle false teachers.
Historical Facts:
Like 1 John, 2 John was likely written around the same time and from the same location (Ephesus, late 1st century AD). It addresses the same threat of false teachers who denied the true humanity of Jesus. The instruction to not offer hospitality was crucial in a time when traveling teachers relied on the generosity of local believers. Offering hospitality implied endorsement and could facilitate the spread of heresy.
3 John: The Epistle of Hospitality and Rebuke
Summary: This epistle is addressed to "the beloved Gaius," a faithful believer whom John commends for his hospitality to traveling missionaries. In contrast, John rebukes Diotrephes, a leader who loved to be first, refused to welcome John's messengers, and even excommunicated those who did. John encourages Gaius to continue in good works and promises a personal visit.
Notable Quotes and Verses:
"Beloved, I pray that all may go well with you and that you may be in good health, as it goes well with your soul." (3 John 1:2) A warm greeting and blessing.
"Beloved, it is a faithful thing you do in all your efforts for these brothers, strangers as they are, who testified to your love before the church." (3 John 1:5-6) Commendation for Gaius's hospitality.
"I have written something to the church, but Diotrephes, who loves to be first, does not acknowledge our authority. So when I come, I will bring up what he is doing, talking wicked nonsense against us." (3 John 1:9-10) The core of the rebuke against Diotrephes.
"Beloved, do not imitate evil but imitate good. Whoever does good is from God; whoever does evil has not seen God." (3 John 1:11) A general exhortation to righteous living.
Historical Facts:
Also written around the same time as the other two epistles, 3 John offers a glimpse into the practical challenges of early church leadership and missionary work. It reveals issues of authority, hospitality, and pride within the Christian communities. The letter underscores the importance of supporting true evangelists and confronting those who disrupt unity and oppose apostolic authority.