Understanding John's Epistles

It is important in understanding the epistles of John to realize that he is writing to believers. It is an epistle meant for those who are followers of Christ.

In John’s gospel, he writes that his purpose was that those reading it might believe that Jesus is the Son of God and that so believing they might themselves also enter into that life: “These things are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Son if God and that believing you have life in His name.” (John. 20:31)

His epistles, written to followers, are written that they may have the assurance they have indeed entered into that life by the fellowship they have with other believers and with the Godhead, Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Thus he writes: “These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God that you may know you have eternal life.” (I John. 5:13) While unbelievers would well make this a better world to live in and make their own live better by following the pattern of life seen in Jesus, to call upon them to make the life of Christ their pattern apart from saving grace would mock the impotence of the unregenerate. 

In reading I John, if we are to understand it correctly, we do well to understand that fellowship is the leading thought of John as he writes these letters. John presents this fellowship in two parts. First there is the objective part of fellowship that is the pattern of life provided in Christ (He that says he abides in Him should also conduct himself as Christ conducted himself. I John. 2:6); then, there is the subjective part of fellowship provided by the Holy Spirit, the power by which we are “born from above” and are begotten children of God and thus made “heirs and joint heirs of Christ,” (Ro. 8:17) find our life in Him.

The fellowship John has in mind goes beyond social politeness, if we call it that, which even the beasts exhibit from time to time.. It rather refers to partaking of the same mind as God. (“Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 2:5) The word translated as fellowship refers to a partnership, community, participating in. When Jesus says you saw me hungry and did not feed me, you saw me naked and did not clothe me, you saw me sick and in prison and did not visit me he is noting that regardless of what one might think is his relationship with God, he is not in fellowship with Him. In short, the fellowship to which John refers, is a living faith and not a dead faith (Jas. 2:26). And it is this idea of fellowship that will lead John to declare that anyone who does not love those who are in partnership with God,; i.e., those who are followers of Christ, is deceived and cannot himself be one who loves God.

We may say then that the value of the letters of John is found in their presentation of the responsibilities that are woven into the warp and woof of a life of fellowship with the Godhead and that it is in our joyful welcome of those responsibilities and the realization of them in our lives that we know that we have eternal life and our joy is complete. The unanswerable apology for one’s faith is a transformed life; i.e., finding in himself that mind which was in Christ.