The apostle John is the real expert on true love. He writes about it more than any other author in the Bible. He alone records Jesus's new commandment to love one another in a new way—like Jesus loves us (John 13:34–35). In 1 John 4:7–21 alone, love (agape in Greek) is mentioned 27 times.
1 2 3 John
Recognize the Spirit of Truth vs the Spirit of Falsehood
Because many false teachers abound, the apostle John teaches us how to recognize the spirit of truth versus falsehood.
God Knows It All and Loves Us Anyway
The apostle John’s first letter focuses a lot on obedience and loving others. It can be a tough message. Just in case we’re condemning ourselves because we know we sometimes sin, or occasionally hate others, or love the world more than our heavenly Father, John wants to reassure us we belong to God and set our hearts at rest.
Love for the World vs. Love for the Father
The Apostle John tells us in his first letter, "Do not love the world" (1 Jn 2:15). One of the biblical definitions for "world" is ornament. In other words, all the shiny stuff that attracts our attention. John calls these things, the lust of the flesh, the longing of the eyes, and the pride of life.
What is Gnosticism and Why Care?
Have you ever encountered anyone who claimed they had a corner on God's truth? Or maybe someone who believes it doesn't matter what we do with their body because only spiritual things matter. Would you be able to recognize teaching that contradicts scripture?
1 John 1:9: The Good News of Forgiveness
"A verse without a context is a prooftext for a pretext." This maxim from my former pastor reminds me that familiar verses must be studied in their context if I want to understand them correctly. I encountered the need for this principle on the first week of my newest study.
Pondered Treasures 