11 And this is what God has testified: He has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. 12 Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have God’s Son does not have life.
1 John 5:11–12
Introduction to 1 John
We are about to begin the thirteenth book of the Bible in this Oil Change (and that’s not including the various passages from Psalms and Hebrews that we’ve looked at). It’s truly incredible when I look at the amount of writing that has gone in to doing these daily devotionals. According to my word count, I have written 249,221 words over the past few years. If you were to print all of these devotionals out, it would take 790 pages!
So, whether you have been following us for only a few days or a few years, thank you for being a part of this journey with me.
Today, we are going to begin looking at the first of John’s letters. John was one of the twelve disciples (he was actually one of the three closest to Jesus). He was the only one of the disciples who was brave enough to show his face at the crucifixion. Tradition tells us that he was also likely the only disciple who wasn’t martyred for his faith. Rather, John probably died of old age while exiled to the Island of Pathmos (where he wrote the book of Revelation).
Probably the most famous of John’s writings would be his account of the life of Jesus (the Gospel of John). A close second would be his vision of the end times (book of Revelation). These three letters, tucked away after Peter’s writings, are not as well known or quoted. And yet, that doesn’t make them any less important. Like all Scripture, they offer some great insight and direction to living out the spiritual life.
Most scholars believe that John wrote this letter around the same time that he wrote his Gospel (between 85–95 AD). He was likely living in Ephesus (shortly after Paul’s letter to that church), and his focus was to challenge the church to get back to the basics of their faith.
For those who have been following the Oil Change for awhile, you might remember me telling you that John wrote his Gospel in an attempt to respond to a group know as Gnostics. These people were emphasizing knowledge over everything else. John’s Gospel, often referred to as “the love Gospel” was an attempt to show that salvation came through faith in God — a God who loves us — and not through gaining knowledge or insight. This letter follows the same theme. Yes, John does emphasize the importance of sound doctrine, but remind his readers that doctrine without grace is meaningless.
Unlike Paul, John’s letters come across almost as sermon manuscripts. If you close your eyes and try, you can hear him standing and preaching these words. His passion and focus is clear.
As we go through this letter, think of yourself sitting at the feet of an old timer. As he shares his words, he isn’t speaking theoretically. He’s speaking as someone who has experienced it all. Paul didn’t walk with Jesus firsthand. John did. As he shares the message of Jesus, I’m sure he’s remembering actual encounters that he had with his Saviour. That’s an incredible thought.
This should be a great journey.
Oh, and as I point out every time we begin a new book, let me suggest that this is the perfect time to forward the Oil Change to a few friends. Invite them to sign up and begin following the devotional firsthand.
My prayer: Lord, thank you that we can still hear from those who walked with you. As we dive into John’s first letter, cause it to come alive for us. Help us discover fresh the challenge that he had for the early Church. Amen.
Until tomorrow.
