1 John 1-5

January 3, 2015

It occurred to me while reading today that there are two primary writers of the New Testament:  Luke and Paul.   Apart from them,  John is next, writing 1,2 and 3 John, Gospel of John and Revelation.   So really, those three men wrote most of the New Testament.    If you add in Matthew and Mark with one book each, and James with a small book....that's almost the whole thing.    

Chapter 4 catches my attention today.

"the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world"

• in itself, this tells me that I can be victorious over anything that the devil throws at me.   There is no addiction, bad habit or attitude that I cannot have victory over.

"let us love one another, for love comes from God"

"Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love"

"This is love; not that we loved god, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins."

"since God loved us, we also ought to love one another"

"God lives in us and his love is made complete in us"

• John goes to great lengths to underscore the importance of loving others.   I suspect that you cannot call yourself a Christian if you do not love others.  (see the second phrase)
• Everything that Jesus teaches can be traced back to love.

"if anyone acknowledges that Jesus is the Son of God, God lives in him and he in God"

• Therefore, I do not run my brother down, or gossip about him or his ministry.  To do so is to criticize what God is doing.   

"God is love"

"there is no fear in love, perfect love drives out fear"

• no fear of judgment, no fear of death, no fear of rejection or of loneliness.