The apostle John wrote his three epistles in his old age after many years of living out and contending for the truth of the gospel. Because of his depth of wisdom and experience, John knew very well what the  essentials for faith and life are and frequently spoke of these essentials in his three epistles. For John, living a life of faith comes down to three basics or essentials, which are love, obedience and belief. For the Christian, these three fundamental qualities are the hallmark of genuine faith in Jesus Christ. John tells us that genuine faith can and must manifest itself through sincere love both for God and for others, through a heartfelt desire to live obediently to God’s revealed commands, and through a devoted belief in the person and work of Jesus Christ. In fact, John tells us that the manifestation of these holy qualities in our own lives is what will give us confidence that we really do know God and that God really does know us. And, this knowledge and confidence, according to John, is essential for effective Christian living. Be sure to join us this fall for our study in John’s epistles as we explore and experience what God’s Word has to say about living the regenerated life! |
