Chapter 1
Purpose of the epistle: 1:4 - to make our joy complete.
Very similar to John 1. Introduction of the Son of God, the Word of life.
1:6 is crucial, especially for Christianity today. What Paul Washer and his kinds have been preaching, which to some, is not reformed and legalistically oriented. But I say nay to that.
v8, 10: We are still not perfect and still sinning.
This chapter, I take it to be the chief reason for fellowship.
Chapter 2
Do not love the world.
v.7-8 old command vs. new command.
v.9-11 an elaboration of Thou Shalt Not Hate.
v.19 reminds of me Serena Lin. (1Jn 2:19 They went out from us, but they did not really belong to us. For if they had belonged to us, they would have remained with us; but their going showed that none of them belonged to us. )
1Jn 2:26 I am writing these things to you about those who are trying to lead you astray.
1Jn 2:28 And now, dear children, continue in him, so that when he appears we may be confident and unashamed before him at his coming.
1Jn 2:29 If you know that he is righteous, you know that everyone who does what is right has been born of him.
Chapter 1 - 2 sums up about the need to be righteous.
Chapter 3
v1 famous children hymn: behold, what manner of love...
...The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him...(contrasts with know of him) Remember presuppositional verse in Romans 1:19.
v2 ...what we will be has not yet been made known...
v3 this hope purifies oneself.
v4 No difference between sin and guilt (breaking the law), solution in v5.
1Jn 3:6 No one who lives in him keeps on sinning. No one who continues to sin has either seen him or known him.
v8 The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the devil's work. (and also v5: take away our sins)
v10 doing what is right and love one's brother proves one is a child of God, or else child of the devil.
v12 John used Cain evil and hatred as example for v10.
v14-15 those who love not their brothers have not passed from death to life. They have no eternal life.
v17 a practical instruction of love (give to the brothers in need)
v18 love with action and in truth!
v19 ...this is how we set our hearts at rest in his presence
v20 ...whenever our hearts condemn us...I go with Calvin, that I believe this is not a continuation of verse 19, but to warn the guilty souls that God sees all. So, instead of "whenever", it is better to use "For if". This interpretation is justified in v21.
v24 ...And this is how we know that he lives in us: We know it by the Spirit he gave us.
Chapter 4
Test the spirits (v1). Because many false prophets have gone out into the world.
v.4, 7: It appears that NIV does not mind the use of friends in place of brothers. So it does not isolate the use of friends to only non-believers. Most versions use "Beloved" (αγαγητος). The Chinese CUV uses "Dear brothers" (亲爱的弟兄啊).
So, I think it not to make too big of a deal when one uses "friend" to designate a believer. Although, we do not call non-believers brothers but friends.
v8: Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love.
v9: orthopraxy. Gospel Centered life.
v10: Not that we loved God...dismisses those who loves God out of self satisfaction. They misunderstood true holy love, the love of God.
v18: ...The one who fears is not made perfect in love.
v.7-21: The ground rule of love. Dismissing/ignoring/belittling this portion and emphasizes on 1 Corinthians 13, only shows one has not grasp what is love. 1 Corinthians 13 is the test of love, but 1 John 4 lays down the foundational principle of love, without which the love spoken of is just a mask.
Chapter 5
How do we know we love God's children?
v.2: This is how we know that we love the children of God: by loving God and carrying out his commands.
v.3: The commandments of God are not burdensome. So it is wrong for one to think one labors for God without pleasure.
Eternal life in the Son stressed.
v.13: Purpose of this epistle elaborated: subjects: those who believe in the name of the Son of God. Goal: So that you may know that you have eternal life.
v.14: Ask anything according to his will.
v.14-15: A good mindset for asking things in prayer.
v.20 Most verses say "eternal life" in Christ, but here, HE IS Eternal Life (and the true God).