John's Letters: Discipleship Lessons from 1st, 2nd, and 3rd John

Epilogue

The conclusion or epilogue surveys teaching and letters to the Ephesian churches, summarizes John's letters, and observes that lack of love for God and one another plagued the Ephesus Church at the time of the Book of Revelation.

8. Walking in Love (2 and 3 John)

2nd and 3rd John follow epistle or letter formats. 2 John is to encourage love and warn of false teachers, antichrists, who teach that Jesus isn't God in the flesh. They aren't to welcome or show hospitality to the false prophets. 3 John encourages Gaius to show hospitality to Demetrius, a Christian missionary, and not to follow the example of self-centered leader Diotrephes.

7. God's Testimony Regarding Jesus (1 John 5:1-21)

John explains that if we love God we will obey Jesus. We have overcome and achieved victory over the world through our faith. The Spirit, water, and blood are witnesses to God's incarnation in Jesus Christ. The Spirit also testifies in our hearts to give us assurance.

6. God Is Love (1 John 4:1-21)

John warns his readers to be alert for the heresy that Jesus isn't Christ in the flesh - the spirit of antichrist. He encourages them that the Spirit in them is greater. He concludes with the message that God is love. God desires this love to be perfected in us and take away our fear of judgment.

5. Love in Action (1 John 3:11-24)

John discusses hatred and jealousy of Cain for Abel to illustrate the world's persecution of believers. True love requires us to lay down our lives for the brethren in acts of compassion. By this we have assurance of answered prayer through the Spirit.