As one might expect, 1 John draws on a number of major themes from the Gospel of John.
LOVE—Both the Gospel of John and 1 John are filled with messages of God's love for us and our love acted out in our daily relationships. Compare John 3:16—"God so loved the world ... "—with 1 John 4:19—"We love because he first loved us."
FAITH—Faith for John is not to "believe that" but to "believe in" the God revealed in Jesus the Christ. Compare John 3:16—"so that everyone who believes in him ...
"—with 1 John 5:13—"to you who believe in the name of the Son of God."
ETERNAL LIFE—Eternal life is fullness of life—abundant life--now and in the future. Compare John 3:16—"may not perish but may have eternal life"&mash;with 1 John 5:13—"know that you have eternal life." Jesus said it clearly: "I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly" (John 10:10).
Gracious God, grant us love, faith, and abundant life in order that we may share them with others. Amen.
Kenneth N. Melby
1 John 5:9 If we receive human testimony, the testimony of God is greater; for this is the testimony of God that he has testified to his Son.
10 Those who believe in the Son of God have the testimony in their hearts. Those who do not believe in God have made him a liar by not believing in the testimony that God has given concerning his Son.
11 And this is the testimony: God gave us eternal life, and this life is in his Son.
12 Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life.
13 I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, so that you may know that you have eternal life.[New American Standard Versiion]
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