John was an older man and perhaps the only surviving apostle at this time. He had not yet been banished to the island of Patmos, where he would live in exile. As an eyewitness of Christ, he wrote authoritatively to give his new generation of believer’s assurance and confidence in God and in their faith. John is especially anxious to stress the humanity of Christ, because some heretics were saying that ‘Christ’ only seemed to be a man. John reminds his readers that he actually saw, heard and touched the great teacher and Saviour. After all, the author had been ‘the beloved disciple’ slumped against Jesus at the Last Supper, and you couldn’t get much closer to the Lord than that.
John’s first letter also contains a much-needed note of assurance. How do I know that at the end of the day (especially the end of the world) God really will accept me? Just ask yourself one question, John says. Do you trust Christ as the way to God or not? If so, you’re OK. If not- why not? You have got nothing to lose, except a God of love.
To reassure Christians in their faith and to counter false teachings.
The apostle John.
The letter is untitled and was written to no particular church. It was sent as a pastoral letter to several Gentile congregations. It was also written to all believers everywhere.
The date is believed to have been probably around AD 85 - 90, from Ephesus.
John wrote this letter at the time when the heresies that he refutes in these letters were developing. He was associated with Ephesus.
“This is the message we have heard from him and declare to you: God is light; in him there is no darkness at all.” (1:5)
“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.” (5:13)
Who is Jesus?