Why John Wrote 1, 2, 3 John – Part Four

By Michael K. Farrar, O.D.

© God’s Breath Publications

 

There are many books in the New Testament that are what termed “epistles.” An epistle is a writing or letter that is directed or sent to a person or group of individuals. It is usually in the form of an elegant and formal didactic letter. Didactic is a term that refers to the method by which the letter was written and means that the intent or purpose of the letter was for teaching and/or instruction.

 

Contained in the New Testament are the epistles of 1, 2 and 3 John written by the apostle John. It is interesting to study why John wrote these epistles because this has much to do with their content and how they apply to us today as Christians.

 

John gives us the reasons he wrote these books of the Bible but scatters them throughout 1, 2 and 3 John. There are fourteen reasons that are given and we will cover each one in this series.

 

The major themes of 1, 2, and 3 John is first to assure Christians of their salvation and secondly to refute the false teachers that are attempting to lead Christians astray. John wishes to repeatedly remind Christians of why he is writing to them so that they can understand and remember that God wants them to be assured of their salvation and not let false teachers undermine their faith in God.

 

REASON ELEVEN

 

NOT Because They Do Not Know the Truth

 

“I do not write to you because you do not know the truth,”

1 John 2:2a

 

The apostle John wrote these epistles not because the Christians in Asia Minor did not know the truth, but because they needed reminding about what the truth was. We will be convicted at times to tell people things they need to be reminded of, information that they have let slip into the recesses of their memory or that they have purposely chosen to hide away because they wish to ignore the truth. This is another reason that John is writing these epistles, to remind Christians of the truth they already knew. His hope was that by reminding Believers of the truth that they had received and believed in at the beginning of their relationship with Christ, they will continue walking in obedience to it and not be led astray by false teachers who were appealing to their flesh.

 

This is one reason God gives us the Holy Spirit to live within us when we became Christians, to remind us of the basics of the Good News. John 14:26 tells us that one of the ministries the Spirit has in our life is to remind us of the truth spoken by Jesus. It says, “But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you.”

 

John was not the only apostle who considered it his responsibility to remind followers of Jesus of the Good News. Paul also felt a passion for this in his letters to Christians as well. Romans 15:15-16 says,

 

“I have written you quite boldly on some points, as if to remind you of them again, because of the grace God gave me to be a minister of Christ Jesus to the Gentiles with the priestly duty of proclaiming the gospel of God,”

 

Paul again communicates this in his letter to the Christians at Corinth in 1 Corinthians 15:1-2 he says, “Now, brothers, I want to remind you of the gospel I preached to you, which you received and on which you have taken your stand. By this gospel you are saved, if you hold firmly to the word I preached to you. Otherwise, you have believed in vain.”

 

Paul and John both knew that part of the reason for writing letters to remind Christians of the truth that they had committed themselves to, was to encourage them to live according to what they had believed. Paul sent Timothy and Titus to other Believers in the world to remind them of the truth (1 Corinthians 4:17, Titus 3:1-2). Peter also mentions the necessity to remind people of the God’s Word in his letters (2 Peter 1:12-13) and Jude in his letters as well (Jude 5-6).

 

So it is not an insult to people’s intelligence to remind them of important truths. It is often common for us to forget even important things and sometimes even critical things that relate to our eternal life and salvation. Pastors remind Christians of the truth in their sermons and we have this same ministry towards each other as fellow Believers in Christ.

 

REASON TWELVE

 

Because They Knew the Truth and No Lie Comes From the Truth

 

“but because you do know it and because no lie comes from the truth.”

1 John 2:2b

 

John knew for a fact that no lie comes from God or from His Word and he believed the Christians in Asia Minor just needed a refresher course in what the truth was to further establish what they already knew. He wanted to emphasize that God’s Word was true (John 17:17), that the Holy Spirit would guide the Christians in this truth (John 15:26, 16:13), and that the truth of God would set them free (John 8:31-32).

 

REASON THIRTEEN

 

Because There Are Some Who Are Trying To Lead Them Astray

 

“I am writing these things to you about those who are trying to lead you astray.”

1 John 2:26

 

We know the Christians in Asia Minor were coming in contact with false teachers who were trying to mislead them from their true Christian beliefs and many Christians were being led astray by the false doctrines promoted by the Gnostics. John was very concerned about the effect these false teachers were having on Christians and the church fellowships. He was writing these epistles to clarify the gospel and remind the Christians of what they had already been taught as true. He wanted to bolster their foundation in the teachings of Jesus and equip them to stand against those who were trying to lead them astray.

 

The Gnostics ignored the correction and instruction that came from God’s Word because they wanted to justify their sinful lifestyle and desired to live by their worldly thoughts. Proverbs 10:17 tells us that such people who ignore God’s instruction will lead others astray. The prophet Isaiah spoke many times about how people can be led astray by false guides, prophets and teachers (Isaiah 3:12, 53:6). Paul in his letters to the Christians in Corinth was concerned with the ease with which they accepted the false teaching from worldly men and women. He says in 2 Corinthians 11:3-4,

 

“But I am afraid that just as Eve was deceived by the serpent’s cunning, your minds may somehow be led astray from your sincere and pure devotion to Christ. For if someone comes to you and preaches a Jesus other than the Jesus we preached, or if you receive a different spirit from the one you received, or a different gospel from the one you accepted, you put up with it easily enough.”

 

John had the same concern for Christians in the churches in Asia Minor and did not want them to put up with the false doctrines that were being spread around among them. We see in other New Testament books many warnings about false prophets and teachers.

 

“Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves.”

Matthew 7:15

 

“For such men are false apostles, deceitful workmen, masquerading as apostles of Christ. And no wonder, for Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light. It is not surprising, then, if his servants masquerade as servants of righteousness.”

2 Corinthians 11:13-15

 

“If anyone teaches false doctrines and does not agree to the sound instruction of our Lord Jesus Christ and to godly teaching, he is conceited and understands nothing. He has an unhealthy interest in controversies and quarrels about words that result in envy, strife, malicious talk, evil suspicions and constant friction between men of corrupt mind, who have been robbed of the truth and who think that godliness is a means to financial gain.”

1 Timothy 6:3-5

 

“But there were also false prophets among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you. They will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the sovereign Lord who bought them — bringing swift destruction on themselves. Many will follow their shameful ways and will bring the way of truth into disrepute. In their greed these teachers will exploit you with stories they have made up.”

2 Peter 2:1-3

 

REASON FOURTEEN

 

Because They Will Know That They Have Eternal Life

 

“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.”

1 John 5:13

 

Another reason John wrote these epistles was to assure the Christians of that they did truly have eternal life. Whenever we are exposed to false teaching there can come a time when we begin to doubt our faith, question what Scripture has told us, have reservations about what we believe or become skeptical about the truth we have been taught.

 

When we are tempted to doubt our salvation or the God in whom we believe, we need to have someone come alongside of us and reaffirm the solid foundation upon which our faith is established. We need someone to encourage us to keep on keeping on in our obedience to the Word of God, our spiritual disciplines of prayer, reading the Bible, ministry to others and our relationship with our Heavenly Father. We need protection from people who promote lies that support a sinful lifestyle or share ideas that compromise our witness and dedication to the Lord.

 

This is what John was doing in his letter to the Christians in Asia Minor. He wanted to not just protect them from the false teachings of the Gnostics, he wanted to build them up in their faith and help them stand against this threat to the churches in the area.

 

There are many verses we can turn to when we are in doubt about our salvation or our faith in God’s ability to save us from our sins.

 

“Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way opened for us through the curtain, that is, his body, and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near to God with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful.”

Hebrews 10:19-23

 

“I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one can snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of my Father’s hand. I and the Father are one.”

John 10:28-30