The Message of John's Letters

by David Jackman

Overview

Immorality inundating the Christian community and gradually eroding the foundations of Christian living. The truth of God incarnate, the atonement, and the bodily resurrection of Christ under attack—even from within the church. These were the problems that faced the Christians of John's day. In a society that scorned the gospel and sneered at godly living, John encouraged Christians with a message forged from two words: truth and love.

The concerns of John's original readers are still the concerns of the church now. In this accessible retelling of John's message, David Jackman provides historical background, identifies key themes, and offers applications for today. He describes John's first letter as an upwardly spiraling staircase that circles and broadens out around twin themes of truth and love, mind and heart, Word and Spirit. It is a message both timeless and timely.

This revised edition of a classic Bible Speaks Today volume includes updated language and Scripture quotations and a new interior design. A study guide for individuals or groups is included to help readers engage more deeply with the text.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780830825172
Publisher:	InterVarsity Press
Publication date:	06/22/2021
Series:	The Bible Speaks Today Series
Edition description:	Revised, Revised Edition
Pages:	208
Product dimensions:	5.50(w) x 8.25(h) x 0.70(d)

About the Author

David Jackman is a visiting lecturer at Oak Hill Theological College in London and was the first director of the Cornhill Training Course. A respected Bible teacher in Britain, he is also the author of Understanding the Church.

Table of Contents

General preface
Author’s preface
Chief abbreviations
Introduction
1. The prologue (1 John 1:1–4)
2. Walking in God’s light (1 John 1:5–7)
3. Radical treatment for sin (1 John 1:8–10)
4. Marks of Christian reality (1 John 2:1–6)
5. How the true light shines (1 John 2:7–14)
6. What’s wrong with the world? (1 John 2:15–17)
7. Realism about the enemy (1 John 2:18–23)
8. Staying on course as a Christian (1 John 2:24–29)
9. Living in God’s family (1 John 3:1–6)
10. Be what you are (1 John 3:7–10)
11. A faith that is real (1 John 3:11–18)
12. How to please God (1 John 3:19–24)
13. Testing the spirits (1 John 4:1–6)
14. Does God really love us? (1 John 4:7–12)
15. Grounds of assurance (1 John 4:13–21)
16. Faith – the key to victory (1 John 5:1–5)
17. Evidence – the key to faith (1 John 5:6–12)
18. You can be sure (1 John 5:13–21)
19. Priorities of truth and love (2 John)
20. Learning by example (3 John)
Study guide