True Fellowship

John’s writings (five New Testament documents) were undertaken toward the end of the first century. By the time John wrote this letter, Christianity had been around for more than a generation. It had faced and survived several persecutions. The main problem confronting the church at this time was declining commitment: Many believers were conforming to the world’s standards, failing to stand up for Christ and compromising their faith. False teachers were plentiful, and they were accelerating the church’s downward slide away from the Christian faith. John wrote this letter to put believers back on track, to show the difference between light and darkness (truth and error), and to encourage the church to grow in genuine love for God and for one another.