In 1 John 1:5–10, John is speaking to believers, those who “have fellowship with one another” and God (1 John 1:7; cf. 1:3). In 1 John 1:9 it is these believers who “confess” (homologeō) their “sins,” obviously to God. Broken apart, the Greek verb homologeō literally means “to say the same thing,” and its use… Continue Reading
The Greek word koinōnia is translated four times as “fellowship” in 1 John 1. John wrote the letter of 1 John to his readers to clarify what true Christian belief and living really were, primarily to assure them of the eternal life that they possessed (1 John 5:13). Assuming they held fast to what he… Continue Reading
Apart from the introduction (1:1–4) and conclusion (5:13–21), students of 1 John find little agreement as to how to outline his book. Some see a “spiral” outline in which John repeatedly spirals around themes of doctrine and Christian living. Others see John having a general overview of topics, only then to move more specially into… Continue Reading