1 John

Perhaps no one is more qualified than the apostle John when it comes to writing about the nature of fellowship. The very basis of all human relations and interactions must be built upon a sound relation with God Himself. This is made possible when Christ came physically to interact with men—for us to hear, to see and to touch—to know for sure that God wants to relate with us.

John brought out three aspects of God that affect the way we fellowship with Him and one another:

1. God is light. Therefore we must walk in the light and not in darkness, confessing and forsaking our sinful ways by refusing to let sin have free reign in our mortal bodies. The proofs of our fellowship in the light are obedience to God, loving one another, being certain of who we are in Christ, and not loving the world and its ways which are contrary to God and His truth. This is living in the light.

1. God is love. This is manifested in our adoption as His children, in which we relate to Him as our Father, and by which we relate to each other and to other people with that same love that He first loved us, without compromising the truth. This is walking in love.

1. God is life. The criteria in relating to God involves faith, love and action in unison (5:1-3). The certainty that we have this relationship with Him is found in a faith that overcomes the world, full assurance of eternal life, total obedience to His will, and eradicating sin and idolatry from our lives. This is purifying in hope.

This epistle is indeed the handbook on true fellowship.

OUTLINE OF 1 JOHN

1. God is Light (1:1-2:29)
Conditions for Fellowship 
a. Reality of Fellowship with God (1:1-4)
b. Walking in the Light (1:5-7)
c. Dealing with the Issue of Sin (1:8-2:2)
d. Obeying the Lord's Command (2:3-6)
e. Loving One Another (2:7-14)
f. Avoiding Lusts and Pride (2:15-17)
g. Resisting the spirit of Antichrist (2:18-29)
2. God is Love (3:1-4:21)
Cautioning on Fellowship 
a. The Manner of God's Love (3:1-3)
b. The Manner of God's Children (3:4-12)
c. The Manner of Love in Action (3:13-24)
d. Discerning the Spirits (4:1-6)
e. Displaying Christ's Love (4:7-21)
3. God is Life (5:1-21)
Characteristics of Fellowship 
a. The Importance of Love (5:1-3)
b. The Importance of Faith (5:4-5)
c. The Importance of Divine Witness (5:6-10)
d. The Importance of Certainty (5:11-13)
Confidence in Fellowship
a. Praying in God's Will (5:14-17)
b. Living in the New Life (5:18-20)
c. Keeping Away from Idolatry (5:21)