Because relationships matter most of all #1: Welcome!

Welcome to the start of a new month and therefore a new book of the Bible for us to dive right into. I get so excited on the first day of each month, eagerly anticipating all that God has to teach us through His Word. This is another short book, but trust me, I have a feeling that it is packed with great inspiration and guidance for us in our lives today.

Firstly, a bit of background and context.

1 John – The First Epistle of John – is the first of the Johannine epistles of the New Testament.

This, and the two following letters, are traditionally thought to be written by the author of the Gospel of John – John the Evangelist – and it was probably written in Ephesus in AD 95–110. This letter is nothing like Paul’s letters. John writes in a very different style to Paul’s. Written in a simple style, it has a very personal feel.

At the time this letter was written, there was a prevalent belief that Jesus did not come “in the flesh”, but only as a spirit. John knew otherwise. He had been there. He had seen it all for himself. For him, Christians were to be defined by two things: their proclamation of Jesus in the flesh, and by their love.

I believe that definition still stands today.

The main themes of the letter are love and fellowship with God and how those are worked out in the everyday life of the believer. Throughout life, most of us come to understand that the important things in life are not things at all, but relationships. Hence the title of this series – Because relationships matter most of all. This letter is all about our relationships – with one another and with God. It shows us how to have authentic, lasting relationships.

So are you ready? Then let’s begin…