Salvation Summaries

OVERVIEW

1 John is a book of 5 chapters written by the apostle John (who also wrote the gospel book of John, Acts and Revelation) to Christians. Although 1 John is short, it is packed with practical information on how to tell whether you are a Christian, and the main way to do this is by examining how you live.

Much of John’s book is a response to false teachers who were giving Christians an incorrect view of Jesus, sin, and what it means to be a Christian. Although John assures his audience in several verses that they are Christians (for they have been forgiven of their sins, received the Holy Spirit, are a child of God and have been born again), he shows them that there is a clear link between being a Christian and living like one. To illustrate this, he criticizes those (mainly false teachers) who claim to be a Christian, but live in darkness (sinful lifestyle), show hatred towards others (including believers) and disobey God’s commandments.  All of these are incompatible with being a Christian.  John also provides a number a traits a Christian should have compared to traits of a non-Christian. Further, John provides a handful of “tests” you can take to know whether you abide in God, love God, know God, and ultimately are saved.  Although I passed these tests, my self-assigned grade is not good (as shown above), and I hope yours is better.

In summary, 1 John is a practical yet sobering book on what it means to be a Christian. Like the book of James, claiming that you have faith, or that you are saved, is not good enough. If you really want to know whether you are a believer, the proof is in the way you live.  Are you a Christian?  Are you sure?  Read 1 John (or my next post) to determine if you truly are one.

SALVATION-RELATED VERSES

1 John contains relatively few specific verses on how a person becomes saved, but it includes one of the clearest statements in the Bible on the assurance of salvation (1 John 5:13). 1 John also contains a number of verses on how a saved person should live.

In my next post, I’ll address the following topics:

• What is a Christian?
• How should a Christian live?
• How does a non-Christian live?
• Can you have assurance of your salvation?