John, First Epistle of

The First Epistle of John is a letter written by the apostle John, traditionally dated to the latter decades of the first century and associated with his ministry at Ephesus. Written to counter an early docetic or proto-Gnostic teaching that denied the full humanity of Christ, the letter insists that the Word who was from the beginning was heard, seen, and handled — a testimony grounded in eyewitness encounter. The epistle is structured around tests of authentic Christian life: confession of the incarnation, love of the brethren, and obedience to the commandments.

Its central declaration that God is light and God is love, and its exposition of assurance of salvation, have made it one of the most devotionally significant writings in the New Testament canon.