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======Letters of the Apostles 2 - First letter of John ...======
Tuesday, Dec 8, 2009. John, the apostle, wrote the fourth gospel, the revelation
of John and also some letters. The letter 1 John is usually dated around A.D. 85-95,
after the gospel of John which is assumed to be written around A.D. 85.
The letter of John is a clear testimony of original Christian faith. It has
some similarities with John's gospel. He speaks about "the life", which has appeared
and which they could touch with their hands, clearly pointing to Jesus.
He speaks about the fellowship
with the father and the son, Jesus Christ.
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John is addressing basic problems Christianity had to face from around 50 years
after Jesus' cruzifiction. These problems resemble some popular teachings of our modern
time. People started to have a very "spiritual" idea of faith and
of life. They thought they could do what they wanted - but their spiritual
life would not be touched by their physical actions.
The New Testament perceives our body as a unity of spirit and flesh. It does not
generate any artificial separation. But everything is connected. There is such
a strong connection, that believers are even seen as the "body" of Christ, when
they are connected to him in faith. A man and a woman who are married are seen
to be "one body".
We cannot be linked to God, and at the same time be linked to darkness and
sin. Faith has to show itself in our daily life. It needs to determine our whole
person, our existence, our thoughts and actions. And it does. John claims:
"anyone who claims to be in the light but hates his brother is still in the
darkness." (1 John 2, 9) These are strong claims, words which cut your soul
and your existence into pieces!
John gives also sincere warnings. "Do not love the world or anything in the
world. [...] The world and its desires pass away, but the man who does the
will of God lives forever. (1 John 2, 15-17) We need clear insight into the
meaning of his warnings - which balance the command to love your neighbors
as yourself! Christian life is understood as part of a new creation, which
is linked to God, lives in his spirit and knows a world beyond our usual
world.
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The letters of John are a highly fascinating and deep resource of Christian
thoughts, the word of God into our heart still today!
[[http://www.jesusnetwork.eu/en/doku.php/topics_collection_i|... more texts]]