In 1 John 4-5, our teacher John Mathews highlights the importance
of distinguishing between truth and falsehood, light and darkness.
He presents us with tests to determine what comes from God
and what belongs to the devil. A key test is to confess that Jesus
Christ came in the flesh, an affirmation against the false ideas of
the time. John emphasizes God’s nature as love and the necessity
of loving one another as a reflection of our relationship with God.
He assures us that fear has no place in perfect love and that true
believers have the Holy Spirit as a guide. Obedience to God’s
commands, which are not burdensome, is a sign of overcoming the
world through faith. Moreover, believers have eternal life in Jesus,
and we are encouraged to keep ourselves from idols and to love
one another deeply.
