We are nearing the end of our series on the letter of 1 John, and he returns to his main concern. John wrote this letter because he perceived a serious threat from the emerging ideas of Gnosticism, which were beginning to seep into the Church. While that may sound incredibly distant from us, there are significant parallels to today. They were twisting the historical truth of Jesus' life to match the prevailing ideas of the surrounding culture. For example, spiritual truth was seen as an inward experience (rather than an historical reality), and they separated mind from body (much like some pitting psychology against biology today). Yet John's ire wasn't merely a counter-cultural tendency. His concern was what we lose about Jesus when we twist our faith to match current prevailing ideas. And that equally applies today. But note well - this letter is written to the Church about a problem within the Church, not a shot at those outside it. Let's talk about why it is essential that we hear "God's Testimony" over any other (1 John 5:6-12).
