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Lesson Summary:

Welcome to the introduction of our series in I John: Abiding Fellowship!

This is a fabulous book in which we are encouraged to understand our privileged position in Christ and challenged to live our lives according to that exalted position.

Introduction

The Apostle John wrote this epistle in the midst of a major challenge from the heresy of Gnosticism.

The prevailing factors in Ephesus included:

Easy Familiarity with Christianity.
High standards of Christianity made the Christians different. Their children did not want to be different.
Persecution was not the enemy of Christianity. Christianity was not in danger of being destroyed; it was in danger of being changed.
Gnosticism was the real enemy of Christianity.

The beloved Apostle John wrote this epistle to give believers the assurance of the truth of their salvation and to encourage them to live out this reality by pursuing holiness and by devoting themselves to loving other believers.

In other words, John wanted them to have an abiding fellowship with God.