Outline of I John

Timothy Day
Pastor, Grace Baptist Church, Milan, Indiana

  1. Walking in the light in the Lord’s church – chapter 1.
    1. The truth about Christ, 1:1-4.
      1. He was from the beginning, 1:1a.
      2. He was manifested in human form, 1:1b.
        1. He was heard.
        2. He was seen.
        3. He was touched.
      3. John was a living witness of the living Christ, 1:2.
      4. Christ left heaven to come to us, 1:2.
      5. He is the foundation of our fellowship with God and with other believers, 1:3.
      6. He is the source of our joy, 1:4.
        1. The joy of knowing Christ.
        2. The joy of sins forgiven.
        3. The joy of fellowshipping with God’s people.
    2. The truth about fellowship with God, 1:5-7.
      1. God is light, 1:5.
      2. We are to walk in His light (holiness/truth), 1:6.
      3. Continually walking in darkness (sin/error) shows we are not in the light, 1:6.
      4. Cleansing from sin is available through the blood of Christ, 1:7.
    3. The truth about sin, 1:8-10.
      1. Every Christian continues to sin, 1:8.
        1. Some try to cover their sins.
        2. All are to confess their sins.
      2. Confession of sin is the key to forgiveness, 1:9.
      3. Failure to admit sin and confess it indicates that an individual does not have life from above.

  2. Walking in obedience in the Lord’s church – chapter 2.
    1. Obeying the Lord’s commandments, 2:1-11.
      1. Salvation means we don’t want to sin, 2:1a.
        1. We are not to sin, 2:1a.
        2. Sin breaks fellowship.
      2. Salvation is not lost when we sin, 2:1b-2.
        1. Christ is our Advocate, 2:1b.
          1. Lawyer.
          2. Intercessor.
        2. Christ is our propitiation, 2:2.
          1. Mercy seat.
          2. Covering.
      3. Salvation involves responsibilities, 2:3-6.
        1. Believers keep His commandments, 2:3.
        2. Not keeping the commandments is a sign that the person is not a believer, 2:4.
        3. Keeping God's commandments is a sign that we are truly in Him, 2:5. d. We are responsible to walk as our Saviour walked to maintain our testimony before a lost world, 2:6.
      4. Salvation puts us under a new commandment, 2:7-11.
        1. Not loving the brethren is evidence that one is not saved and still lives in the darkness, 2:9.
        2. Believers are to love the brethren, 2:10.
    2. Obeying the will of God, 2:12-22.
      1. Various members of the Lord's church, 2:12-14.
        1. Little children - the immature - new converts, 2:12.
        2. Fathers - mature leaders, 2:13a.
        3. Young men - active and energetic believers, 2:13b.
        4. Their characteristics.
          1. Fathers - Known Him from the beginning.
          2. Young men.
            1. Strong.
            2. Word of God abides in them.
            3. They have overcome the wicked one.
      2. Various enemies of the Lord's church, 2:15-17.
        1. Beware of loving the world, 2:15a.
        2. Beware of loving things - materialism, 2:15b.
        3. Loving the world above the Father is evidence that one is not saved, 2:15c.
        4. Beware of the lust of the flesh - selfishness, 2:16a.
        5. Beware of the lust of the eyes - covetousness, 2:16b.
        6. Beware of the pride of life - pride, 2:16c.
      3. Characteristics of the end time, 2:18-22.
        1. Many antichrists have appeared, 2:18a.
        2. Falling away of many from the Lord's church, 2:19.
        3. The spiritual ones can see these things, 2:20-21.
        4. Many deny the deity of Christ, 2:22.
    3. Obedience yields confidence when the Lord returns, 2:23-29.
      1. Our hope of eternal life in Christ, 2:23-25.
      2. The world is trying to seduce believers, 2:26.
      3. The Holy Spirit ought to be our Teacher not the world, 2:27.
      4. Believers are to abide in Him, 2:28-29.

  3. Walking in love in the Lord's church-chapter 3.
    1. God's love is our example, 3:1-3.
      1. The greatness of God's love.
        1. Our position in Christ 3:1.
        2. The world doesn't want us, 3:1.
      2. The results of God's love, 3:2.
        1. We look forward to the future glory, 3:2a.
        2. Our potential in Christ, 3:2b.
      3. The power of God's love, 3:3.
        1. Our practice in Christ, 3:3a.
        2. Hopefulness, 3:3b.
        3. Holiness, 3:3b.
    2. Love is an evidence of true salvation, 3:4-18.
      1. Believers are to love holiness and hate sin, 3:4-10.
        1. Sin is breaking the law of God, 3:4.
        2. Christ was sinless, 3:5.
        3. Believers are not to practice sin, 3:6-7.
        4. Those practicing sin are of their father the devil, 3:8.
        5. Attitudes toward sin evidence salvation, 3:10.
      2. Believers are to love each other, 3:11-15.
        1. This is not a new message, 3:11.
        2. Example of Cain who didn't love his brother, 3:12.
          1. Where?
          2. What?
          3. Why?
        3. The world doesn't understand this love, 3:13.
        4. Believers’ love is an evidence of salvation, 3:14.
        5. Hatred is the first step to murder, 3:15.
      3. Love motivates us to serve others, 3:16-18.
        1. We ought to be ready to give up our life for the brethren, 3:16.
        2. Love compels us to help others, 3:17.
        3. Love results in a life of good works, 3:18.
    3. Love is commanded, 3:19-24.
      1. An assured heart, 3:19.
      2. A condemning heart, 3:20.
      3. A confident heart, 3:21.
      4. A prayerful heart, 3:22.
      5. A loving heart, 3:23-24.

  4. Walking in truth in the Lord's church – chapter 4.
    1. Test the spirits by the truth of God's Word, 4:1-6.
      1. The command - test the spirits, 4:1a.
      2. The reason - there are many false prophets around, 4:1b.
      3. The test - what do they think of Christ? 4:2.
      4. Those who reject the incarnation of Christ are not of God, vs. 3.
      5. The Holy Spirit in us can give us discernment, 4:4.
      6. The difference between the spirit of truth and error, 4:5,6.
    2. The truth of God's love for us, 4:7-13.
      1. God is the source of love, 4:7-8.
      2. God's love manifested, 4:9.
      3. God's love measured, 4:10.
      4. We are to show this love to others, 4:11-13.
    3. The truth of the incarnation, 4:14-21.
      1. The truth of the incarnation, 4:14.
      2. The test of the believer, 4:15-16.
      3. People see God in us by the exercising of our love, 4:16.
      4. Boldness in the judgment, 4:17.
      5. The Father's love, 4:18-19.
      6. We ought to love the brethren, 4:20-21.

  5. Walking in faith in the Lord's church – chapter 5.
    1. Through faith we overcome the world, 5:1-13.
      1. Believers love God and the brethren, 5:1.
      2. Keeping God's commands proves our love for Him, 5:2-3.
      3. Believers are overcomers, 5:4-5.
        1. The initial conquest.
        2. The continual conquest.
      4. The inner witness of the Holy Spirit, 5:6-7.
      5. Eternal life is in the Son of God, 5:9-13.
    2. Faith gives confidence in prayer, 5:14-15.
      1. We must ask according to God's will, 5:14.
      2. Confidence in prayer, 1:15.
    3. Faith leads to purity of life, 5:16-21.
      1. It is possible to sin unto death, 5:16.
      2. There is sin not unto death, 5:17.
      3. We are responsible to guard ourselves from the wicked one, 5:18.
      4. Beware of worldliness, 5:19.
      5. We are to judge what is true, 5:20.
      6. Beware of false worship, 5:21.