Day 81. 1st John 1-3:10. Love One Another, part 1
Love one another. This is one of the themes of the first letter of John. Perhaps it is the ONLY theme of this letter. Whether or not the "John" of this letter is the same as the "John" of the gospel, some of the themes are the same: Abide in me as I abide in you; Love one another as I have loved you. The gospel and the letters of John are members of the same community of faith. Some scholars have named it: "The community of the beloved disciple." So it makes sense that Love is one of the over-arching themes of both the gospel and the epistles.
This short letter says the same thing over and over, and in different ways. Some of the most well-known scripture passages in the Bible are in 1st John. Lutherans will recognize verses from the opening chapter as part of their confession of sin: "If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us." What does this have to do with "Love one another?" Perhaps confession of sin, and the foundation of looking ourselves in the mirror and seeing a true reflection, is the foundation for both loving God, and loving one another. And both of these: loving God and loving one another, are important for the writer and his community.
"See what love the Father has given us, that we should be called children of God. That is what we are." There is also a tension in this letter between what we are, and what we will be, what is seen now, and what will be revealed. There is a tension between the children of God and those of the world, who do not understand them.
Sometimes the letter writer seems tender, but at other times tough. But I think his toughness on sin is because he has seen the effects of our lack of true love for one another.
What do you think? There will be more thoughts from first John, and more thoughts on love, in the last part of the letter.
This short letter says the same thing over and over, and in different ways. Some of the most well-known scripture passages in the Bible are in 1st John. Lutherans will recognize verses from the opening chapter as part of their confession of sin: "If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us." What does this have to do with "Love one another?" Perhaps confession of sin, and the foundation of looking ourselves in the mirror and seeing a true reflection, is the foundation for both loving God, and loving one another. And both of these: loving God and loving one another, are important for the writer and his community.
"See what love the Father has given us, that we should be called children of God. That is what we are." There is also a tension in this letter between what we are, and what we will be, what is seen now, and what will be revealed. There is a tension between the children of God and those of the world, who do not understand them.
Sometimes the letter writer seems tender, but at other times tough. But I think his toughness on sin is because he has seen the effects of our lack of true love for one another.
What do you think? There will be more thoughts from first John, and more thoughts on love, in the last part of the letter.
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