Outline of I John I. The ground of John's assurance of salvation 1:1-10 A. What he witnessed 1:1-2 B. What he proclaims 1:3-10 II. Assurance of salvation through resisting evil and obeying the truth 2:1-29 A. Forsaking of sin 2:1-6 B. Abiding in Christian love 2:7-14 C. Abstaining from devotion to the world 2:15-29 III. Assurance of salvation through the power of God's love 3:1-5:12 A. The fact of God's love 3:1-2 B. Two implications of God's love 3:3-24 1. Devotion to purity and righteousness 3:3-12 2. Dedication to caring for others despite the world's scorn 3:13-24 C. Threats to abiding in God's love 4:1-6 D. Exhortations to respond to God's love 4:7-21 E. Christ's centrality in the knowledge of God's love 5:1-12 IV. Concluding reflections 5:13-21 A. Statement of goal 5:13 B. Assurance of victory 5:14-15 C. Final teaching and admonition 5:16-21