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
