The signs of life

If John's purpose in his Gospel is so to witness to Christ that his readers will believe in him and receive life (20:31), his purpose in his letters ... is to take his readers a step further. He writes, 'to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life' (1 John 5:13). For it is one thing to receive life; it is another to know that we have received it. So having assembled the seven signs which witness to Christ, John now develops three tests which undermine the false assurance of counterfeit Christians and confirm the true assurance of genuine Christians. He does not mince his words. He identifies three liars. First, whoever denies that Jesus is the Christ come in the flesh is a liar (1 John 2:22). This is the doctrinal test. Secondly, whoever claims to enjoy fellowship with God while walking in darkness lies(1 John 1:6). This is the moral test. Thirdly, whoever says he loves God but hates his brother is a liar (1 John 4:20). This is the social test. Conversely, (1) we know the Spirit of God, because he acknowledges Christ (1 John 4:2; cf. 2 John 9); (2) we know that we know him, because we obey his commandments (1 John 2:3) and (3) we know that we have passed out of death into life, because we love our Christian brothers and sisters (1 John 3:14). John even assembles three verbs which characterize God's people: they believe in Christ, they love one another, and they obey his commands (1 John 3:24-24). (The Incomparable Christ, Stott p 40)