John summarizes the testimonies to Jesus as the Messiah and the Son of God; and then how our faith in Him affects our praying and our walk with God.

John reviews the content of the Christian faith and the testimonies to the truth that Jesus is the Messiah.

“God is love”–the implications and obligations that go with that proposition are John’s emphasis.

Discerning truth from error begins with how one views Jesus and the command to love one another is rooted in God’s very being, for God is love.

John contrasts Cain and Jesus on the matter of love and offers three major tests of assurance for the believer.

John calls his readers to a life of purity and anchors the call in the promise of Jesus to return, when we shall be “like Him” and “see Him as He is”

John warns his people about false teachers among them and exhorts them to know sound doctrine, continue walking with the Spirit and walking in righteousness.

Walking in the “light” with Jesus is a walk of loving obedience, assurance and not “loving the world” or its desires and its pride.

John sets up the first test of assurance that we are walking with Jesus–obedience.

Our fellowship with God is affected by our sin and John gives three truths about how we deal with sin in our lives to facilitate that fellowship.