The First Epistle offers a series of comments that summarize the message of the Gospel, often paralleled in the Fourth Gospel. If you were asked to offer a pithy summary of Christian conviction, how would you phrase it?
Do you share the First Epistle’s concern with the reality of sin? If so, how would you define it? How would you recommend that you or your community deal with it?
The First Epistle affirms a widespread early Christian conviction that the end time was coming soon, in contrast to the Fourth Gospel, which has muted expectations about the end and emphasizes the present reality of what Christ has provided. What do you make of such early Christian hopes?
The First Epistle, like the Gospel, emphasizes the importance of love. Does this classic way of framing a fundamental Christian ideal need any more precise definition, especially in our current environment?