The one who overcomes, believes; the one who believes loves, part 1

1 John 5:1-5 “Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ has been born of God, and everyone who loves the Father loves whoever has been born of Him. 2 By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and obey His commandments. 3 For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments. And His commandments are not burdensome. 4 For everyone who has been born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world— our faith. 5 Who is it that overcomes the world except the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?” ESV 

What we just read was written to existing believers to remind them to keep love as the primary motivation when dealing with other believers. But not much is known about the condition or location of the church to whom John wrote this letter (epistle).
 

Often times in historical or ancient writings, the location or some hint as to the identity of the church can be understood when clues such as names of prominent people are mentioned or geographical locations are revealed. 1 John includes no such hints. However, extra Biblical sources believe John was writing to the church he was a part of (probably even planted) while living in Ephesus. 

With a full reading of this epistle, three things can be understood about the identity of the church and its condition. First: He is writing to a Christian Church (yes, I realize that that should be obvious). Second: John appears to know them well, and vice versa. Thirdly: False teaching was spreading through this church, a teaching that came from within their own community. It was a threat which was both serious and which appears to have arisen from within their own church community:
 

Look with me at 1 John 2:18-19 in the NASB. “Children, it is the last hour; and just as you heard that antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists have arisen; from this we know that it is the last hour. 19 They went out from us, but they were not really of us; for if they had been of us, they would have remained with us; but they went out, in order that it might be shown that they all are not of us.” 
 

It would seem to me that the point John is trying to make in these two verses is this: Love, and its application within the members of the community of God, works as a diagnostic tool to determine who has held fast to the Gospel teaching about who Jesus is; and the lack of love will determine who has departed from the community and followed the teaching of the secessionist opponents.

Continued tomorrow