Hebrews 11:1 defines faith in this way: Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.

While biblical faith is believing and trusting God even when you cannot see Him at work, it is NOT blind faith. Blind faith by definition is an unquestioning belief in someone or something without requiring evidence, logic, or proof.

God is NOT requiring blind faith from you and me! He does not ask us to believe in Him with no evidence…but rather He provides for us ample evidence of His character and His work.

As we look into 1 John 5:1-12 we will be looking at the surest evidence that we could possibly need...the testimony of God Himself.

"Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirit to see whether they are from God, for many false prophets have gone out into the world." This week as we look at 1 John 4 we learn how we discern between the Spirit of truth and the spirit of error.

As we dive into 2 John 2:28-3:24, we sit in awe and wonder at what it means to be a child of God; we look at the distinctions between the children of God and the children of the devil; and discover how we can KNOW that we are in God and that He is in us.

This week John continues to assure, encourage, exhort and warn his readers. He assures them that they can know that know God. He encourages them in what they have as children of God. He exhorts them to not love the world. He warns them of those who would deceive them and reminds that they have all that they need in the Holy Spirit who leads them into all truth. They are simply to remain in what they know!

Thank you for joining us in our 8 week study through the Epistles of John. This week we studies 1 John 1:1-2:2. John lays the foundation that the message proclaimed by the apostles regarding who Jesus is and what He has done is the true message of the gospel.

If you would like a Scripture Journal to guide you through these letters, you can download a free copy at lovingtheword.net.

Welcome to our study in the Epistles of John. This introductory lesson goes over how to study using the Scripture Journals available as a free download at www.lovingtheword.net. We also set the context of the letters of John.