Sidlow Baxter^* (pp. 321-329) writes of this letter ...

   It seems to be the general opinion of scholars that this first epistle of John was written about A.D. 90. At that time John would be the only surviving apostle, and would be a great age. In keeping with this, the tone of the epistle is paternal, both in the fatherly affection and in the fatherly authority which characterise it.
   It is a wonderful epistle. The words are very simple, but the thoughts are rich and deep. The style is direct and plain, yet there is a subtle, mystic depth in the way that the truths are stated and in the way they are developed from one sentence to another.
   How different is John's form of thought and expression from that of Paul! There is a certain vivacity and liveliness about Paul's way of presenting things which we do not find here in John. Yet somehow there is here a ring of finality and persuasive confidence which is equally distinctive and impressive. John is contemplative rather than argumentative. He presents truths as they come by intuitive perception rather than by reasoned conclusion. He is mystical rather than logical. He sees the confirmation of truth in one's experience of it rather than in demonstration by argument.
   This should be duly borne in mind as we take up a closer study of this first epistle of John. It will be both a guide and a guard to us in analysing and interpreting the epistle. In the epistles of Paul and Peter we have generally found the different parts so clearly distinguishable from each other that it has been fairly easy to sectionise them, but it is not quite like that with this first epistle of John. It is an epistle of recurrent ideas rather than of hard and fast divisions. If we try to set out this epistle too rigidly or squarely in analysis we shall obscure its sustained lines of emphasis.

With Baxter's observation in mind, that this is 'an epistle of recurrent ideas rather than of hard and fast divisions', the outline suggested below looks at those 'recurrent ideas' in a meaningful semantic structure of stepped parallelism. In this literary form, each time a topic is returned to later in an article, some further aspect is added, or it is looked at from another perspective, or contrasted with something to emphasise its meaning.

In this outline for example, Points A, A¹, and A² all refer to the Christian message. In A it is stated as proven but in A¹ it is denied. And then A² discusses what is at the heart of the message.  Points B, B¹, and B² all have to do with our Christian life and walk with the Lord. Point B outlines John's challenge to believers to make sure that their Christian lives are on track while Point B¹ discusses ways to make sure that they are. Point B² then adds another dimension to the topic of a Christian life being on track. Point B (a) describes how we are to check where we stand in our relationships with other Christians, the Fellowship Check. And then under point B¹ (a¹) we learn that a right relationship with the Lord flows on to a good relationship with our fellow Christians. Point B² (a²) deals with the assurances that a good relationship is in place. Take some time to read over the outline to see how other recurring ideas are discussed and developed.

AN  OUTLINE  TO  FOLLOW

A  The Trustworthiness Of The Message ~ 1:1-2 
    
     B  Are We Sure That Our Christian Life Is On Track? ~ 1:3 - 2:11 

(a) The Fellowship Check ~ 1:3-7

(b) The Being Honest With Ourselves Check ~ 1:8 - 2:2

(c) The Knowing God Check ~ 2:3-6

(d) The Brotherly/Sisterly/Neighbourly Love Check ~ 2:7-11

    C  Do We still Believe As We Used To? ~ 2:12-14

  D  How Important Is Christian Faith To Us Today? ~  2:15-17

A¹  The Trustworthiness Of The Message Is Opposed ~ 2:18-27

B¹  Keeping Our Christian Walk On Track ~ 2:28 - 3:24

(a¹) Stay In Fellowship With The Lord ~ 2:28

(b¹⁾ Maintain The Integrity Which Confirms That We Belong To The Lord ~ 2:29

(c¹) Walk As Those Who Know The Lord ~ 3:1-10

(d¹) More On The Brotherly/Sisterly/Neighbourly Love Check ~ 3:11-24

    C¹  Christian Belief Under Attack ~ 4:1-3

  D¹  Overcoming The Pull Of The World ~ 4:4-5

A²  Getting To The Heart Of The Message ~ 4:7-12

B²  Confirmation Of A Christian Life Being On Track ~ 4:13-21

(a²) An Assurance Of Fellowship With The Lord ~ vs. 13-18

(b²) The Assurance Of Sins Forgiven ~ vs. 13-18

(c²) Being Sure Of Knowing The Lord ~ vs. 13-18

(d²) We Love Because He First Loved Us ~ vs. 19-21

    C²  Christian Belief, Love, And Obedience ~ 5:1-3

   D²  The Overcomers ~ 5:4-5

Final Assurances ~ 5:6-21

................................................................................................................

   Coming now to the letter itself, you will find that the presentation encourages you to do the expository work. Questions are asked to prompt you to think about and study the text for yourself. A 'My Summary Notes' page is provided for you to make your own record of what the teaching of the letter comes to mean for you. This lesson is for you to make an in depth, personal study of John's letter, a letter written 'to all of you who share the same precious faith we have, faith given to us by Jesus Christ, our God and Saviour, who makes us right with God.'
   The helps consulted in the preparation of this lesson guide are listed on the 'Digging Deeper' page. If you do not already have THE BIBLE KNOWLEDGE COMMENTARY, it is well worth a visit to your Christian book store to purchase a copy. It comes in two volumes covering the Old and New Testaments. The commentary by Simon Kistemaker, EPISTLES OF JOHN, PETER and JUDE, is also highly recommended. So then ...

"Work [study] hard so God can approve you. Be a good worker, one who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly explains the word of truth. Avoid godless, foolish discussions that lead to more and more ungodliness. This kind of talk spreads like cancer, Hymenaeus and Philetus are examples of this. They have left the path of truth, preaching the lie that the resurrection of the dead has already occurred, and they have undermined the faith of some.
But God's truth stands firm like a foundation stone with this inscription, 'The Lord knows who are his,' and 'Those who claim they belong to the Lord must turn away from all wickedness.' "
(2 Timothy 2:15)