Now let's think about 1 John. The elder apostle presents very straightforward truths in plain language. He cycles through each of his major topics several times, always with a encouraging tone and genuine desire to help his readers internalize and live in the truth.
See?
Even if you don't buy the Blue's Clues analogy… Here are some things to work on as you read and study this short letter.
The Author – What does John tell you about himself? Why is he writing? How does he address his readers?
The Culture – John pastored the church at Ephesus which was noted for its intellectualism. One of the major heresies the church combated was Gnosticism, which stated matter was evil and therefore Jesus could not be God Incarnate, and could not be sinless. How does John dispel these ideas?
The Contrasts – John presents his subject matter through a series of simple contrasts. Light vs. Dark. If you walk in the light you behave in this manner. If you walk in darkness you behave in a totally different manner. Keep track of those contrasts and what John says.
The Keys – What does John say about each of these key concepts: fellowship, love, false teachers/doctrine, obedience, abide
The Savior – What does John say about Jesus Christ?
We had 1 John 4:7-18 read at our wedding. It includes this verse- "There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear." Jon and I are still working on perfect love, but I'm so thankful Christ makes it freely available.