John (the Elder Apostle)
Category: Endurance in testimony & shepherding
Could avoid: Withdraw quietly in old age.
“That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes… this we proclaim concerning the Word of life.” (1 John 1:1)
Cross-Refs: John 1:14; Acts 4:20.
Chose: Continue declaring the truth of Christ.
“We proclaim to you what we have seen and heard, so that you also may have fellowship with us.” (1 John 1:3)
Cross-Refs: 2 Peter 1:16; Revelation 1:2.
Endured: False teachers, church divisions, weariness of age.
“They went out from us, but they did not really belong to us.” (1 John 2:19)
Cross-Refs: Acts 20:29–30; Matthew 24:24.
Why: To keep believers in fellowship with God and each other.
“…so that you may not sin. But if anybody does sin, we have an advocate with the Father—Jesus Christ, the Righteous One.” (1 John 2:1)
Cross-Refs: Hebrews 7:25; Romans 8:34.
Result: Left the church with assurance of eternal life.
“I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life.” (1 John 5:13)
Cross-Refs: John 20:31; Jude 21.
Believers (Children of God)
Category: Endurance in obedience & holiness
Could avoid: Continue in sin, live like the world.
“No one who lives in him keeps on sinning.” (1 John 3:6)
Cross-Refs: Romans 6:1–2; Titus 2:11–12.
Chose: Walk in the light.
“If we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another.” (1 John 1:7)
Cross-Refs: Ephesians 5:8; Colossians 1:12–13.
Endured: Temptations, hatred of the world, spiritual deception.
“Do not be surprised, my brothers and sisters, if the world hates you.” (1 John 3:13)
Cross-Refs: John 15:18–19; 2 Timothy 3:12.
Why: Because they are born of God.
“No one born of God makes a practice of sinning, because God’s seed abides in him.” (1 John 3:9)
Cross-Refs: John 1:12–13; 1 Peter 1:23.
Result: Confidence before God and assurance of eternal life.
“See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God!” (1 John 3:1)
Cross-Refs: Romans 8:16–17; Revelation 21:7.
Believers in Truth & Love
Category: Endurance in love & fellowship
Could avoid: Hate, withhold forgiveness, live in selfishness.
“Anyone who claims to be in the light but hates a brother or sister is still in the darkness.” (1 John 2:9)
Cross-Refs: John 13:34–35; Matthew 5:44.
Chose: Love one another.
“Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.” (1 John 4:11)
Cross-Refs: Ephesians 5:1–2; Colossians 3:14.
Endured: Misunderstanding, betrayal, cost of sacrificial love.
“This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters.” (1 John 3:16)
Cross-Refs: John 15:13; Galatians 6:2.
Why: Because God is love.
“God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in them.” (1 John 4:16)
Cross-Refs: Romans 5:5; 1 Corinthians 13:7.
Result: Boldness on the day of judgment.
“This is how love is made complete among us so that we will have confidence on the day of judgment.” (1 John 4:17)
Cross-Refs: Hebrews 4:16; Jude 24.
Warning Against Antichrists (Negative Example)
Category: Failure of endurance in truth
Could avoid: Leave fellowship and deny Christ.
“Who is the liar? It is whoever denies that Jesus is the Christ. Such a person is the antichrist.” (1 John 2:22)
Cross-Refs: John 8:44; 2 Thessalonians 2:3–4.
Chose (wrongly): To depart from the apostles’ teaching.
“They went out from us, but they did not really belong to us.” (1 John 2:19)
Cross-Refs: Matthew 24:10–12; Jude 4.
Endured: Darkness, deception, loss of truth.
“The one who says, ‘I know him,’ but does not do what he commands is a liar.” (1 John 2:4)
Cross-Refs: 2 Peter 2:20–21; 1 Timothy 4:1.
Why (wrongly): Loved the world instead of God.
“Do not love the world or anything in the world.” (1 John 2:15)
Cross-Refs: James 4:4; Matthew 6:24.
Result: Judgment, not eternal life.
“The world and its desires pass away, but whoever does the will of God lives forever.” (1 John 2:17)
Cross-Refs: John 3:36; Revelation 21:8.
Christian Endurance (Theological Theme)
Category: Endurance in abiding in Christ
Could avoid: Drift, fall into sin, believe lies.
“See that what you have heard from the beginning remains in you.” (1 John 2:24)
Cross-Refs: Colossians 1:23; Hebrews 2:1.
Chose: Abide in Him and His anointing.
“As for you, the anointing you received from him remains in you.” (1 John 2:27)
Cross-Refs: John 15:4–5; Romans 8:9.
Endured: Temptation, deception, worldly hostility.
“The one who does what is right is righteous, just as he is righteous.” (1 John 3:7)
Cross-Refs: Matthew 7:24; Galatians 6:9.
Why: To remain in fellowship with God.
“And now, dear children, continue in him, so that when he appears we may be confident and unashamed before him at his coming.” (1 John 2:28)
Cross-Refs: Philippians 1:6; 1 Thessalonians 5:23.
Result: Eternal life through the Son.
“And this is the testimony: God has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son.” (1 John 5:11)
Cross-Refs: John 3:16; 1 Peter 1:4.