Journal: Bibliotheca Sacra
Volume: BSAC 123:491 (Jul 1966)
Article: Hamartiological Problems in First John
Author: W. Robert Cook

BSac 123:491 (Jul 66) p. 249

Hamartiological Problems in First John

W. Robert Cook

[W. Robert Cook, Professor, Biblical Theology, Western Conservative Baptist Theological Seminary, Portland, Oregon.]

Unlike the Gospel of John, which was written with the express purpose of making believers out of its readers (20:30, 31), the First Epistle of John was written to those already believing. This Epistle presumes the life appropriated by faith in the Savior set forth in the Gospel. John’s concern now is that the believer become a fellowshipper (1:3, 4, 6, 7) and then a convinced believer (5:13).1

Since it is addressed to believers, we would expect 1 John to contain positive instructions regarding such family responsibilities as fellowship with the Father and love for the brethren. Likewise, we would also expect a treatment of certain family problems of a more negative nature. The fact is, in the course of writing 1 John, the apostle makes three affirmations of significance for a member of God’s family, each of which in turn raises a serious problem. These three problem areas are readily identifiable following an analysis of the frequency of occurrence of the primary terms for sin in the epistle. By primary terms we have in mind basic theological terms of a general nature, such as “sin” (hamartia, hamartano), “lawlessness” (anomia), and “unrighteousness” (adikia), rather than descriptive terms such as “darkness” or specific sins such as “lie” or “hate.” Note the following distribution of these primary terms:

BSac 123:491 (Jul 66) p. 250