The letter of John is a letter written by an elder statesman in the Church, (probably the apostle John) encouraging his flock in the face of many difficulties to hold on to things of first importance. The things John teaches have become his habit and practice through long usage. They are habits and disciplines that are transformational if we can acquire them. They form a secret history with practical outworkings

God habits: Confession and forgiveness. Confession is a major spiritual discipline in the Catholic church and perhaps partly in reaction not mainstream in protestant tradition. It’s encouraged biblically by example, in the people first baptised by John (mark 1:5) and in evangelism (Acts 19:18). It’ encouraged not just to be Godward but to one another (James 5:16). John assumes in his letter all sin, and all can be forgiven. 1 John 1:9 Download the discussion notes