John repeatedly appeals for love (1 John 2:10; 3:3, 10–24; 4:7–12, 16–21), but he also places a premium on truth—not the wishy-washy opinions that pass for “truth” in our society, but the absolute, eternal truths of God’s Word. For example, John challenges us to “test the spirits” (1 John 4:1) and learn to discern between truth and error (1 John 4:6). He calls for us to avoid sin, which requires that we discern what is sinful (1 John 2:1; 3:4–10). He tells us to distinguish between the things of