“new and improved” version of the gospel. Today we battle against the same kind of heresy—people who say Jesus and his Word are not quite sufficient to meet our needs for truth and faith. Here John warns against those who want to add to the gospel: “I beg you to stick to the original teaching” (1 John 2:24, Phillips). Learning to apply the truth we already have is our real task. QUESTION 1 1. Why do you think the claim of “new and improved” is so appealing—whether in reference to cars, fashions, or