Watchman Nee, in his book What Shall This Man Do?, calls the apostle John “John the Mender,” the Apostle whose mission it is to call believers back to the strong foundational faith which they had from the beginning. In such a role John writes this first epistle to believers who were struggling with their relationships―both with God and with other Christians. They were finding it difficult to love one another, and they were plagued by false teachers who subtly fed their disaffections by implying that they could be “right with God” and ignore the tiresome clamor of brothers in need around them. This is an old problem among believers. Isaiah, in chapter 58 of his prophecy, attempted to snap the Israelites to attention, calling them away from empty religious forms which served only to bolster their own egos toward the reality of true worship; that of loosening the bonds of the oppressed. Worship of God, true worship, has to begin with a relationship with God―and this John’s readers had. But if that relationship does not issue in fellowship with others who have the same relationship, then something is wrong. This is the issue John addresses in this letter. What are the obstacles to fellowship, and how can we deal with them effectively?

(Ray C. Stedman, Expository Studies in 1 John: Life by the Son, Waco, Texas: Word Books, From Preface, 7)