Which heresy does 1 John address?

• A. Docetism
• B. Arianism
• C. Gnosticism
• D. Marcionism

Answer: (C)

Gnosticism is the influence John is wrestling with, because the letter targets a group claiming special knowledge that supposedly sets them apart while denying the full reality of Jesus and how believers should live. John emphasizes that true knowledge shows itself in loving God and keeping his commandments, and that Jesus truly came in the flesh. Those who deny Jesus’ humanity or treat knowledge as a secret passport to spiritual superiority are identified as the opponents of the faith. So, while Docetism is a related idea (the notion that Jesus merely appeared human), the broader challenge John meets is the Gnostic tendency to equate elite knowledge with truth while undermining the reality of Christ and ethical living. Arianism and Marcionism come from later centuries and aren’t the focus of this writing.