The PDF version of First Epistle of John – Outline highlights the epistle’s literary-rhetorical features / reassurances:

• Prologue , 1.1-4
  “. . . so that you too may have fellowship with us . . . that our joy may be made complete.”
• The message introduced, 1.5–2.27
  “the one who says . . .”
  • Introduction, 1.5
    “God is light. . .”
  • Argument, 1.6–2.25
    “if we walk in the darkness . . . if we walk in the light. . .”
    • Test 1: Sin, 1.6-10
      “if we say . . . if we say . . . if we say . . .”
    • Reassurance, 2.1-2
      “if anyone sins . . .”
    • Test 2: Obedience, 2.3-6
      “the one who says . . . the one who says . . .”
    • Reassurance, 2.7-8
      “a new commandment . . . which is true in Him and in you . . .”
    • Test 3: Love, 2.9-11
      “the one who says . . .”
    • Reassurance, 2.12-14
      “your sins have been forgiven you . . .”
    • [A warning, 2.15-17
      “Do not love the world . . .”]
    • Test 4: Truth, 2.18-27
      • Statement, 2.18-20
        “many antichrists have appeared . . . they went out from us . . .”
      • Reassurance, 2.21
        “you know the truth . . .”
      • Test, 2.22-23
        “the one who denies . . . whoever denies . . .”
      • Reassurance, 2.24-25
        “you have eternal life . . .”
      • Conclusion, 2.26-27
        “His anointing teaches you all things . . .”
• The message explained, 2.28–4.6
  “everyone who . . .”
  • Introduction, 2.28-29
    “He is righteous . . .”
  • Argument, 3.1–4.6
    “the children of God . . . children of the devil . . .”
  • Reassurance, 3.1-3
    “we are the children of God . . .”
    • Tension 1: Righteousness, 3.4-10
      • Explanation, 3.4-8
        “everyone who . . . no one who . . . no one who . . . the one who . . . the one who . . .”
      • Reassurance, 3.9
        “No one who is born of God practices sin . . .”
      • Conclusion, 3.10
        “the children of God and the children of the devil are obvious . . .”
    • Tension 2: Love, 3.11-24
      • Explanation, 3.11-18
        “everyone who . . .”
      • Reassurance, 3.19-22
        “we are of the truth . . .”
      • Conclusion, 3.23-24
        “love one another, just as He commanded us.”
    • Tension 3: Truth, 4.1-6
      • Explanation, 4.1-3
        “every spirit . . . every spirit . . .” Reassurance, 4.4
        “you are from God, little children, and have overcome them . . .”
      • Conclusion, 4.5-6
        “he who knows God listens to us . . .”
• The message summarized, 4.7–5.12
  “everyone who . . .”
  • Introduction, 4.7-8
    “God is love.”
  • Argument, 4.9–5.12
    “For whatever is born of God overcomes the world . . .”
    • Tenet 1: Love, 4.9-21
      • Statement, 4.9-14
        “He loved us and sent us His Son . . .”
      • Reassurance, 4.15-18
        “we may have confidence in the Day of Judgment . . .”
      • Conclusion, 4.19-21
        “the one who loves God should love his brother also.”
    • Tenet 2: Truth, 5.1-12
      • Statement, 5.1-4
        “Whoever believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God . . .”
      • Reassurance, 5.5-10
        “the one who believes in the Son of God has the testimony in himself . . .”
      • Conclusion, 5.11-12
        “He who has the Son has the life . . .”
• Concluding remarks, 5.13-21