1 John 1:1 The Word of Life. St. John sets forth in his writings no theory of life. He cannot, or does not, formulate his conception of it into a system; he simply feels a power, not of death, but of life, working in his own soul. He is sure there is nothing in the world or beyond the world that c... [ Continue Reading ]
1 John 1:1 The Ground of Christian Ethics. I. St. John begins with speaking of that which he saw, and heard, and handled. Those who read his letter could have no doubt that he was referring to the time when he saw the face of Jesus Christ, when he heard His discourses, when he grasped His hand, wh... [ Continue Reading ]
1 John 1:3 The Doctrine and Fellowship of the Apostles. I. As to the knowledge: "That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you" that which we have seen and heard of the "Word of life" "the Life" which "was manifested," that Eternal Life which was with the Father, and "was manifested unto us... [ Continue Reading ]
1 John 1:4 The Joy of the Lord and its Fulness. I. Joy, as it is commonly understood and exemplified among men, is a tumultuous feeling, a quick and lively passion or emotion, blazing up for the most part upon some sudden prosperous surprise and apt to subside into cold indifference, if not someth... [ Continue Reading ]
1 John 1:5 I. A part of the teaching of the words, "God is light," is to show that we cannot see God. You cannot see "light." You see things by the light. You may in a certain sense see "light" reflected; but you cannot see "light" Its very lustre prevents you looking at it; by its nature it protect... [ Continue Reading ]
1 John 1:5 I. The form of the announcement in the fifth verse is very peculiar: "This then is the message which we have heard of Him, and declare unto you." It is not a discovery which we make concerning God. It is an authentic and authoritative communication to us from Himself. The message is twof... [ Continue Reading ]
1 John 1:6 Light and Darkness: Sin and Purification. I. The expressions, "light" and "darkness," were wonderfully suitable for those to whom St. John wrote. The Ephesians had paid a special worship to Artemis or Diana. They connected her with the moon, the night ruler. They had paid a worship, in c... [ Continue Reading ]
1 John 1:8 I. The Apostle declares that the imagination of our sinlessness is an inward lie. The particular causes of this delusion will vary with every variety of individual character. Every temptation that occupies, and by occupying excludes all other occupants, may claim its share in the perpetu... [ Continue Reading ]
1 John 1:8 Divine Justice and Pardon Reconciled. There are two extreme tendencies in human sentiment respecting God from which a devout and thoughtful heart shrinks with equal repugnance: a religion which begins with fear and a religion which ends without it. On the one hand is the passionate fait... [ Continue Reading ]
1 John 1:8 I. "If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us." It is not deliberate falseness that we are here warned against, but a far more subtle form of falsehood, and one more apt easily to beset us as believers even when most seriously and earnestly bent on ... [ Continue Reading ]