DISCOURSE: 2441 BELIEVERS ARE SONS OF GOD 1 John 3:1. _Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God_. RELIGION is altogether a mystery: every part of it is deeply mysterious. The restoration of a fallen soul to God! The means of effecting th... [ Continue Reading ]
DISCOURSE: 2442 THE INESTIMABLE PRIVILEGES OF BELIEVERS 1 John 3:2. _Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is_. OUR Lord was hated, reviled, and persecuted unto deat... [ Continue Reading ]
DISCOURSE: 2443 THE FRUITS AND EFFECTS OF HOPE 1 John 3:3. _Every man that hath this hope in him, purifieth himself, even as he is pure_. THE people of God are but little known to an ungodly world: instead of being considered according to their true character, they are regarded as hypocrites, enthu... [ Continue Reading ]
DISCOURSE: 2444 CHRIST MANIFESTED TO TAKE AWAY SIN 1 John 3:5. _Ye know that he was manifested to take away our sins; and in him is no sin_. AMONGST the numberless advantages which the light of revelation has conferred upon us, one of particular importance is, the strength of the motives which it s... [ Continue Reading ]
DISCOURSE: 2445 THE END OF CHRISTS INCARNATION 1 John 3:8. _For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil_. THE author of this epistle survived all the other Apostles; so that, long before his death, the professed followers of Christ had had ample oppo... [ Continue Reading ]
DISCOURSE: 2446 THE CHRISTIAN’S DELIVERANCE FROM SIN 1 John 3:9. _Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; for his seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God_. MANY mistakes in religion arise from not considering sufficiently the style and manner in which the inspired... [ Continue Reading ]
DISCOURSE: 2447 LOVE OF THE BRETHREN 1 John 3:14. _We know that we have passed from death unto life, because we love the brethren_. LOVE is said to be “the fulfilling of the law:” and it certainly is also the great end of the Gospel. But love is of different kinds: there is a love of benevolence,... [ Continue Reading ]
DISCOURSE: 2448 THE LOVE OF CHRIST A PATTERN FOR US, TO EACH OTHER 1 John 3:16. _Hereby perceive we the love of God, because he laid down his life for us: and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren_. IN contemplating Christianity as a system, we scarcely know whether to admire more, the d... [ Continue Reading ]
DISCOURSE: 2449 NO LOVE TO GOD WITHOUT LOVE TO MAN 1 John 3:17. _Whoso hath this world’s good, and seeth his brother have need, and shutteth up his bowels of compassion from him, how dwelleth the love of God in him?_ UNDER the law there were two great commandments: the first was, to love God with a... [ Continue Reading ]
DISCOURSE: 2450 A GOOD AND EVIL CONSCIENCE 1 John 3:20. _If our heart condemn us, God is greater than our heart, and knoweth all things. Beloved, if our heart condemn us not, then have we confidence toward God_. IN the description given us of the day of judgment, we are informed that the Judge will... [ Continue Reading ]
DISCOURSE: 2451 FAITH IN CHRIST ENJOINED 1 John 3:23. _This is his commandment, That we should believe on the name of his Son Jesus Christ_. SOME Christians, from a mistaken zeal for the Gospel, are ready to associate the idea of _legality_ with the very mention of the term “commandment;” forgettin... [ Continue Reading ]
DISCOURSE: 2452 THE MUTUAL IN-DWELLING OF GOD AND HIS PEOPLE 1 John 3:24. _He that keepeth his commandments dwelleth in him, and he in him. And hereby we know that he abideth in us, by the Spirit which he hath given us_. THERE is, in the Epistles of St. John, a most remarkable simplicity, insomuch... [ Continue Reading ]