The apostle introduces this catholic Epistle by a compendious description of the object, nature, and design of the apostolical announcement concerning the Incarnate Word of life. Its object is the Eternal Logos who was manifested as the life; its nature is the testimony of personal witnesses of the... [ Continue Reading ]
_The Message, which is the compendium of Christ's teaching._ 1 John 1:5. AND, resuming the ‘we have heard' in the Introduction, THIS IS THE MESSAGE WHICH WE HAVE HEARD FROM HIM: from ‘His Son Jesus Christ' (1 John 1:3), the ‘Him' being enough if we remember the ‘fellowship' between the Father and t... [ Continue Reading ]
First the apostle announces his message that God is light and only light (1 John 1:5). Then follows (down to chap. 1 John 2:2) a universal statement of the evangelical conditions of fellowship with Him in holiness. In chap. 1 John 2:3-6 the knowledge of God is exhibited as a stimulant to perfect obe... [ Continue Reading ]
_The atoning provision for fellowship in the light of God, viewed generally and with specific reference to the Christian life._ 1 John 1:6-7. IF WE SAY: this is a keyword throughout the section, and marks off the utterly unchristian or antichristian spirit from the perfect opposite which in each ca... [ Continue Reading ]
1 John 1:8-9. IF WE SAY THAT WE HAVE NO SIN, WE DECEIVE OURSELVES, AND THE TRUTH IS NOT IN US. Another ‘if we say,' strictly co-ordinate with the preceding; the phrases here being variations upon those contained in the former, but, after St. John's manner, with some additional points of force. What... [ Continue Reading ]
1 John 1:10. In a third use of the universal. IF WE SAY, the great anti-christian lie is once more repeated, but as usual in a strengthened form, THAT WE HAVE NOT SINNED that we are not in fact sinners, as the result of a life of which sin has been and is the characteristic. WE MAKE HIM A LIAR, AND... [ Continue Reading ]