Our apostle having in the last verse of the foregoing chapter mentioned the abiding of the spirit of God in the souls of believers, lest the Christians to whom he wrote should be deceived by such as might pretend to be acted by the Spirit, when indeed they were not; he comes in this chapter to cauti... [ Continue Reading ]
In these words our apostle lays down. plain mark and rule of trial, how they might know. teacher that was acted and inspired by the Spirit of God, from one that was not; such. one as durst truly and openly in the face of danger own and profess, teach and preach, Jesus Christ in his person, nature, a... [ Continue Reading ]
Observe here, 1. character and description given of these Christians to whom our apostle writes. He tells them they were of. nobler descent, of. more excellent pedigree, and higher offspring, than their false teachers; YE ARE OF GOD, regenerated by the Spirit of God, quickened by his renovation, led... [ Continue Reading ]
Here we have, 1. The character given of these seducers and false teachers, THEY ARE OF THE WORLD; that is, men of worldly minds and interests, THEY SPEAK OF THE WORLD; that is, they preach. doctrine suitable to the lusts and inclinations of worldly men, who greedily hear them, and easily believe the... [ Continue Reading ]
Our apostle here resumes his exhortation to brotherly love, and urges and reinforces it with fresh arguments. 1. He assures us, that LOVE IS GOD; that is, the fruit of his good spirit in us; common love is his common gift, and holy love is his special grace: LOVE IS OF GOD. 2. It is an evidence th... [ Continue Reading ]
Observe, 1. That God doth not only bestow love upon his people, but it is good pleasure to manifest that love. QUEST. Wherein has God manifested his love towards us? ANS. 1. In our creation, making us out of nothing in such. wonderful manner; our bodies curiously wrought as with. needle, our souls... [ Continue Reading ]
HEREIN IS LOVE; that is, the clearest, the fullest, the highest expression of free and undeserved love that ever the world was acquainted with. Observe, That the wisdom and power of God did not act to the utmost of their efficacy in the work of creation; he could have framed. more glorious world ha... [ Continue Reading ]
Observe, 1. The genuine inference which our apostle draws from the doctrine laid down concerning the greatness of God's love to us; namely, "that seeing God so loved us, we should love one another, and be like him according to our measure, and in our degree." Observe next, The apostle's argument to... [ Continue Reading ]
As if the apostle had said, "Though no man hath seen God at any time, yet the apostles, who preach the doctrine of faith unto you, and press the duty of love upon you, have seen with our bodily eyes the Lord Jesus Christ, and do testify, that God the Father glorified his love, by sending his Son to... [ Continue Reading ]
Still our apostle proceeds by way of argument to enforce upon us the obligation of our duty to love one another; he assures us here, that if our love BE MADE PERFECT, that is, heightened and improved by an exact corresponding with the divine pattern and precept; if we love one another in obedience t... [ Continue Reading ]
There is. double reading of these words according to the original. 1. They may be read, let us love him because he first loved us, by way of motive, denoting, that believers have great reason to love God with their choicest and highest affections, forasmuch as he has loved them, and first loved the... [ Continue Reading ]
Our apostle in these words prevents an objection. Some might be ready to say, "Who is it that doth not love God? is there any that live who doth not love him?" The apostle replies, That whosoever says he loves God, and yet hateth his brother, is plainly. liar; for it is impossible truly to love God,... [ Continue Reading ]
THIS COMMANDMENT; this great and chief commandment, above the rest, this summary and comprehensive commandment, including all the rest, namely, to love God above all, for his own sake, and to love our brother as ourselves, for God's sake, this command, so full of wisdom, so agreeable to right reason... [ Continue Reading ]