_HE DESCRIBETH THE PERSON OF CHRIST, IN WHOM WE HAVE ETERNAL LIFE BY A COMMUNION WITH HIM AND GOD THE FATHER: TO WHICH WE MUST ADJOIN HOLINESS OF LIFE, TO TESTIFY THE TRUTH OF THAT OUR COMMUNION AND PROFESSION OF FAITH, AS ALSO TO ASSURE US OF THE FORGIVENESS OF OUR SINS BY CHRIST'S DEATH._ _Anno... [ Continue Reading ]
THAT WHICH WAS FROM THE BEGINNING, &C.— Though _from the beginning_ (απ αρχης), and _in the beginning_ (εν αρχη), as we have it, John 1:1 are somewhat different expressions; yet, as Christ is here styled in the next verse _eternal Life,_ it is natural to take in his _eternal existence,_ corresponden... [ Continue Reading ]
FOR THE LIFE WAS MANIFESTED— Jesus Christ is here called _the Life,_ not only as having life in himself, but as the author of eternal life, or that great and glorious Person, who revealed,and will bestow, that immortal glory and felicity, which was in former ages _comparatively_ concealed in the bre... [ Continue Reading ]
THAT YE ALSO MAY HAVE FELLOWSHIP, &C.— According to the scriptures, every man who, to the best of his power, follows the true doctrines of the apostles, and through grace acts according to their precepts, is entitled to communion with every Christian church wherever he comes: but if any part of the... [ Continue Reading ]
THAT YOUR JOY MAY BE FULL.— "That the divine life may be so improved in your souls, and your meetness for the heavenly inheritance may be so apparent, and so advanced, that your joy may, as far as possible, be fulfilled; and no circumstance which this mortal life will admit, may be wanting to comple... [ Continue Reading ]
IF WE SAY THAT WE HAVE FELLOWSHIP WITH HIM,— By _communion_ with God, St. John means a holy exercise of the Divine presence, walking by faith in the light of his countenance, and an abiding consciousness of his favour, which can be experienced by none but those who lead a holy life. We cannot have c... [ Continue Reading ]
BUT IF WE WALK IN THE LIGHT, &C.— "But if, on the other hand, we walk in the light of holiness, as he himself is ever in the light of it, and surrounded with it as his brightest glory, we have then communion with him, and withone another in him; and though we are indeed conscious to ourselves of man... [ Continue Reading ]
IF WE SAY THAT WE HAVE NO SIN, &C.— Several commentators of note judge that this text has particular reference to the Gnostics: others give it a more general sense, but still as referring solely to the unawakened or unconverted, and having no allusion to the children of God: others, that the first c... [ Continue Reading ]
IF WE CONFESS OUR SINS, &C.— "If, on the other hand, we, under a humbling sense of our imperfections and many disallowed failures, acknowledge our transgressionstotheLord,andconfessthemwithfaithinChrist'spropitiatorysacrifice for the forgiveness of them, he is so true and faithful to his promise to... [ Continue Reading ]
IF WE SAY THAT WE HAVE NOT SINNED, &C.— "If, after all, we assert that we have not transgressed the law of God, so as to need pardon through the Blood, and sanctification by the Spirit of Christ, we, in effect, make God himself a liar; as we therein deny the truth of what he has said in his word, wh... [ Continue Reading ]