The Pulpit Commentary — 1 John — Section 53

lo'l'e secnres it! 'l'here are three factors in the making of this life. 1. God, 1md the riches of his lo,·c ~s the sustaining energy of the soul. 2. A nature ripened in holiness, 1wd diwst.cd of 1111 decaying tendencies in its bodily enswathement, as the developed lire of the mu!. 3. A world of undecaying fitness and beauty as the sphere of activity of the soul. N L'W, the first is precisely that which is the delight and the food of the soul cYcn here. Go,l ! God in Christ I The second, so far as concerns the ripening the nature in holiness, is now bci □g secured by the sanctification of the Spirit; and as concerns the freeing of the soul from decaying elements, it is ensured by the body being left behind as a worn-out vesture. The third is revealed as the ensuing outcome of God's plan in preparing a new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness. The work alrca,ly done upon the globe is a prophecy that God is preparing it for somethiog higher. The work already wrought on the soul of the believer is a prediction that it \Yi! I be carried on to completion (1 Cor. ii. 9; Phil. i. 6; eh. iii. I, 2 ; cf. eh. i. 3, in which J ems Christ himself is spoken of as "that Eternal Life," etc.). But the main point non· to be insisted on is this-not ouly that all the elements which go to make up eternal lile are even now in existence and action, but also that the consummation, the perfection, and the perpetuity of the life which now exists in germ and develops in gro1\'th, are all matter of distinct and definite promise; yea, that this is the promise in which all lesser ones arc contained. That we have not to be tantalized with a. "ision of glory, saying, "That is it if it could be attained," but that we may Jive under the inspiration of a promise which says-It is the Father's will that you should be kept from falling, and presented " faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy"! !I. THIS, THE GREATEST OF ALL PROMISES, COMES FROM TIIE GREATEST OF ALL PRoll:IISE!I.S. Not all the conclarns of the wisest philosophers could create or sustain the lowly life of a blade of grass! Yet, somehow or other, there is a promise on record of a gift of lire, of the highest life, to men of all nations, and kindreds, an<l peoples, and tongues, to a great multitude which no man can number; and that that life shall be sustained for ever! Vv ell may the apostle lay stress on the personal pronoun he; for assuredly none but a Divine Being could have the right to make such a promise, for no one but he who is Lord of life conld possibly guarantee its fu!lilmcnt ! The promise, indeed, was first made long before Christ came (Titus i. 2). But in and by the Lord Jesus Christ has it been again vouchsa1ed. 1. Where and how has Christ promised eternal life 1 (Cf. John vi. 37-40, 54; x. 27, 28 ; xi. 26 ; xii. 26 ; xiv. 3, 19; see also John ;i;.vii. 2, 3.) But such l'l'ords as these do not stand alone. Christ bids us "eat his flesh, and drink his blood; " i.e. he gives us himself to Ii ve upon-he nourishes us with his own life. .All his pledges, moreover, were confirmed by his resurrection and ascension. and by the gift of the Holy Ghost, by whom he now imparts aud nourishes the life ,vhich he promises eternally to sustain. 2. What are.the qualificatwns of Ohrist for malcing such a promise as this 1 (1) He has all authority, and therefore may make such a promise (John xvii. 2, 3). (2) He is the Almighty, therefore can fulfil it (Heh. vii. 25; Rev. i. 8). (3) He is himself the Life-giver (1 Cor. xv. 45). (4) He is the Life-sustainer (Heb. L 3). (5) His love leads him to long that his people should be with him (John xvii. 24). (6) His love changes not (John xiii. 1). (7) His being changes not (Heb. xiii. 8). (8) As far as the experience of believers this side the grave informs us, they find that in and by Christ they have alreaJ 1· this very life; and up to the close of his earthly career he proves himself faithful to his OWD (eh. v. 12 (Greek), first part; Gal. ii. 20; 2 Tim. i. 12). Let each of these seven lines of illustration be followed out, and they will provo abundantly ihat Jes11s is a □ d ever will be equal to fulfil the promise he has made. III. ARE THESE THINGS so? Then: 1. Let us see that, since the objective ground of the good hope of the believer is found in the word of promise, there is .iust one point to which the test of validity needs to be applied, viz. the person <f hi"!" who promises. If he is trur, it is! How clear and yet how pure the gronnd on which we stand ! 2. It should never tron ble us to find that neither science nor philosophy can either light us or help us in this matter. We never have looked to them as guides to immortality, and never will. 3. The ground on which the promise is give~ removes all improbability of its fulfilment. "Grace;" "love;" "The riches of his grace;" "Herein is love!" 4. Both objectively and s·.1bjectively, the enjoyment of the first- on. 11. 1-29.] THE I?IRST EPISTLE GENERAL OF JOHN. 49