The Pulpit Commentary — 1 John — Section 56

authority of the apostle. Jlis fatherly n·lation to them, his trn,kr affection for them, and his venernblo age comLine to invest his words with authority. Our text teaches- I. 'fIIAT TIIE GOSPEL OF JESUS CHRIST DISCOURAGES SIN, "These thirws write I unto you, that yo sin not." The '' these things" are the statements made i;; eh. i. 6-10. 'l'he fact that sin exists even in the Christian is there affirmed, and gracioll3 provision for the forgiveness of sin and for the sanctification of the believer is set forth. And now, in order that no one by reason of these things should look upon sin aR inevitable, or regard it with tolerance, or fail to battle against it, St. John writes, "These things write I unto yon, that yo sin not." St. Paul guards against the same misuse of the provisions of the rich grace of God thus: "Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? God forbid" (l!um. vi. 1, 2). 'That the provisions of Divine grace for the pardon of sin afford no encouragement to its commission is proYed by: 1. The o~ject of Ohrist's mediatorial work. 'l'o "save his people from their sins." "Jfo appe>tred to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself" (cf. Eph. i. 4; ii. 10; v. 25-27; 'l'itus ii. 14). 2. The cost of Christ's mediatorial work. 'The great price at which pa1don and salvation were renderrd possible should powerfully deter from tbc practice of sin. "God spared not his own Son," etc.; "Ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, . . . but with the precious blood of Christ," etc. Since redemption from sin is so expensive a process, sin must be not a trifling, but a terrible <evil. 3. The influence of Christ's mediatorial work. The love of God manifested in our Lord and Saviour is fitted to awaken our love to him. Love to God sprir.gs up in the heart of every one who truly believes in Jesus CLrist; and love to God is the mightiLst a;;d most resolute antagonist of sin. II, '!'HAT THE GOSPEL OF JESUS CHRIST RECOGNIZES THE LL!.DILITY OF EVEN GOOD MEN TO SIN, "And if any man sin." 'This liability arises from : 1. Our exposure to temptation. Sometimes wo are confronted by our" adversary the <levil, as a roaring lion." But more frequently are we in daoger by reason of "the wiles of the devil." "Satan fashioneth himself into an angel of light," that be may deceive souls and lead them into sin. We are also assailed by temptations in hum!lll society-temptations which are plausible and appear harmless, but which are full of peril to us. 2. The infirmity of our moral nature. There is that in us which is ready to respond to tempta- tion. Thus temptations which appeal to our seusual appelites sometimes prove too strong for our spiritual principles, the sensual in us not being in complete subjection to the spiritual. Temptations which promise present pleasure or profit, but involve the risk of some of our most precious interests in the future, are somet.imes successful because of defective spiritual perception or of moral weakness. This liability to sin is confirmed (1) by the history of good men, e.g. Noah, Abraham, Moses, Aaron, David, Peter; (2) by our own experience. Ill. 'l'HE GOSPEL OF JESUS CHRIST ANNOUNCES GRACIOUS PROVISION TO MEET THE LIADILITY OF GOOD MEN TO SIN. "And if any man sin, we have an Advocate with the Father," etc. 1. Jesus Christ is our Representative with the Father. "\Ve have an Adl'ocate with the Father, Jesus Chrbt the Righteous." 'l.'ho word translated "advocate" means. one who is called to our side; then a Comforter, Helper, Advocate. "Hepre- sentativo" is a word which, perhaps, expresses the meaning here. Jesus Christ "appears before the face of God for us." He stands by us with his face directed towards the face of God the Father, obtaining for us the forgiveness and favour, the stimulus and strength which we need. As Professor Lias puts it, "'\Ve have One who stands by us (ir<&pd), yet looks toward (..-p&s) the Father, and who, one with us and with him, can enable us to do all things through his all-powerful a.id." And he is" righteous." In this he is unlike us. We are unrighteous, and thertfore unfit to appear before the face of God. But he, being perfectly righteous, is fitted to appear before God on our behalf. 2. Jesus Christ is also the Propitiation for our sins. "And he is the Propitiatiou for our sins; an<l not for ours only, but also for the whole "·orld." The primary meaning of" propitiation" was that which appeases or turns away the wrath of the gods from men. But we must take heed that we do not rashly apply the ideas of heathenism as to its aods, to the only living nn<l true, the holy nnd gracious God. So much has been said and ;ritten concerning the propitiation, which seems to us to have no warrant in the ,acred Scriptures, and much that has not been honourable to the holy and ever-blesse~ G~d and J:t'ather, that it is with diffidence that we vtmture upon any remarks concernrng 1t.  52 THE FIRST EPJSTLE GENERAL OF JOHN. [en. n. 1-29.