The Pulpit Commentary — 1 John — Section 59

Ver. 6.-Christian vroft-Ssion and consequent obli!]ation. "He tlmt saith he abi<loth in him ought himself," etc. I. A rnoFESSION OF CHRISTIAN CHARACTER. "He that aaith he abideth in him," i.e. in God. In the paragraph of which our te.xt ia a part there is a gradation of ideas as to the relat.ion of the Christian to God: to know him; to be in him ; and to abido in him. 1. The Christian is in God by spiritual fellowship. Through Christ the Christian is brought into intimate and hallowed communion with God-he believes his revelation of himself, he endeavours to apprehend his thoughts, he accepts his gracious will, he recei,-:?s his best inspirations from him. Thus he has bis spiritual being in Gou. He deri'-es his inner life of thought, affection, purpose, and power from him. 2. 'l'he Christian is in God by mutual love. "We know and have believed the love which God hnth in us. God is love; and he that abideth in love, abideth in God, and God abideth in him." We may obtain help to the understanding of this by considerina bow our trusted and beloved friends dwell in us and we in them. Distant from us l~cally and corporeally, yet they a.re with us truly and spiritually. How the child dwells in the being, occupies the thoughts and affections, of the loving parent I These are imperfect fig:ures of how the true Christian lives in God the Father through Jesus Christ his Son (cf. John xiv. 20, 21, 23; xv. 4; xvii. 21-23). And to say that we abide in him is to profess fidelity and persever:mce in this exalted and sacred rehLtion. It is a great profession. II. THE CONSEQUENT OBLIGATIO~ OF CHRISTU.N CONDUCT. "Ought himself also to walk eve!1 as he walked." We have here a change in the pronoun, indicating a change of person. The former personal pronouns from eh. i. 5 to this clause point to God the Father; the present one denotes God the Son. The Christian is to walk as he walked. It cannot be said that the eternal God walks. He is ever the same. His being admits of no advancement or progress. Man is said to "walk in the light;" but of God it is said that he "is light," and that "be is iu the light" ( eh. i. 5, 7). But Christ walked this earth as our E=ple. He spake of his life in this world as a walk.: "I must walk to-day, and to-morrow, and the day following" (Luke xiii. 33). He bath left us "an example, that ye should follow his steps" (1 Pet. ii. 21). lt is the moral, not the miraculous, in his life that we are called to imitate-his devotion and reverence, bis truth and righteousness, bis humility and self-sacrifice, his love and holiness. In bis character and conduct we have the clear and complete expression of the will of the Father. To walk as he walked is the obligation of every one who professes to be in God. This includes : 1. Living after th~ example of Christ. " Learn of me; ". " I have given you an example, that ye also should do as I have done to you" (John xiii. 13-15); "Walk in love, even as Christ also loved you," etc. (Eph. v. 1, 2). Let us endeavour to act in our lives as our Saviour and Lord would act if he were in our place. 2. Growing in liheness to Christ. Walking implies advancement. The Divine life in man is a progressive thing. We are summoned to" grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ." "Let us go on unto perfection" (Ileb. vi. 1- 3). In this respect let us copy the example of St. Paul: "I press on, if so be that I may apprehend that for which also I was apprehended by Christ Jesus," etc. (Phil. iii. 12-14). And let us endeavour to prove the reality of our Christian profession by treading in the footsteps of our perfect Exemplar.-W. J. Vers. 9-11.-Living in light and love. "He that saith he is in the light, and hateth his brother," etc. Our text teaches- . L THAT THE EXERCISE OF BROTHERLY LOVE IS AN EVIDENCE OF TIIE CHRISTIAN LIFE, "He that loveth his brother abideth in the light." 'l'o be "in the light" and to "abide in the liabt" is to live a true Christian life, a life in harmony with the light of God. By the~ brother" we are to understand here neither our fellow-man nor our neighbour, but the members of the Christian commuuity, those who by profession are Christian brethren. We say, " by profession," because it is clear that in vers. 9 and 11 persons are spoken of who are profes3edly bi:,t not really Christians. We show that we are i_n the light by our affection for those who arc in the light. "God is Li.gbt" and "God 1s Love ; " if we are sharers in his light we shall al~o be sharers in his love. "A new t:0mmandment I gi~e unto you, that ye love one another; even as I have loved you, that ye also loYe one an<)ther. By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if cm. n. 1-20.J 'l'HE FIRST EPIS'l'LJ.~ GENERAL OF JOHN. 55