The Pulpit Commentary — 1 John — Section 62

They had received this Word, and it was prized by them; they retained it as a treasure (cf. Pe. cxix. 162). It dwelt within them (1) as an illuminating force (cf. Ps. xix. 7, 8; cxix. 105, 130; Prov. vi. 23); (2) as a regulative force (cf. Ps. xxxvii. 31; cxix. 1-11, 101). 3. The attainment of spiritual victory. '' Ye bave overcome the evil one," ,.e, Sntnn. He is the wicked one," because the first in wickedness, because most indus- triously wicked, and because most obstinate and persevering in wickedness." St. John cannot mean that the young men had completely and finally vanquished Satan. He does not so readily accept and submit to defeat, but renews his attacks again and again. '!'he apostle writes of the victory achieved in conversion. 'fhere is a sense in which all who have become new creature~ in Christ Jesus are already conquerors of the wicked one. 'l'hcy are "delivered out of the power of darkness, and translated into the kingdom of the S,-n of his love" (Col. i. 13; and cf. eh. v. 18). As Alford says," Whatever conflict remains for them afterwarde, is with a baffled and conquered enemy." IV. AN EXPEllIENCE APPROPRIATE TO MATURE MANHOOD. "I have written nnto you, fathers, because ye know him which is from the beginning," i.e. Jesus Christ (cf. eh. i. 1). The appropriate occupation of age is not conflict, but contemplation; not stormy strife, but serene meditation; to penetrate more deeply into the heart of truth, to get clearer and deeper visions of the Eternal and the Divine, to know more and more of Jesus Christ, and of God in Christ. Maturity in the knowledge of Christ is becoming in Christian fathers. "The whole sum of Christian ripeness and experience is this know- ledge of' thee the only true God, and him whom thou didst send, even Jesus Christ.'" Let each of these classes addressed by St. John seek to realize its own appropriate experience.-,v. J. Vers. 15-17.-.An apostolic proMbition, and the reason thereof. "Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world," etc. The text is not addressed to either of the three previously mentioned classes in particular, but to all the apostle's readers. Genuine Christians need to guard themselves against love of the world. The worlrlly spirit is about us, it pervades much of society, it is active and vigorous; and within us there is a residue of the old worldly and sinful nature. By reason of these things even a true Christian is in danger of loving the world. Notice- J. THE ArOsTOLIC PROHIBITION, " Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world." 1. The world is not the material universe. This is a creation of God, and it vividly illustrates some of his infinite perfections. "The heavens declare the glory of God," etc. (Ps. xili:. 1-6). The light is the garment in which he robes himself (Ps. civ. 2). The fertility of the earth is an illustration of his bounty and beneficence. A divinely inspired poet, having surveyed the creations of God, exclaimed, "0 Lord, how manifold are thy works! in wisdom hast thou made them all: the earth is full of thy riches." We read, "The Lord shall rejoice in his works." There is in nature endless significance for our instruction, much that is vast and sublime to awe us, much that is beautiful to delight us, much that is bountiful to supply our needs, and much to lead our thoughts to God. There is a sense in which we may love this beautiful creation, and with all the more of warmth because our Father made it and sustains it. 2. The world is not the world of men as such, or mankind. It is not the world of John iii. 16, "God so loved the world," etc. With the love of benevolence and pity God loved the world o.f sinful men. And we should cherish feelings of kindness and pity for those who do not yet know Jesus Christ- should love them as God loved tbe world. 3. The world here is the world of sinners as distinguished from those that are triie Christians, or, as Ebrard e:i:presses it," unchris- tian humanity." By "the world" St. John does not mean the material, but the moral world, the heathen world. In his view, as Dr. Culross says, "the world is in sin. Its sinful condition is variously represented. It is in darkness; it knows not God; it finds his commandments grievous; it lies in wickedness; it is in death-not merely exposed to it ns a penalty, but in it as a condition. The 'things' of it are such as these-' the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life.' . . . The 'world' of John's day we know, as to its actual condition, from other sources. Let any one turn over the pages of Tacitus, Juvenal, Martial, or Persius, with their often- unconscious disclosures of prevailing licentiousness and cruelty ; and wbat he: learns will put• colour' into John's outlines. The same worlu-at heart-we still find in the  58 THE FIRST EPISTLE GENERAL OF JOHN. [en. n. 1-29.