The Pulpit Commentary — 1 John — Section 88

the "i_mit&tion of God" (Eph. v. 1) who takes some distinctive part in removing stumbhng:blocks out of the people's way, and in leading them, by the grace of God, to repent of em, t-0 turn to God,_ and to live on the Lord Jesus for power to trend the right ~ay •. Let each one choose bis own department of duty, and be faithful therein, There 1s Yanety enough ~or all. Some may work in the home, some in the school, some in the ~hufe:h, some m t~e state; some on sacred lines, others on secular. But be it in the d1rect1on of re1;11ovmg a bane, or supplying a boon, by means whereof the people may be made happier, ?leai:i,er, purer, kinder, holier, In any or a.II of these a man may prove the love of God m him to be a. practical force, yea., the restorative power of the world! We confess w~ a.re jca.lou~ ~or the honour of our glorious faith. We see men by thousands desertmg the Chnst,an o.'\mp because they think Christianity has nothin" to say to the tempor&l con~ms of working men. We see secularists and others ta.king up such questions, and coming to the front as the working men's benefactors I and all because we Christians have eo much more ground yet to occupy in working out and soh·ing the rncial problems of the age. 1 Oh I let us to the fore at once in God's Name an<l, inspired by everlasting love, let us show to men of every class and calling that ~vhile there_ is not a sin of !Dan against man which the gospel does not condemn, neither 1s there a nght of man which the gospel does not press oa his behalf, when it summons us to be" imitators of him" who la.id down his life to save our race. "V crs. 19-22.-.71.e privileges of Ohristian loyalty. Oonnecting link : The r,,. -rolrrrp with which our present paragraph begins is the connecting link between the material of thil homily and that of the last. It connects the privileges here specified with the duties there enjoined. No verses of the Epistles of John lead us more into the very heart-work of religion than do these; nor are there any the construction of which is so complex, and the ezact meaning thereof less easy to ascertain. We have no space to reproduce here the exegesis of the various clauses. [The reader will turn for that to the Exposition. Westcott's remarks thereon a.re finely discriminating and clear.] We do but give the results of our own anxious study. ThiR we will do by a paraphrase of the four verses, the meaning of which, as we understand them, can be thus expressed : "By means of such a life of self-devotion to man for God's sake, we shall come to know that we are of the troth, and shall be able to cherish a calm persuasion of heart towards him in whose presence we habitually and consciously move. We may, indeed, often be condemned by our own hearts for constantly falling short of our ideal ; still, God is greater than our heart, and knows all things, and can estimate the desire even when the execution is defective. Or if, as may be the case, we cannot reproach ourselves with any conscious divergence from his will. we can tben open our lips freely in our addresses to God; and not only so, but he will open his hands freelv to us, in answer to our prayers, knowing that it is our reverent ea.re and study to obey his commands and to do habitually what will please him." Topic-A life 'If studied loyalty to God is one ef highest privi"Zege. The case supposed here is that a believer carries out his love to God by a self-abandoning devotion to his brother-man. He makes it his reverent concern to obey every precept, and, living ae in the sight of God, habitually aims at being well-pleasing to him. Surely it is not surprising if such have some privileges and enjoyments that others know n0thing of. Not that they are regarded as payments for auy meritorious a.et; that is quite out of the question. They are privileges conferred on one who is stirred by the Spirit of God to a life of devoted and exact obedience to the Father's will What are they ? The apostle specifies six. L A SURE STEP. " We shall know that we are of the truth." It is not possible for the hca,t in loving loyalty to God to doubt if it be the right thing to follow God's commands. Many other points may be doubtful, but not this I II. A RESTFUL HEART. "We shall assure our hearts before him." There will be a holy confidence of uprightness; and the believer knows well that God is not a. hard Master. It is much easier to please God than to please the dearest friend on earth I "The Lord taketb pleasure in them that fear him." 1 See article, 'The Ontea.et Poor,' Contemporary Re'l!iew, December, 1888; also a small bat priceless volume by th.e Rev, :Pr, Paton, M.A.., on' 1'he lnner M;ission of tbe Ohuro!A, 1887. t.li. nt. 1-24.j 'l'trn F1RST EPtSTLE GENEltAL OF ,JOHN.