The Pulpit Commentary — 1 John — Section 149

of God will meet 11nd overcome them. They will overcome its errors, itA glare, it.~ el!Ucements, its threats, its unbelief, its /•,'iotrecl, its opposition, its persecution. They will overcome by powerful argument, by lioly living, by sturdy resistance, by faithful testimony. "By the Word of truth, by the power of God." They will maintain the fight earnestly, fearlessly, joyously, persistently, even to the end; and they will " Win the day, Though death and hell obstruct the way." And all-e.11 through the unconquerable might imparted by him in whom they believe- Jesus the Son of God I What a glorious series of continuous victories over the world have our eighteen Christian centuries witnessed 11 How great a chapter, like to the eleventh in the Epistle to the Hebrews, might be compiled from the histories of God's faithful ones, who have overcome by the blood of the Lamb and by the Word of bis testimony ; for they loved not their lives unto the death I III. THIB VICTORY OVER THE WORLD 19 WON ONLY BY BELIEVERS IN JESUS CHRIST. (Ver. 5.) "Who . . . but." Those who are not in Christ are still in the world; hence they cannot even fight against it, much less overcome it! Apart from Christ's light, men's vision is bounded by things seen and temporal; apart from Christ's life, their pursuits are entirely of the earth, earthy; apart from Christ's love, their aims are all for self-" They tum every one to his own way." Hence the world is ever conquering them, and will make them first its tools, then its slaves, and at last its victims. Note: Three matters are suggested here for pungent and powerful application. 1. If these things be so, then whoever casts away the doctrine that Jesus is the Son of God leaves himself helpless in life's struggle. 2. It is only by a living faith in ,Jesus that we receive power to carry on the struggle. A mental adhesion to the doctrine only will not suffice. A living cling to the Person is needed. 3. We see the purpose intended to be secured by religion, viz. a victory over all that is false and wrong. Vers. 6-9.-2'ie Divine witness objectively given. Connecting linlc: If the victory over the world can be secured only by those who believe that Jesus is the Son of God, then it is of vast importance that the Divine testimony to him should be unmistakably clear to the upright. As if this or some such thought had been suggested to his mind while writing, the apostle proceeds, in one of bis most striking passages (one of the most striking paragraphs, indeed, in the New Testament), to show, first, that the testi- mony of God concerning his Son iB objectively given (vers. 6-9), and then that it is subjectively proven and confirmed (vers. 9-12). To each of these topics we must devote our attention. Topic-God's three witnesses to his Son. The student is specially requested here to compare the Authorized Version with the Revised Version. We follow, in this homily, the Revisers' Greek text. This passage has an intense charm for us. It is so maBifestly the echo of words which the apostle had heard from his Master's lips (John v. 32-39), together with such addition as the facts consequent on our Lord's death and resurrection had enabled the apostle to furnish. As hearing on the Christian evidences the paragraph is unique. It is of infinite value, and deserves more elaborate exposition than, so far as we know, it has ever yet received. I. THE KNOWLEDGE THAT JESUS 1B TIIE SoN OF Goo COMES TO UB THROUGH TESTI- MONY. We gain some knowledge through the senses; other knowledge through mental observation; some through experience; some through reasoning. Knowledge of neces- sary truth may be gained by intuition, or by reasoning. Knowledge of contingent truth, i.e. of truth that is dependent on the will of another, can be gained only as we have information concerning that will. Such information is ordinarily gained, and in some cases exclusively, by testimony. The whole of the gospel message comes to us in this way, by testimony (cf. 1 Cor. ii. 1). An inquiry into the laws of trustworthy testimony will disclose the fact that the evidence on which we should feel bound to receive the testimony of men is far exceeded by the evidence for the testimony of God (sec homily on vers. 9, 10). JI, 'fHERE ARE THREE HISTORIO INOIDENTB BEARING ON THE TESTIMONY THAT JESUS 18 'l'HE SoN OF Gon. "'!'here are three that bear witness: the Spirit, the water, and the 1 See Hiue's 'Viotory of Faith.' I, JOHN. L 146 THE FIRST EPISTLE GENEilAL OF JOHN. [on. v. 1-21,