The Pulpit Commentary — 1 John — Section 154

hope? 3. From exporience. There aro times, even with those who usually livo in the sunshine of God's love, when their joys seem clouded over. It may be asked-What are the causes of this uncertainty? They are various. Probably no two cases am exactly alike; but, among others, we snggest (1) lack of intelligence; (2) mistaken &elf-probing, which often causes men to miss that which they are seeking for; (3) ill health, when the nervous_ system is out of order; (4) decline in communion with God; (6) natural excess of caut10n. But whatever the cause may be- III. SUCH IGNORANCE OF OUR REAL POSITION 18 MOST UNDESIRABLE. 1. It seriousl,:r hinclors spiritual joy. Who can glory in the hope of heaven when he cannot tell whether he is an hair of its bliss? 2. It dishonours God; for it casts reflection on the complete- ness of his provision for his children's peace, when believers seem as if they never knew whether they were children of God or no. 3. It cripples their advocacy or the canse of God. How unattractive the invitation to believe in Christ will seem when it comes from one who is moaning and groaning, instead of singing the songs of Zion! 4. It will seriously interfere with their progress. Men cannot walk fast if their legs are like lead rather than like cork. IV. THE TEACHING OF GoD'S WORD IS INTENDED AND ADAPTED TO REMOVE THAT IGNORANCE. 1. '!'here are four things clearly unfolded concerning the lifo eternal. (1) That it is the gift of God. (2) That it belongs to those who are Christ's. (3) That the life is a present possession (cf. Epb. ii. 6). (4) That there are distinctive signs and marks of the life (cf. eh. iii. 14; ii. 29; ver. 1)--even faith, righteousness, love; where these are, the man is born of God and has the eternal life. 2. By the careful and candid application to his own case of these four lines of teaching, a man may come to a distinct and decisive conclusion as to his possession of eternal life. For, be it ever remembered, this eternal life is not to be regarded as something which is to commence in the next state of being, but as something already possessed, to be tested and verified now, as a blessed possession over which death will have no power. lNFEnENOEB. 1. It is no virtue to be the subject of "doubts and fears." 2. If we are uncertain, or if we remain in uncertainty as to our having this greatest of all boons, it is time that we (1) restudied the Word of God to see the condition on which eternal life is ~ranted, and then re-examined ourselves to- see if we have fulfilled that condition; and (2) that we restudied the Word of God to see what are the invariable marks of that life, and then re-examined ourselves to see if we bear those marks. 3. Our religious life has not blossomed into its full beauty until we are perfectly at home in the love of God in Christ, and move as freely and step as firmly there as children in their Father·s house, so that the question "whether we are children," or "whether we are at home," never comes up at all. A loving confidence never to be disturbed-this, oh! this is "knowing that we have the eternal life," Vere. 14, 15.-lAoerty and prevalence in prayer. Connecting link: The knowledge that we have eternal life is, in fact, a coming to feel perfectly at home in the redeeming love of God in Christ Jesus. Where this is the case, confidence, freedom of speech, is enjoyed towards God; and this holy freedom will find expression in prayer. The thought uttered here by the apostle is nearly akin to that in eh. iii. 22 (see homily on eh. iii. 19-22). There are, however, one or two not uninteresting points of detail Jl0Culiar to these verses, which will suggest a very brief homiletic outline. Topic- Liberty and success in prayer. !. ONE OF THE PRIVILEGES OF KNOWING THAT WE HAVE ETERNAL LIFE IS FREEDOM IN PRAYER. (See closing sentences of preceding homily.) Tbe word 1rrip~11uia, as remarked in homilies on eh. ii. 24, 28; iii.19-22; iv. 17, 18, is equivalent to" freedom of speech." If we know that we have eternal !He, we shall h:ive unreserved openness in communin11: with our God. The relation between the knowledge and th:it freedom is clear. 1. Knowing thereby that we are the sons of God, we can speak freely to the Father. 2. Knowing that we are redeemed and saved, we can be at entire liberty in communing with our Saviour. 3. Knowing that we are "alive unto God," we can breathe out that life towards its Giver and Sustainer. JI. ONE FORM OF PRAYER WILL BE "MAKING REQUEST UNTO Goo." 1 'Edv n (rihw,.,6ri). "One form," we say, and that advisedly. For the outbreathing of love and desire tu 1 Bee Trench's 'New Test. Synonyms:' 1rpoueux11, 8i71,ns, c,J,-111'", lpw,-a.11.  152 THE FIRST EPIST~ GENERAL OF JOUN, [art, v.1-21.