The Pulpit Commentary — 1 John — Section 166

llf tho boliovcr, His intelligence recognizes tho unseen object aB a fact. His he:irt embrncee the object thllil present to the unrlcntn.rnling; his heart opeM instinctively and unhoeit11tiagly to rocoivo n ray of heavenly l_ight. And his will, too, resigns itself to the truth before it; it places the soul nt the cl1sposal of the object which thus rivets its eye 11nd conquers its affections." With a faith like this, the Christian apprehends Jeeue Obrist 11s o. grand, livin~, spiritual, Divine Person, enshrines him in the heart's innermost and holiest temp:o; and offers to him humblest and deepest reverence. Thus the Christian "hnth the Son." 2, Acceptance of his teaching. 'Ihe Christian is intellectually and practic11\ly lol ti tJ th~ 1.~aching of Jesus Christ. In a. very true and important sense Plato may be said to have had Socrates. He had so studied his utterances, so mastered his method, so thoroughly acquainted himself with his views and theories 11nd principles; moreover, he held him in BUch high esteem, regarded him with such reverence, that we may, without exaggeration, say that he possessed Socrates. "We have the mind of Christ." By means of his teaching we have intellectual com- munion with him. His precious utterances, his glorious revelations, we believe ; they are ours. All that he spake we receive as true; so his mind becomes ours; and in this sense we have him. 3. Supreme sympathy with him. He gave himself for us, and in return we give ourselves to him. "We love him, because he first loved us." By reciprocal affection we have him-. This is the trust, completest, highest way in which one person can have another. He by whom I am truly loved, and whom I truly love, is mine indeed. Thus we have the 8on. He dwells in us by his Spirit. His teaching, bis presence, his love, his life, his Spirit, are ours ; himself is ours, inalienably and for ever. St. John frequently represents this relationship to Christ as conditioned simply hyfaith in him (ver. 13 ;-John iii. 14-16, 34). In his vocabulary" faith "is a compre- hensive word. It "is not merely a pcrcaption of the understanding, it is a kindling of the heart; and a resolve of the will; it is, in short, an act of the whole soul, which, by one simultaneous complex movement, sees, feels,.and obeys the truth presented to it." He who thus believes on the Lord Jesus Christ" hath the Son." II. THEY. WHO HOLD Tms RELATIONSHIP ARE POSSESSORS OF THE mGBEST LIFE. "He that hath the Son hath the life-." What are we to understand by " the life" (-r¾,v (o,{w)? 1. Not mere ezistence. The most wicked among men have this. Fallen angels have existed through thousands of years (2 Pet. ii. 4; Jude 6). 'l'o argue for either the perpetuity or the non-perpetuity of existence from the teaching of the apostle concerning "the life•~ is a gross perversion of his teaching. 2. Not mere intellectual life. ,Voltaire, .Byron, et al., possessed this in a high degree; but who would affirm that they had " the Son" and " the life " ? 3. Not mere emotional life. There are many whose sympathies are abundant and active, who sincerely pity the wretched, who have often been moved to tears as they have contemplated the woes of the Man of sorrows, who yet have neither" the Son" nor" the life." The life of which St. John writes is "the new life of God in humanity.". This new life may be viewed as a new reigning affection. By faith in Christ man is regenerated, his ruling love is changed. His deepest and strongest affection is no longer earthly, selfish, or sinful, but heavenly, self-abnegating, holy; ho loves God supremely. He is thus brought into vital and blessed relationship with God. Holy love is lifo. "The mind of the Spirit is life" (Rom. viii. 6). He who has the Son has this life. He has it now, not in its most glorious development, but really and increasingly (Gal. ii. 20). Under the influence of this supreme love to God all the faculties of the spiritual nature advance towards perfection in blessed harmony with his holy will. III. THIS LIFE IS ATTAINABLE ONLY THROUGH CHRIST. "He that hath not the Son of God hath not the life." What is essential· to this life? That man's strongest and deepest love shall be fixed on God. And we have no revelation of God adequate to inspire.this affection save that which is giveu unto us in Jesus Christ. On viewing the life as consisting of the union of the soul of man with God, we affirm that it is only through the medi11tion of Jesus Christ that this union can be effected. Man is estranged from God by sin, "alionated fi-om the life of God," and under condemnation because of sin. "The Son of man has power to forgive sins." "'l'here is no condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus." By the manifestation of the love of God in his life, and especially in his death, be destroys the enmity of the sinful heart, and reconciles mu.n unto God. "When we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of  1(14 THE FIRST EPISTLE GENERAL OF JOHN. [on. v. 1-21.