The Pulpit Commentary — 1 John — Section 171

2. By 011r e011scious11ess of our filial disposition toward God. \Ve have "received tho ~pirit of ndopt-ion, whereby we cry, Abba, Father." Onr own hearts assure us thnt wo trust, and love and reverence our heavenly Father. Thus" we lmow that we are of God." 3. By the contra,st between ourselves and the ,mchi·i.~tian 'world. "The whole ,rnrld lieth in the 'l\'icked one." We have already endeavoured to indicate the character of" the world" of which St. John writes.1 "Concerning the world, he says, not merely that it is of the wicked one, or has him for a father, and bears his nature, but also that it 'lies in him,' that is, lies in his bosom, . . . like an infant on the bosom of a mother or a fa~her, which is absolutely given up to its parent's power" (Ebrard). The true Cbrishan knows that be is not in such a condition, but in a. decidedly opposite one-thnt be "abides in the Son, and in the Father" ( eh. ii. 24). III. Trrn KNOWLEDGE OF A TRANSCENDENT FACT, AND OF GREAT PERSONAL DENEFI'rs DEnrvED THROUGH THAT FACT. "And we know that the Son of God is come, and bath given us an understanding, that we know him that is true," etc. Here are four points which require our attention. 1. That the Son of God came into our world. "We know that the Son of God is come." (This great fact has already engaged our atten- tion in our homily on eh. iv. 9-11, and the apostle's assurance of it in that on eh. iv. 14.) 2. That th'3 Son of God hath given to us spiritual discernment that we might know God. " And bath given us an understanding, that we know him that is true." This does not mean that he has given to us any new faculty, but that he has brought our spiritual faculties into a right condition for the apprehension of the Divine Being. "As Christ has come (in the sense of eh. iv. 9)," says Ebrard, "and through this act of love has kindled love inns (eh. iv. 10), thus communicating his nature to us, he has furnished us with the understanding necessary in order that we may know God; For God is, according to eh. i 5 and iv. 8, Light and Love; and only he who is penetrated by bis light, and kindled by his love, can know him." God was not the Unknowabl& to St. John. He knew him through the revelation of Jesus Christ, by the conscious realization of his presence with his Spirit, and by hallowed communion with him. 3. That we are in vital union with God and with his Son Jesus Ghrist. "We are in him that is true, even in his Son Jesus Christ." (We have already considered what it is to be in God, in onr homily on eh. ii. 6.) The true Christian is in God the Father through being in Christ the Son. He is in the Father through the mediation of the Son. 4. That th'3 Son of God is truly and properly Divine. " 'l'his is the true God, and eternal life" (cf. vers. 11-13). Let us seek to realize the exalted and blessed knowledge which we have been con- sidering. And if it be already ours, let us endeavour to possess it in clearer light an(l fuller measure. "Then shall we know, if we follow on to know the Lord."-W. J. Ver. 21.-Silf-g'll.lLrclianship against Uolatry. '' Little children, keep yourselves from idols." The connection of this verse with the preceding seems to be in the antitheRis between the•• true God" and" idols." Loyalty to the" true God" demands separ~ ion from all false gods. Notice- I. THE AFFECTIONATE APPELLATION BY WHICH THE APOSTLE ADDRESSES ms READERS. "Little children." "He parts from them with his warmest and most affectionate word of address." This form of address suggests : 1. TM 1piritual paternity of the apostle. Probably many of those to whom he was writing were his children in the Lord, begotten by his ministry-by bis preaching, his prayers, and his faith. Very tender and sacred is this relationship ( cf. eh. ii. 1; 1 Cor. iv. 14, 15; Gal. iv. 19; l'hilem. 10). 2. The spirit1J,(J,l ajfedion of the apostle. This is delicately yet clearly indicated by the uso of the diminutive. 3. Tlw spiritual authority of the apostle. His relation to them, bis affection for them, and his large and ripe experience, combined to inve~t him ~ith sacred and commanding influence. And, as" little children," his readers needed gmdance, o.nd owed to him obedience. II. THE IMPORTANT EXHORTATION WHICH THE APOSTLE ADDRESSES TO ms REA.DEUS. "Keep yourselves from idols." Consider: 1. Tiu: nature of the sin to be guarded against. Idolatry. Originally it seems to have comprised two things: (1) the attempt· to represent the Divine Being by visible and material forms; (2) tho offering to th_ese foIID6 the worship which belongs only to God. Some are in danger to-day of falling 1 See our homily on eh. ii. lS-17, NT. v. 1-21.] THE: FinsT EPISTLE GmNERAL OF JOHN.