A Study in John's Epistles.

John was called "the disciple whom Jesus loved," and perhaps nowhere in the entire Scriptures do we find a more beautiful embodiment of God's truth on the precious theme of love, than in his writings. John 3:16, in relation to the world, and i John 3:i and 16, toward the saints, are illustrations of this.

John has, then, in a certain sense, become a synonym for affection; but, as is often the case in the things of God, this affection has been considered human rather than divine. We must not forget that the two sons of Zebedee were called Boanerges (sons of thunder) by our Lord Himself, which would not suggest anything weakly amiable. As a matter of fact, the apostle of love sets forth its divine, and not its human, characteristics.

Paul is the apostle of righteousness. This theme permeates many of his epistles, and yet when it comes to a subject like the one we are to consider, it is to John's writings, and not Paul's, that we would turn.

The person of the Son of God is distinctively the theme both of his Gospel and the Epistles. Everything is measured in relation to this, as the value is put upon everything in comparison with this.

Let us, then, glean from the Epistles what teaching we can upon our subject.

I. THE TRUE FELLOWSHIP.

"That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled of the Word of life; (for the life was manifested, and we have seen it, and bear witness, and show unto you that eternal life, which was with the Father and was manifested unto us;) that which we have seen and heard declare we unto you, that ye also may have fellowship with us:and truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with His Son Jesus Christ" (i Jno. 1:1-3).

The eternal life which was with the Father, but which was manifested here, seen and handled as the Word of life, is the basis of all fellowship. It is the knowledge of Him and the Father who hath sent Him, that characterizes eternal life at the present, a life more abundant, as our Lord tells us, because of the divine fulness of the Father and the Son now made known.

Knowing the Son and enjoying holy fellowship with Him and the Father, it is the yearning desire of the apostle to introduce others into this same blessed fellowship and that which characterizes it, light and love, both of which God is. Coming into the light of His holy presence, the precious blood of Christ cleanseth from all sin, and on the basis of a known redemption we enjoy fellowship with the Father and His Son. We are in the sanctuary, partakers of the life which finds its divine expression in the blessed Son of God Himself. Henceforth, everything must be tested by this fellowship. Darkness is seen to be that, in contrast with the light of God's
presence. Evil is judged, whether moral or doctrinal, by the same standard. Truth is that which gives the knowledge of this blessed Person; and error, everything that is not according to it.

2. FALSE TEACHERS.

"Little children, it is the last time; and as ye have heard that Antichrist shall come, even now are there many antichrists; whereby we know that it is the last time. They went out from us because they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would no doubt have continued with us; but they went out, that they might be manifest that they were not all of us." "Who is a liar but he that denieth that Jesus is the Christ ? He is Antichrist that denieth the Father and the Son. Whosoever denieth the Son, the same hath not the Father; but he that acknowledgeth the Son hath the Father also " (i Jno. 2:18, 19, 22, 23).

It will be noticed that it is the little children, not the young men or the fathers, who are warned as to false teachers, showing that the plea, which is often made, that babes in Christ are not to be held accountable for failure to recognize false teachers, is a mistake. It will be noticed also, that these teachers have come in anticipative fulfilment of the prediction of Antichrist. While that wicked one will not be personally developed until the rapture of the Church and the departure of the Holy Spirit with it, yet even now there are many antichrists; that is, embodiments of the mystery of lawlessness which is even now at work. The apostle marks out that which constitutes an antichrist. It is one who denies the Father and the Son; and lest there should be any mistake as to this, he specifies that it is one who denies that Jesus is the Christ, with all that this implies,-His coming in the flesh, His spotlessness, His atoning death, His resurrection, His present place in glory, and future return.

The apostle further specifies that the denial of the Son (whether as the eternal Son of God before all ages, or the Son of God in time, manifested as such "by the Spirit of holiness and resurrection of the dead") means also the denial of the Father. To acknowledge the Son is the only way to have the Father. Thus, it is impossible to separate the two blessed persons of Deity.

How all this strikes at the very root, we need hardly say. There is scarcely a heresy in the past or present (in fact, such a thing would be well nigh impossible) that is not based upon the denial of one or the other of the characteristics which go to make up the Christ of God. A mention of names would hardly make this thought plainer. Wherever the deity or the humanity of the Son of God is denied, His sinlessness, His death, His atoning work, the doom of the ungodly if they reject His atonement, the lost condition of man-we have that character of error which the apostle says marks an antichrist. How many of the systems of the day, unlike the errors of a century ago based largely on infidel reasoning, claim for themselves the authority of the Scriptures ! Therefore it requires that "unction from the Holy One" spoken of in this immediate connection, to discern that which is '' the Spirit of truth, and the spirit of error." We must also notice that this does not refer to what might be called infidelity, which makes no profession of Christianity; but to that which, while bearing the name of Christ, is not true to Him. It refers, thus, to professed Christianity.

3. RIGHTEOUSNESS AND LOVE.

"Whosoever abideth in Him, sinneth not. Whosoever sinneth, hath not seen Him, neither known Him. Little children, let no man deceive you. He that doeth righteousness is righteous even as He is righteous." " In this the children of God are manifest, and the children of the devil. Whosoever doeth not righteousness is not of God, neither he that loveth not his brother. For this is the message that ye heard from the beginning, that we should love one another." "We know that we have passed from death unto life, because we love the brethren. He that loveth not his brother, abideth in death " (i John 3:6, 7, 10, n, 14).

Here is no uncertain sound. The apostle of love has no difficulty in calling things by their right names. He warns against the deception of mere profession. It is the one that doeth righteousness that is righteous. The one who lives in sin is of the devil and partaker of his nature. The one who is born of God is manifested by not sinning. Here the lines are so clear, that, at times, persons have been almost stumbled at what might be called their extreme statements. When we bear in mind that the apostle, dwelling in the atmosphere of the sanctuary where all is light and love, is comparing all things with the infallible standard of Christ and His perfection, we need not be surprised that no mention is made of what is perfectly scriptural in its place,-the two natures in the believer, wandering from God, loss of communion, the dishonoring Him by any of His own. Alas, Scripture, as well as experience, shows us the possibility of these things in a true child of God, but the apostle is not speaking of blemishes upon Christian character, but its full, normal fruits.

It is in this connection that he goes on to speak of love as well as light. One born of God must love his brother, who is also born of God. It is impossible not to do so. Anything else is to be like Cain. To hate one's brother is to be a murderer, and "no murderer hath eternal life abiding in him." How uncompromising, how well nigh harsh are these statements from the apostle of love ! How it shows us that there was no sentimentality in that love ! All was controlled by the presence of God.

4.THE TEST OF FALSE TEACHERS.

"Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits, whether they are of God; because many false prophets are gone out into the world. Hereby know ye the Spirit of God:Every spirit that confesseth Jesus Christ come in the flesh is of God:and every spirit that confesseth not Jesus Christ come in the flesh is not of God:and this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world." "We are of God:he that knoweth God heareth us; he that is not of God heareth not us. Hereby know we the spirit of truth, and the spirit of error " (i Jno. 4:1-3, 6).

Again the faithfulness of divine love is seen in warning beloved saints not to be imposed upon by those who profess to be prophets of God; "spirits," as they are called here, connecting them with the
Satanic power that energizes them. Every spirit is not to be believed. The test is, Is Christ come in the flesh, confessed ? As we have already seen, this does not mean the mere fact of incarnation, though it includes that; but covers all that relates to the person and work of our Lord. Here we have a touchstone which will detect the false and the true – "What think ye of Christ ? " by which one stands or falls. If He is not fully confessed, as we have already been seeing, we are in the presence of a spirit of antichrist. The apostle specifies further in this connection:" We are of God." Doubtless, the apostles themselves are here first of all referred to. " He that is of God heareth us," that is, hears the revelation given by the Holy Ghost through the apostles. "He that is not of God heareth not us." Here, then, we have the test of truth and error. Let it be noticed that we are bound to try the spirits. So far from it being true that we are to take every man upon his profession, as is frequently said, we are bound to do the very opposite. It is sometimes said we should receive all against whom we know nothing. As a matter of fact, we should receive none of whom we do not know positively that they bring the full doctrine of Christ.

'' Thou hast tried them which say they are apostles and are not, and hast found them liars" is said with approval of Ephesus :and the apostle Paul goes further yet in the epistle to the Galatians, where he says:'' Though we or an angel from heaven preach any other gospel than that ye have heard, let him be accursed." Here, then, we have found that the apostle of love has not closed his eyes to the condition of evil all about him. On the contrary, his knowledge of Jesus Christ come in the flesh has enabled him to test everything which is not according to this, and to be exceedingly jealous for the priceless possession entrusted to him and to us. Everything that is not this, is not of God. We shall see in a little while what is to be done with it.

(Concluded in next number.)