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John and the 4th chapter.
About the ninth verse.
First Epistle of John, chapter 4, verse nine. In this was manifested the love of God toward us.
Because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through Him.
Herein is love, not that we love God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sin.
Beloved, if God so loved us, we are also to love one another.
No man has seen God at anytime. If we love one another, God dwelleth in US, and his love is perfected in US. Hereby no way that we dwell in Him and He and us, because He hath given us of his Spirit. And we have seen and do testify that the Father sent the Son to be the Savior of the world. Whosoever shall confess that Jesus is the Son of God?
God dwelleth in him, and he in God, for we have known and believed the love that God hath to us.
God is love, and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him.
Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the Day of Judgment, because as He is, so are we in this world.
There is No Fear in love, but perfect love casteth out fear, because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love.
We love him because he first loved us. If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar. For he that loveth not his brother whom he whom he hath seen, how can he love God, whom he hath not seen? And this commandment have we from him, that he who loveth God love his brother also.
Sometimes helpful to see the order in which things are arranged in scripture because it helps us to keep these things in memory for our comfort and enjoyment.
In this particular portion of this chapter we have three ways, as was expressed this morning, in which the love of God is manifested.
This love that we were Speaking of this morning, and I will just point them out, but I'll say this, that in connection with them, there's a very definite reason given in connection with it.
And the purpose now the first one is the verse that we started with.
The ninth verse, The love of God toward us.
Oh, how precious this truth is as we think of the gospel and how we delight to hear the gospel go out, as we hope tonight, if the Lord could carry in this room the love of God toward us, that's reached out toward us.
And.
The next one is in the 12Th verse.
God dwelleth in US and His love is perfected in US.
Now the following one in the 17th verse.
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There's an alternate translation in the margin that's very helpful in most Bibles.
It's the love of God in the sense that with us or or hearing is love with us made perfect.
And as we said before, there are reasons that we can enjoy in connection with each of these three. The first one is the love of God towards us, because that God sent His only begotten Son into the world that we might live through him.
Our hearts rejoice in this truth.
When we think of the love of God and how rich.
The riches of his grace to send his own Son. That's the reason he gives of the love of God toward us. And the measure here we see there never was a measure like this. We sing in that first hymn. You know about that precious blood Heaven knows no richer than the blood of Christ was shed, so that you and I each one.
Who believe might have a part in this love of God toward us? But then just briefly to mention the reason of in the 12Th verse.
No man has seen God at any time. If we love one another, God dwelleth in us, and his love is perfected in US. Hereby know we that we dwell in him, and He and us, because he hath given us of his Spirit.
Now the reason is that we know.
The love of God in us, because he has given us of His Spirit.
The other is that we might have in the 17th, 1St, that we might have boldness in the day of judgment. Now how precious it is that one who has trusted in that blood of Christ.
His work on Calvary's cross and then being sealed by the Spirit having believed.
He now has boldness in the day of judgment because he has that love of God.
With him. With him.
A precious this truth is, I thought it might be helpful to bring them together in this way.
Which judgment is this Speaking of in the 17th?
Just a general sense of judgment, I take it There's No Fear now, for instance, we'll give an example.
Turn to Revelation 4.
The fourth verse.
And round about the throne were four and 20 seats or Thrones. And upon the seats I saw 4 and 20 elders sitting clothed in white raiment, and they had on their heads crowns of gold. And out of the throne proceeded lightnings.
And thunderings and voices. And there were seven lamps of fire burning before the throne, which are the seven spirits of God. And before the throne there was a sea of glass.
Like on the crystal in the midst of the throne and round about the throne were four beasts or living creatures full of eyes before and behind. Now in the eighth verse.
No.
In the 10th verse. And the four and 20 elders fall down before him that sat on the throne, and worship him that liveth forever and ever, and cast the crowns before him before the throne, saying, Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honor and power, for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created. Now it doesn't look to me like there's much fear here on the part of the Saints who are seated on these.
These Thrones in the midst of the thunders and the lightnings and all that would speak of God's displeasure with the earth. What's going on in the earth? There's perfect calm and praise and worship around the throne. I believe that's what this verse refers to in John.
It's lovely, too, to think of the ground of that confidence. As he is, so are we in this world. There is a sense spoken of in the third chapter in which we anticipate being like him. We know that when he shall appear, we shall be like him. But then, when we come to chapter four, we read as he is, so are we in this world.
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Death and judgment are just as completely behind.
Us as they were behind the Lord Jesus Christ, when he rose from among the dead.
And took his seat at the right hand of God. And that glorious little statement certainly presents to us a picture of the most perfect confidence. So that as we see those elders seated upon those Thrones, there is a picture of perfect, happy confidence. In fact, the lovely little thought in connection with that very picture I saw 4 and 20 seats, and on the seats 4 and 20 elders. That's not the way you or I would normally describe the experience of walking into a room and seeing 24 people seated there.
We wouldn't mention the seats first, as they as though they were of more interest or importance than the people sitting there. We'd surely mention the people first and the fact that each was seated. But the four and 20 seats are mentioned 1St, and those who occupied them are then mentioned to me. The lovely thought is suggested that there's a reserved seat there for you and for me that was there long before you and I were there to occupy that seat.
There will not be one seat leftover unoccupied, nor will there be anyone there.
Without a seat especially reserved for him. Lovely to know that all was settled and all was reserved before ever we were present to enter into it.
Because that person, Thessalonians one and seven, have any relationship to this.
Yes, I think so.
I think so.
With us on the larger.
Although I think it also carries the thought of the apostle encouraging the Saints at that moment that they might be at rest even then. But he was looking forward to the day when all these things would be accomplished, because the apostle was so thoroughly taken up with Christ in glory that he hardly, hardly realized the circumstances. In a certain sense. His mind and heart was so fixed on heavenly things that he was out of this world, as it were, in that sense.
And he was looking on to that day.
What a grand portion we have, do we not, beloved? And how?
Magnificent. The theme before us, God's love, or that's the theme of our chapter.
And radiating out to us.
That radiation of that lava and the knowledge of that lava is through a person.
The one that's mentioned in our ninth verse, the one whom God sent forth be the propitiation for our sins. I've enjoyed the use of the word manifested.
Because in my business some years back, we used to do a good deal of export shipping and preparation of goods overseas, and I recall how.
Our shipping department needed to prepare a detailed manifest of every shipment.
And this oftentimes was a lengthy paper.
And would recite on it in detail so many cartoons containing such and such, so many bundles. And all the way down the list it was described in detail. Well, that's what God has done for us. He's given us such a manifest in the person of the Lord Jesus. And we can explore that manifest the attributes of our blessed Savior.
We never come to the end of the manifest. It is inexhaustible for us. How grand the theme and should we not revel in it?
That's the point, brother, Is it not a reveling in it? It's lovely to see that this love is toward us.
That it is in US and with us.
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But you know, I don't think any married couple, after a few years of marriage, sit down to analyze the development of their love toward one another.
There are those present who haven't been married. It may be very long, and they love each other deeply, greatly. There are others who've been married a long time, and during those years, situations have occurred that has manifested the one to the other qualities of that love that couldn't otherwise be manifested. And now as the years have rolled by.
The marble of that love, the quality of it, the depth of it, the value of it.
Is deeply appreciated. It's not analyzed. It's appreciated. And so as we see in this chapter, the various aspects of that love and how it was toward us, in our need and in US and with us. It's a beautiful meditation.
On that wondrous love that was on our behalf and still is.
But the danger perhaps would exist with each of us, that we might be guilty perhaps of analyzing and not enjoying.
Speaking of.
Analyzing this portion.
One has.
Had much joy in meditating upon it and the thought, the thoughts have been brought out this way that here we have love in all its varied aspects and it seems to me we're all doing the violence to the scripture. We can take most all of these verses.
Love is mentioned and we'll find an answer in Christ to it. It's the the confidence of love or it's the the negative part of love where it's the fullness of love or the manifestation of love. But you can go through this whole portion from the seventh verse to the end of the third verse of the next chapter, which constitutes only 18 verses.
And you'll find the love mentioned 32 Times in that short place. Well, it isn't. It wasn't put there by accident. It was put there surely for our meditation upon. And it's a real blessing to the soul of anyone that wants to go through it and see what the Lord has brought and how love shines out in it all.
I like to connect these two verses 9 and 10.
First with John 316, where we have that declaration of God's love by the person of our Lord Jesus Christ.
And then connecting that with Romans 5, God commendeth his love toward us.
Now realizing in measure the truth that God is light, and all that which our blessed Lord hath passed through on Calvary's cross.
And now I'm a recipient of God's love. Now I have the manifestation of it, the measure of it, and inexhaustible way. And we'll never, never throughout the ages of eternity in the Father's house ever be able to exhaust this subject.
That of this manifestation of God's love, and then the character of God's love which follows in the next verse, in the 10th verse.
We here and Christendom today, much of the truth that God has loved, well, that's only part of it. Beloved, before we can enter into that blessed truth of God is love. We have to know that we're dealing with the God of light and that sin must be judged. I don't bring that side up to enter into that.
Portion, but before we can enter into the fact that God is loved properly.
And dwell in it all. We have to know that we're dealing with a God, a God of light. Where you have God is light first in John three, and then God is love in the 16th verse. So I love the connection here with those four scriptures as well as others.
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Would you say, Brother Righteous, that verse 10 tells us that the quality of the law of love?
Quality or character?
God is not only loved us, but He has proven.
His love by sending His only begotten Son. That's verse 9.
The Father sent the Son to be the Savior of the world, Yes, but this verse points out that God has proven His love. He's shown His love, manifested His love. It the thought is to us, not merely toward us. That isn't the right word at all. It is the fact that He has manifested His love to us, His children.
By giving us life.
Good of Him to thus think of us that He might give us to share in His life, the life of God, the entire family. And so this is a declaration of how He has proven that to us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through Him.
Now, verse 10.
Gives us the righteous foundation for doing so.
Herein is love, not that we love God.
But that he loved us and sent his son to be the propitiation for our sins.
God, the righteous God.
Has made a provision he's found a way to.
Satisfy himself.
Vindicate himself.
As to our sins.
And how he has done that? Is that his holy Son taking manhood?
Christ is coming flesh we've had at the beginning of our chapter. He's taken holy manhood and he has undertaken that great work of glorifying God.
Concerning sin and sins.
Propitiation. Now I know the prayers are that we don't get too deep and don't get over the heads of the young people, but here we have a truth. That'd be nice.
As one brother put it, for the lambs to stretch their necks, one brother says, don't put the hay too high in the crib, brother. But our brother Clifford Brown isn't here. He said, well, it's a good thing for the lambs to stretch their necks. Now here this truth is important to see that God has made a full and righteous provision.
To satisfy himself entirely concerning sins, our sins. And so the Lord Jesus Christ has done it to God's word.
I'm not talking about now what he's done for us in Leviticus 16. It's a very complicated line of truth there, but.
One simple thing that you might be able to get a hold of is that there are two goats. The two goats actually represent the work of Christ on the cross. The first goat is towards God, his holy throne, and that first goat is the goat of propitiation. As I say, propitiation is to God Word, and so the Lord Jesus has fully.
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Settled all that matter to God's glory.
That's the first goat. Now the second goat was the goat on which they laid the sins, as it were, of the people on the head of the second goat, and they sent it off into the wilderness.
Not inhabited, as it were, to send our sins off to never be remembered anymore.
As far as the east is from the West, behind God's back in the depths of the sea. So the second goat has to do with our sins, His bearing them in our stead. A substitute Savior, He bore our sins in His own body on the tree.
He was delivered for our offenses and he was raised again for our justification. That's substitution. He suffered the just for the unjust. He was wounded for our transgression. That's all substitution now. That's the second goal. And you and I.
Of that household of faith are the ones that benefit by that second goat.
God is the one that benefited by that first goat by being fully satisfied concerning her sins. And so we have that in this verse 10, how God is as a righteous foundation here in His love, not that we love God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins.
And I'm going to say it boldly, brethren.
That.
That truth is for our sins, for the household of faith.
And in the chapter one and verse two of our epistle, when it says we might read it.
In verse two that He is the propitiation for our sins.
And not for hours only, but also.
Now when it says for the whole world, by leading out the sins of the whole world, the point is that he has made satisfaction to God for the whole question, but he is not the sin bearer like the second goat for the sins of the whole world. Is that right, Brother Wakefield?
It's unto all.
And upon all them that believe the righteousness of God, Yes, yes. It's on the principle of faith, though to faith.
I'd like to point out in connection with what our brother says, that if we read carefully that second verse of the second chapter of First John.
We find that the expression the sins of is in italics.
And it should not be thought by any present that we are presumptuous in changing Scripture. I I fear that sometimes this may be thought, but we we observe frequently in the scriptures that the translators thought to improve the expression by adding words or phrases, and that was what took place here. But going back to the.
Original Greek we find that these words did not appear, and so the expression is correctly rendered that it is for the whole world. God so loved the world that He gave, and there is that available to all the world, but not effective to all the world. But we do not want any president to think that on the part of any one of our number at all there is a presumption.
In changing a scripture, we remember that the scriptures were inspired of God. They were written in perfection. But over the years, the copyists, those who have copied them, have occasionally allowed errors to come in in transcription. And so we in in the in those who have pursued the more accurate renditions, we.
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Benefit by these corrections.
Is there something more intimate in the suggestion in the 14th verse of the Father sending the Son, whereas we had it here God sending his Son?
Caution John's epistle. We have the family relationship.
Fathers and children, behold what manner of love the Father hath stood upon us.
That we should be called the sons of God.
In the third verse or third chapter.
Father is more particularly Christianity, isn't it? And we have that brought out in the second chapter, that the denial of that would be the denial of Christianity.
The Antichrist. So we have the Father emphasized in connection with Christianity. It wasn't known in the Old Testament.
So I believe that we're brought into a richer place.
Uh, that's suggested in First Corinthians 15.
Where we see the.
The Lord Jesus.
Giving up the Kingdom.
To God, even the Father.
Because it's a new thing. It wasn't known in the Old Testament and.
It's the result of the work of Christ not only restoring that which He.
Took not away, but bringing God's creatures, shall we say, into a richer and a fuller relationship that was ever known before through his work on the cross.
Another spot for our brother Bell's remark might be this, that the very often in scripture when it's a question of using the term God.
It might frequently be.
In view of we might say man.
And it might be in view of.
Of sinful, sinful man. And in the verse nine, it seems a question of life. We didn't have life, but it's God. It's manifested his love towards us that we might have life. So in the next verse it has a question of the sins. So again, it's it's God.
They're not true that God has taken us according to Romans 8, the last part, into his love and grace as far as He can possibly take it. If you will notice the last part of Romans 8 tell this there in the 32nd verse. He that spared not his own Son, but delivered us, but delivered Him up for us all.
The 35th verse Who shall separate us from the love of God?
But from who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Christ loved the church, and gave Himself. For he loved me, and gave Himself for me. What shall separate that love me from that love? Nothing. Then the last verse, who shall be able to separate it from the love of God? God so loved this world that he gave His beloved Son. Who can separate us from that? Nothing. God has taken us into the depths of His grace.
And his love as far as he can possibly take.
When you say, too, that the name Father is the name that God takes in connection with the economy of grace.
And.
In verse 10 there is a question of satisfying.
His holy throne, God, the one whom against whom we had sinned. And you find, I believe that that in Scripture this is.
Followed out that it is God himself in his in that character of God that must be satisfied in respect to sin. It's not so much the thought of the father, well, the Father in connection with the.
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With the grace that God would show to this poor, lost, perishing world.
We could scarcely preach the gospel.
To our lost souls and say the Father has loved you and given his Son for you. Because in spite of teaching otherwise in some circles, God is not the Father of all. He's only the Father of those who believe. And so when the gospel is preached, it's God who has loved us, loved you. But when we come to the circle of those who are.
Under the benefit of faith in Christ, as we've expressed, then it's the Father relationship. So the next verse, the love goes out on the same basis.
To the Saints too, but as you say, to the unsaved. It's rather striking, isn't it, how often we have this expression, beloved here?
John was the one who lay on Jesus bosom and.
We see here the effects of it in his ministry. I take it that John is probably quite old now. He's been in the enjoyment of this.
Loves for a long time and it's the very breathings of his being. He just revels in this and his affection for the Saints. And so he addresses remark after remark with beloved.
And we have it in this 11Th verse again, beloved, if God so loved us.
That is, he gave his son.
We ought also to love one another.
May I just read a verse in practical application of that in Ephesians?
In a way in which this love may be expressed.
In Ephesians 5.
Because after all, it's the practical application of it that we want as well. Ephesians 5. Or rather, Ephesians 4.
And.
31 Let all bitterness.
And wrath.
And anger and clamor and evil speaking be put away from you with all malice.
And be kind one to another, tender hearted, forgiving one another, even as God.
For Christ's sake hath forgiven you. Now this is connected, brethren, with the Spirit, as we noticed in the first part of this chapter.
What we want to be careful of in these last days is the spirit with which we act.
We notice that in this chapter we're warned about the spirits and the increasing activity of them in the last days. Now we want to show the right spirit. That's the important thing, and it won't be unless we're in the enjoyment of this love that we have in this chapter. I believe the end of this chapter will give us that if we're attended to it, that will produce a right state of soul in relation to our brethren.
And it starts out with the love of God toward us, and now our application of it to our brethren.
We should be of a tender spirit. If we find someone in the assembly who has failed, we must remember that we might too be tempted.
We must remember that we too might act just as that person has acted, and we should be very careful in the the spirit in which we act towards these who have failed. Now there may be a difference with some who have been willful, but if there have been just the the not understanding and they have slipped away, we should show every kindness to seek to bring them back.
And in questions of discipline, remember that it's always toward restoration, always God's desire is that the sheep might be brought back. And so John stresses this. He's very careful to show us that there's a distinction between light and darkness, between that's which is of God and which isn't. But he also insists on this love for those who are the Lord.
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In every aspect of it.
Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual restore such an one, doesn't say rebuke him or discipline him, although that might have its place. But the object is to restore such an one in the spirit of meekness, considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted.
It's a spirit that one would stress because we have the two brought together in this chapter. The spirit with which we do a thing is most important.
There's a little verse in that connection in the 15th of Romans. I believe it is. I also am persuaded of you, my brethren, that ye are full of goodness, filled with all knowledge, able also to admonish one another. I am very much afraid that there are occasions when we think someone needs a word of admonition and we take a shortcut right through the verse and administer the word of admonition, and it's not very well accepted.
But we never blame ourselves. We always say, well, you can't talk to that brother anyway.
But there is admonition toward us in that verse that perhaps we have neglected.
I also am persuaded of you, my brethren, the ye are full of goodness. Isn't that where the love comes in? Ought we not to show that love and that goodness in a practical and a hospitable way toward our dear brethren and sisters while we can, while there is no restraint whatever upon the free demonstration of our love? Persuaded of you that you are full of goodness filled with.
All knowledge.
Perhaps suggesting that there might even be a suited time and place and all for this word of admonition, as well as being sure that we have the word of God for it and really know that we are speaking on God's behalf. And then the last thing in the verse, Abel also to admonish one another. I remember dear brother Brown Speaking of this quite a few years ago. And he paused and looked around. He says the Scripture doesn't appoint certain brothers to do the admonishing.
Able also to admonish one another, Is there not the danger that we hang back and say, wait till brother so and so? Here's about this. He'll have something to say. Why wait till brother so and so hears about it, if this is a brother in Christ, a sister in Christ?
Why not, having preceded this by love and goodness and prayer? Why not?
Kind and faithful word of admonition instead of waiting, perhaps for someone who.
Is supposedly specially fitted in that direction.
This verse 11 two in connection with that brother beloved, if God so loved us, actually I believe the thought here is the manner in which he loved us. The love of God is not seen in his.
Passing over.
Just as it were winking in our sins, the love of God is manifested in His.
Doing something about our sins that is God wasn't God's love is not shown in just making us comfortable sinners, but was doing something about it. And it seems to me that what we have here here in his love, the love that the love of God which we are to express to our brethren is of this same character. It is not merely just to make our brethren.
Comfortable or at ease?
It's really to seek their good and their blessing spiritually first. What do you think? The thought that God had was that He had this great thought in His heart of eternal life for us.
It was the blessing that He had in store, you might say, in His purpose and counsel, and He would remove that which would hinder our being brought into it, by removing our sins, taking them away, cleansing us, and then bringing us into this wonderful blessing. Well, this is the manner of the love of God, and the love of God expressed in our own hearts toward our brethren would take the same character, not just to make them comfortable, but to seek their spiritual good and blessing.
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In whatever form that may require.
If it's the love of God manifested to the Sinner, however.
We have a perfect example in the 4th chapter of John.
And there we see the Lord Jesus.
Manifesting His grace and His love to that Sinner.
And.
Gains.
Her attention first.
By affection. And then he says to her, go call my husband.
Now there cannot be blessing until the conscience is reached.
But, brethren, I believe that love is the way that the conscience is reached to be simply always calling attention to judgment, although that has its place and there's no faithfulness without it.
Is not always the way to reach a soul. Now God has used that. I know. Brother Martin told me it was chapter revelation that brought him to the Savior.
Still, the principle is there in John Four, that the heart is reached, and then the conscience and the Word will never stay in the heart unless the conscience is reached. And Mr. Darby say that aim at the conscience and hold the heart.
They should be a company each other when one seeks to help another one.
It's beautiful to see the way they go together in that one little verse. In the fourth of John, the Lord says go call thy husband and doesn't even finish the sentence until he brings in the love of his heart and come hit her. If he had simply said go call thy husband, that would have been the end of the matter. She would have gone away in shame. But he said and come hit her before ever finishing the sentence. So that a word to the conscience and the heart are combined. I believe in that one verse.
In the 8th chapter.
Neither do I condemn thee. Go and sin no more.
This expression God so loved us in verse 11.
We've been speaking about the quality of it, but may we not also include the greatness of it?
Now in the third of John.
Verse 14 As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, Even so must the Son of Man be lifted up.
Now, before finishing the verse, John's gospel is practically built.
On the principle of that son of man being lifted up and the finished work of Christ.
Build on that very principle, for those that believe well must be lifted up, that whosoever believeth on him should not perish, but have.
Eternal life.
For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son. Now there's the greatness, that love, I believe. Now our more evangelical brethren, I think I would agree with that.
And so here it is, if God is so loved us.
We ought, we surely ought to be able to love one another.
How about verse 16 and the third chapter?
This is the extent of it that we should manifest also.
There should be that attitude, surely?
Yes.
Another thought is in John 316.
They go parallel, do they not? John, 316.
The God's love to a world of sinners so loved the world, and now in first John 316 we perceive the love of God because He laid down His life for us, and it's not a mistake that that's He there.
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There was God in the person of Christ.
And we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren.
Now he says in the.
Following up the 11Th verse, we also to love one another.
In the 12Th verse he says if we love one another, God dwelleth in US and his love is perfected in US. If this is true, if a man has this love, if he's one of the Lords, he has the Spirit of God dwelling in him.
This love is precious in him. Divine love is always self sacrifice. Human love is selfish.
Is the thought here His love is perfected in us as it were, in particular in our case in us we are the ones that His love is perfected in it. I think the point is it not?
It seems a strange thing to say with the love of God shining out from every verse on the page, that we would ever need to be reminded of God's love. And yet I greatly fear that even in Christendom there still is a lack of comprehension that this love originated in God's heart. I wonder if we're guilty of using faulty illustrations in the gospel sometimes that leave such a wrong impression. We'll tell a story, maybe of a school teacher who's about to administer punishment and.
Some unselfish friend will step forward and bear the punishment instead, and this is a marvelous illustration of the Gospel.
Well, it has its good points, but it surely doesn't reveal a love that was in God's heart. And I am astonished. I'm afraid I just must use my own thoughts as an example of how easy it is for us to overlook the marvelous fact that we can never get fully accustomed to even that it was God himself who looked down upon us in love.
And provided and sent.
His own beloved Son, of course, the love of his Son, the Lord Jesus toward us is.
Beautifully exalted in Scripture and beautifully demonstrated about how many there are who have thanked God. A love for the Lord Jesus, but standing on at a distance from God, forgetting the fact that it was God Himself who loved us in the 1St place when there was absolutely nothing about us to attract that love at all.
And we were accepted in the beloved is the is the high note of it all.
That's where we have been accepted in the very one that is the son of his love. We've been accepted there.
You mentioned the age of John, I believe a little while ago, brother.
When we stop to think of the aged John.
We sometimes say probably in the neighborhood of 90AD to 96AD for the writing of his ministry. 90 to 96 AD well for John.
To continue in being characterized by the enjoyment of the love of God and the love of Christ.
All through those years, in spite of everything, that faithfulness to still continue in the love of God and enjoyment of it is wonderful. It commenced back there somewhere, the time when He leaned upon the Lord's bosom before that, because that was at the end of the Lord's life on earth practically. But now we have here, no one has seen God at any time. Doesn't that remind us of John 118?
No man has seen God at anytime. The only begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, He hath declared Him. And surely we see in Christ that God is love.
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Wouldn't, wouldn't this bring out then the thought in verse 12 That there is testimony here? No man had seen God at any time. Well, in the days of the Lord it says that the only begotten Son who is in the bosom of the Father, He has declared Him. There was testimony.
And I have connected this with the thought that here, if we love one another, God dwelleth in us and his love is perfected in US.
So there is a testimony to God in the Saints here below who are walking in this truth of loving one another. That is, we speak often and we rightly apply a verse like in the book of Acts when it says being let go, they went under their own company.
And I'm sure that we all experience in our contacts with the persons roundabout that they take note of the fact that we go to a certain meeting and that we have interest among a certain group of people. And I wonder if we would realize that we could bear testimony that the reason we are with these.
People and the reason our interests are there is because they are the children of God. We love them as Saints. We are with them because they're children of God. We manifest that love one to another, not because we have necessarily.
Common personalities and likes and dislikes. But it is because as children of God, seeking to walk together as children of God and expressing that love. Now, of course I know.
We can't limit this to those. This goes out to all of the family of God. But still, I believe there is a sense in which we can bear testimony to this truth.
In showing that love to those with whom we do walk in a day of ruin and failure and confusion, walking with them as the children of God, loved of God and loving one another, then God is seen. There's a testimony in that.
And it's a responsibility placed upon us, is it not? With the young as well as the old?
If here is not provisional, it's as we have had before we if we are passed from death unto life, We do love the brethren, and so we love one another, and the if is merely since we love one another. But the practical display of it will let the light shine out, will it? That will display God in us. What a remarkable thing that we, for failing creatures that we are, do have God dwelling in US, in the person of the Spirit of God.
And we are privileged as the Lord commissioned us. When he left, He said, when while I am in the world, I am the light of the world. But he said, when he left, he said, ye are the lights of the world. What a responsibility to us who profess that blessed name, to let our light so shine before men. And this would be 1/1.
Exposition of it that the love that we have toward those who are, those who are.
Fellow believers with us, fellow heirs of the promises is so in our hearts that it is evident that those who look upon us.
In John 13.
Verse 34 I believe it is. We get this first expression of loving one another. The Lord Jesus says in the other translation. By this shall all men know.
Ye are disciples of mind if you have loved one to another. We get it in the next verse two there, but here in our verse loving one another. Verse 11 is the 12Th time and verse verse 12 is the 13th time in second John five I think is the 14th time that John uses this expression loving one another.
In this 13th verse.
The.
The fact that we dwell in him is put first. It's rather touching, isn't it?
And then he and us.
Precious truth we have here to assure our hearts. And I'd like to ask the question if.
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The expression in the end of the verse.
Because he hath given us of his Spirit.
Is not only that we have the Holy Spirit dwelling in US.
But also the sense possibly that.
It's you speak of a man. Well, he had that kind of a spirit.
And that's the character that we have manifested to us here. We have been given that to manifest it to others.
We've been given that same spirit. We have the Spirit of God indwelling. I asked the question the same as if any man have not the Spirit of Christ. Yes, he is not of his. The fact that it says of his Spirit seems to indicate that that it's more than simply the indwelling of the Spirit, but rather the evidence, the display of the Spirit. I quote Mr. Darby's translation of that.
Romans 8-9.
If any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is not of him. Now that really is what we have here.
Of his spirit now that verse means.
That it is only the Christian.
That who is indwelt by the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of Christ.
It is only the Christian that exhibits.
The life of Christ. We are Christians, we are anointed ones. He was the anointed one. Now that he sent down his spirit in dwelling us, we believers that have the spirit of Christ.
I'll have that spirit which.
Manifests the life of Christ in some measure.
In every single Christian.
I think it's the finest definition of what a real Christian is. Put in the negative. If any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is not of him, the one in the glory who sent down the Spirit to indulge. I'm not of him, of his character. It's a spirit that gives me the character of Christ in any measure. That was the Spirit that Don himself was displaying even in his life and in this ministry. If not.
I think sometimes the impression is entertained that John was naturally a very gentle and loving man, and I've heard this reference quite often, as though we coveted the gentle, patient, loving disposition of John. Well, when the Lord picked John up, he called him Bowen urges, which means the son of Thunder. Well, I don't know what that might mean, but I can guess, and I quite expect that there was a little hint there of John's natural disposition.
But what we see displayed in Scripture is a reflection of the Spirit of Christ.
The loveliness of Christ and the love of Christ seen in this dear man.
It was John who said, Wilt thou that we command fire to come down from heaven and consume them?
A little of the bow energies that broke through on that occasion, I suppose. But it's to me very, very lovely that not only as an old man is he privileged to write this kind of heartwarming reminder of the wonderful love of God which he had enjoyed so much himself, but he was actually privileged to witness and to record the culmination of that love in the marriage of the Lamb in the 19th of Revelation.
What a wonderful privilege granted to that dear man. And if you'll excuse a little digression, I remember a number of years ago I flew over the Isle of Patmos, and naturally my thoughts were upon this dear man of God as I looked down, and I had a beautiful view. Got a good picture of it too, of the Isle of Patmos, and I pictured the loneliness of the soul of that dear man as he was expelled from the coast where he had so long served the Lord.
And stood there on the Isle of Patmos, and my thoughts went to Revelation chapter one.
I got a little glimpse there that I'd like to pass on, It said. I heard behind me a great voice, as if a trumpet saying and being turned. I saw, and I thought, well, now I rather expect that John was facing the wrong direction. Not that we would point the accusing finger at him, but I think he may have been feeling just a little bit downcast that having been exiled, and he may have been looking back to the shores from which he had been exiled, and feeling pretty blue about it.
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And he heard behind him, and he had to turn around to hear and to see this wonderful revelation. Beloved Saints of God, perhaps the reason why we don't get a view of these things is because we haven't turned around yet. We're facing the wrong direction. Perhaps by the grace of God in these meetings, we'll hear a voice behind us. And if it means turning around to get a sight of what God has for us, I tell you, it's worth turning around to get it.
And this next verse then says what he has seen, how precious this is. We referred to that in the first. He refers to it in the first verse of this book. What he had seen, his hands had handled. He's going to tell us in the 5th chapter that we're not to have idols. We don't need idols. We've seen him now. We've seen him by faith. John saw him, literally saw him. And it's precious this verse, I think.
In this 14th verse, in this way, we have seen Undue testify. What else could He do but testify of this one He had seen? We have seen and do testify that the Father sent the Son to be the Savior of the world. It's sad that the world hasn't all received him, but He sent Him for that.
I suggest that.
There's a thought, and we had talked about the Father sending the Son before, but there's a thought for the Saints here in a very special way.
It was said before that to the Sinner we tell that God sent his only begotten Son, but here the Father sent the Son. Who is telling us this.
The one that they had his bosom that had learned something of that wonderful relationship of his father to the son.
I was struck by reading over again in Genesis 22 what we read so often, the time when we think of what took place.
There we read that when Abraham and Isaac walked together.
The 7th person said Isaac, speak unto Abraham his father, and said, My father.
And he said, here am I my son.
There's something that goes much deeper into the secrets of the heart of God, the heart of the Father towards his Son. Are we not let into a secret here? There was that blessed relationship between the Lord Jesus and his Father. Only thus can understand when He said when they had taken him captive and he told the one who took the sword, He said, put up thy sword, He said the cup.
Which my Father has given me. Shall I not drink it? Hope you love it. It's something for worship, isn't that?
I wonder if that isn't the emphasis of this first.
When John says, and we have seen and do testify, where must he make this emphasis? It was mentioned that it was perhaps when John was a real old man.
But he is still testifying of that which took place 60 years ago. Perhaps we have seen and do testify. Alan Marie, the 10th chapter of John. The Lord Jesus tells us what is in His heart towards His Father. This commandment have I received of my Father, of my God here, but of my Father.
It's just as precious to her heart.
I believe that's very important and it's a special application to the believer here, is it not, as you say?
There's another very important thing for us to notice in this verse, and that is the word sent.
There are those who.
Would teach us that Jesus was God's Son, but only after he was brought into the world.
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But here was one who was sent from the glory, one of whom we read in the Psalms, that long before the world was made, he said, Lo, I come to do thy will, Oh my God.
Now here is something that we wish to cherish and to yield not one point whatsoever, that the Son who was sent was the eternal Son of God.
And brethren, we need to guard it. There are some present with us today who would tell us otherwise. And we would say most seriously, this is a fundamental truth. We cherish it.
And we're not, so we would have no hope of life eternally. But the Son who came was the eternal Son, is the eternal Son.
My memory serves me correctly that in John's gospel you will find that expression the sent 1 or its equivalent over 40 times.
John emphasizing that fact over and over again in his Gospel and then in this letter.
So it's of utmost importance. And that was a stumbling block to the Jews.
In connection with John and his age, I'd like to read that verse in the second chapter of John the Epistle.
In the.
14th verse I have written unto you, Fathers, because you have known him from the beginning. Now that little word, that is.
Could either be left in or not. It's an italics, but I believe we have a lovely thought either way.
You have known him from the beginning was the experience of John and this is what produced.
In John this real sense in his ministry of love to the Saints.
The going on with inconstancy.
In communion, and we have spoken of communion here, but I wonder if we understand what it means. It isn't simply the reading of the Word of God and prayer, which is very important and precious, but real Communion, brethren, is to be in the enjoyment of God's thoughts with Himself. It's more than simply reading something.
And it's more than simply praying. It's to be in tune. It's to be in the enjoyment of what God himself enjoys in the fellowship with Himself.
And so one might even be in fellowship at the Lord's table and still not be in communion. That is in the sense of a formal way to be in communion. Really in communion, is to be in the enjoyment of what God thinks of His Son. And John was expressing that here in this verse, I believe.
It's a thing that I am very much afraid is little known. I remember getting a very real joke when I was a boy hearing dear old brother Dunlop say one time in meeting. He said there's nothing can Get Me Out of communion more quickly than the sound of a military band. Well, I was one that had run, run blocks to hear a military band or any other and I thought get the old brother out of Communion. I certainly don't know what communion is then.
And I tell you, brethren, it's a serious and real thing to talk about what it means to be in communion. I don't believe we're ever entitled to claim such for ourselves, although God knows that we trust there's some taste to the reality of it. But oh, how quickly the threat of communion can be snapped in little things that same dear old brother told us one time.
And I cherish the memory of a man of God who just seemed to live for the joy of this. He told us that one day when he got to meeting, he was very conscious of the fact that there was a cloud upon his spirit, and he sat there searching his soul as to what it was that had robbed him of the joy of communion he cherished so much. And he went back in his thoughts until he came to the point of having received a letter that morning. And as he read the letter, a sense of irritation came over him at the content of the letter.
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He hadn't said anything to anyone, he hadn't given vent to his feelings. He had felt irritated and hadn't judged it, and he felt the cloud of it as he came to meet him. Oh, I wonder if we really know what these things mean. Just one thing more. My father told me one time that his father had told him that on a Lord's Day morning meeting there was an evidence sense of a lack of the leading of the Spirit of God.
And when that meeting was ended, every brother got down on his knees and remained there in silent prayer before the Lord that it might be made known to them.
We're in the troubled lake. And finally one brother rose up and bowed his head and he said, brethren, I have been the Jonah in this company this morning. I transacted a business deal during the week that left me with a troubled conscience, and I've never owned it to the Lord and said it right. And I know that it's on my account that the assembly has felt the weight this morning. And when my father told me, he said son would to God, We were as conscious of such a condition among us.
Today. So, brother, when you speak of communion, I can only hang my head and say that May God grant that we shall know a little more of what it means and be aware of how easily it snapped.
We have one more thought in this chapter and our time is about up. If some brother would help us now on on the 17th verse a little before the time is over.
We've already had some nice expressions.
You're going there to the 4th of Revelation, our brother Hey ho, speaking about judgment is passed for us and that the Lord Jesus has borne it all, and as He is beyond judgment, so are we. Now that's one thought I trust.
That I'll give the correct thoughts and otherwise I want to be corrected.
The very fact that this epistle gives us to me the of the family of God. By virtue of being born again, we too have been begotten of God. We have the nature of God, and so as He is.
So.
So as to ourselves.
Now one of the outstanding characteristics of John's epistle, these five chapters, is that the nature of God has been conveyed, imparted to us, his children. That's one of the outstanding characteristics of this epistle, the nature of God. So as he is, so are we in this world.
Now then, you have this lovely, lovely thoughts we've just had before us as to communion. It is our proper.
State to be in communion.
And we?
Thus, or as he is, if it is so practically, another thought is.
That we too are indwelt by the Holy Spirit even now here on earth, even as He.
But if we're going to be.
Controlled by the character of John's ministry as compared to Paul's ministry. We do not have here our standing in Christ as we have it in Paul's ministry. We have it there. We all. It belongs to us. We do have our standing in Christ, but in this verse, as He is, so are we in this world.
Is in keeping with John's ministry, I suppose.
The nature that we have, and it's as He is because that's what gives us boldness in the Day of Judgment.
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We have a bird here on the second bird, John.
Verse 28.
And now they're children providing him. There's still up here we may have confidence and not be ashamed before him.
I.
I think #57.
#67.
Lord.
Ye Lord.