These two passages bind the gospel of John and the Epistle together in the common purpose to give to the believer the assurance of the possession of eternal life.
The grace and infinite goodness of God in this purpose, and of its moment to our souls, I need not here stay to insist upon. For certainly there is not a heart that has duly pondered the meaning and weight of the terms but will be disposed to adore God, first, for this gift to guilty, ruined men, and next, for the assured possession of it on grounds so wonderful and divine. But I may say, that it is inconceivable how much we lose of the enjoyment of that which is our proper portion in Christ-of God's gift to us in Him-by lightly passing over, through a too-common familiarity with them, the terms in which the revelation of His grace to us is expressed.
But I will endeavor briefly to unfold these passages in their connection and import for our establishment and profit in the grace in which we are set.
The object both of the Gospel and the Epistle is the presentation of " that eternal life which was with the Father and was manifested unto us." And it is written, as to the ground of the possession of this life, " He that lath the Son bath life." The dread alternative too is equally given, " He that bath not the Son of God, bath not life." In the Gospel it is especially the presentation of the eternal life as it appeared amongst men in the person of the Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God, so that believing on Him, " we might have life through his name." Hence, in the outset of the Gospel, after the wonderful statement that, in the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was GOD," it is added, " in him was life, and the life was the light of men." This was what the Lord Jesus Christ was personally. He was God; and in Him was life. Life was in Him as in its proper fountain, and was possessed by Him. " For as the Father bath life in himself, so bath he given to the Son to have life in himself." Moreover, " As the Father raiseth up the dead and quickeneth [giveth life], even so the Son quickeneth [giveth life to] whom he will." And when it is said, " The life was the light of men," or conversely, " the light of men was the life," it speaks of it as communicated, but still retaining its essential character when communicated to us.
But this is further presented in that wondrous prayer of the Lord Jesus in John 17 In the second verse the Lord says, " Thou hast given him power over all flesh that he should give eternal life to as many as thou hast given him." He then shows that eternal life comes to us through the knowledge of the only true God (that is, of the Father), and of Jesus Christ, whom the Father had sent. " And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent." It may be asked, how is this knowledge imparted? and, how is this life given? If we turn to the Epistle we shall find the answer. The apostle says, in the first chapter, " The life was manifested, and we have seen it, and bear witness, and show unto you that eternal life which was with the Father," &c. The result of this on the part of those who receive the testimony is a common fellowship with the apostle, and also " fellowship with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ." But at the close of the Epistle we get an energetic summing up of all the truths that he had been insisting on in the Epistle; and here it is we find, doctrinally presented, that most wondrous comment on the words of the Lord Jesus already quoted from John 17:44I have glorified thee on the earth: I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do. (John 17:4). The apostle says, " We know that the Son of God is come, and hath given us an understanding, that we may know him that is true; and we are in him that is true, even in his Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God, and the eternal life."
Here it is concerning the Lord Jesus that the affirmation is made, " This (, this one) is the true God, and the eternal life." Hence we know the only true God. And we know Jesus Christ, whom He hath sent; which our Lord declares is eternal life. But it is still further stated, that we are " in him that is true," which shows the way in which this wondrous knowledge comes to us, and how it is possessed. As the Apostle Paul says, " If any man be in Christ, there is a new creation;" and, " I knew a man in Christ." But who can fathom these depths which are thus laid open to the simplicity of faith? They may, indeed, be hidden from the wise and prudent of this world, but they are revealed unto babes; for herein alone consists the true knowledge of God, and everything short of this is atheism; not formal atheism, it may be, but real; for God is known only in the revelation of the Son. " Neither knoweth any man the Father save the Son, and he to whomsoever the Son will reveal him." And this is the meaning of the words with which John closes his espistle, " Little children, keep yourselves from idols," coming after the statement, " this is the true God, and the eternal life." That is, he has presented to them, in this wonderful statement concerning the Lord Jesus Christ, the true objective idea of the only true God and the eternal life; consequently every notion of God framed in the mind that is contrary to this is not a true conception of the true God, but is an idol of the mind -a mere vanity. But it needs not further comment.
In this presentation of Christ as the eternal life it is not as if His sufferings and obedience and death and work were excluded, as the necessary grounds of our possession of that life. Far otherwise. These were necessary to the glory of God, without which no sinner could ever be admitted to His holy presence. For God cannot deny Himself. They are equally necessary to us as affording the ground on which God can be shown to be just, as well as the justifier of him that believes in Jesus. But who does not feel that this revelation on which we have been resting carries us far, far beyond all the questions which ordinarily occupy the souls of Christians even, such as pardon and peace and acceptance and hope, and law and obedience; in a word, beyond every question that can by possibility come back reflexly upon self, while it lands us in the depths of God's eternal love, and in the infinitude of His own being? " We are in him that is true, even in his Son Jesus Christ: this is the true God and the eternal life."
What depth and force also does this revelation give to the declaration-too often too lightly passed over-" that which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit." For if the source of the one stamps its indelible character on that which flows from it, no less does that also of the other. But I forbear; not because there is not infinite joy in pursuing these things, but because no explanation of man can give them their place in the heart. They can be only known in their power in the soul's intimacy of communion with God, and in giving to His wondrous word its full weaning and place. But what I have written may help some thirsting soul to drink more deeply at these eternal fountains and well-springs of eternal joy and refreshment.
"Thou hidden love of God, whose height,
Whose depth, unmeasured, no man knows;
I see from far thy beauteous light,
And inly sigh for thy repose:
My heart is pained, nor can it be
At rest, till it find rest in thee."