In the deeply interesting first epistle of John we have the intrinsic evidences of the power of Christianity as flowing from God. We have its essential and internal abiding character; our strength in it, as giving fellowship with the Father and with His Son Christ Jesus, and in the knowledge of His love, security against the haughty assumption of antichristian seduction. This is effected internally by the two personal evidences, in that He laid down His life and “by His Spirit dwelling in us.” Externally, we keep His commandments, and we love the brethren. The unity of the testimony to Christ’s glory, in the Spirit, the water and the blood, is stated in this epistle, and the internal and external witness distinguished. The one is the blessing of the believer; the other, the condemnation of the world. The book closes with the general contrast, “We are of God, and the whole world lieth in wickedness.” “We know that the Son of God is come, and hath given us an understanding.” The next point is, “To know Him that is true,” and the next, “We are in Him that is true, even in His Son Jesus Christ.” He is the “true God and eternal life.” Amen. All else is but “little children, keep yourselves from idols.”
How blessed is the testimony that in Jesus we are in the true God and —which is our interest, and blessing and everlasting comfort in it—eternal life in Him! In Jesus we have eternal life, and in association with Him we are thus capacitated for understanding and enjoying all that is in Him, the Lord and true God. In the second and third epistles we have the individual, living and faithful care of the Spirit in the Apostle against any falling into the seduction of losing the true doctrine of Christ: Whoever fails here, that is, abides not here, has not God, and direction is given for the uncompromising boldness in rejection of such as partake of his evil deeds, the direction being, in the one, not to receive seducers, or we are partakers of them; in the other, to receive faithful witnesses of truth, because in them we are partakers in the truth. Both rest on this: “Walking in truth”; they are the details of Christianity, such as develop themselves in service.
J. N. Darby