a. Tested by Righteousness. Ch. 3:1-10

1 Behold what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called children of God; and such we are. For this cause the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not. 2 Beloved, now are we children of God, and it is not yet made manifest what we shall be. We know that, if he shall be manifested, we shall be like him; for we shall see him even as he is. 3 And every one that hath this hope set on him purifieth himself, even as he is pure. 4 Every one that doeth sin doeth also lawlessness; and sin is lawlessness. 5 And ye know that he was manifested to take away sins; and in him is no sin. 6 Whosoever abideth in him sinneth not: whosoever sinneth hath not seen him, neither knoweth him. 7 My little children, let no man lead you astray: he that doeth righteousness is righteous, even as he is righteous: 8 he that doeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning. To this end was the Son of God manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil. 9 Whosoever is begotten of God doeth no sin, because his seed abideth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is begotten of God. 10 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.

In the preceding chapters the Christian life has been presented under the figure of a divine fellowship; in the chapter which now opens it is represented as the result of a divine birth. Believers not only enjoy fellowship with God, they are born of God or "begotten of him"; they partake of his nature and are the "children of God." This truth was stated in the closing verse of the last chapter; In fact, that verse might well be regarded as forming the introduction to this paragraph: "If ye know that he is righteous, ye know that every one also that doeth righteousness Is begotten of him." Here Is affirmed both the fact that God Imparts a new life, and also that the first test of this life is righteousness.

The fact is In itself surprising, astonishing; the apostle cannot repress an exclamation of wonder: "Behold what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called children of God." It should be noted that the phrase "children of God" is distinct from "sons of God." Paul more commonly employs the latter, John the former. The word "sons" denotes position, rank, legal relationship; but "children" denotes, birth, origin, oneness of nature; it is like the Scotch term "bairns"; it means "born ones." The thought here is not of "sonship," as is commonly stated, but of a new birth; not of "adoption" but of "regeneration." In the infinite love of God, he grants to all who believe in Christ a change of moral nature, a new disposition, a spiritual experience, so vital that he does not hesitate to call them his "children," to acknowledge them as such, and to regard and treat them as such: "As many as received him, to them gave he the right to become children of God, even to them that believe on his name: who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor the will of man, but of God."

However surprising these statements may seem, however great the mysteries involved, the reality is beyond question; so that John adds emphatically, "and such we are." The words do not apply to all men. "We, Christians, are called children of God," is what John is saying. While it is true that God is the Father of all men, and they are all his children, by creation, yet it is also true that there is a "new creation," and that those who believe in Christ are children of a heavenly birth, are truly born of God, are the real "children of God." The true fatherhood of God is never fully appreciated until one draws near to him through Christ, and the brotherhood of man will never be realized until men find the Father through Jesus Christ his Son.

Instead of including all men in the term "children of God," John by that term sharply distinguishes Christians from the whole mass of unbelieving men and women; "for this cause the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not." Those who reject Christ should not be expected to understand the followers of Christ. The world "knew him not," even "his own [countrymen] . . . received him not"; it is not strange then that the world has no sympathy with the motives and aims and character of the "children of God" who follow in his steps or reproduce his life. True Christians will ever be mysterious to unbelievers. The difference, moreover, is destined to become greater. Christians, as the children of God, are growing in likeness to the Son of God; and "we know that, if he shall be manifested, we shall be like him; for we shall see him even as he is." This blessed hope, to be realized at the coming of Christ, concerns chiefly the character, the disposition, the moral nature which will be transformed and made perfect, by the direct and glorious vision of the Lord; yet it includes the transfiguration of the body, which is to be "conformed to the body of his glory."

All these experiences and privileges belong to those whom God calls his children; but who are they? how can they be discerned? how will their nature be manifested? John replies: "And every one that hath this hope set on him purifieth himself, even as he is pure." It is only natural to suppose that one whose life is fixed upon Christ will be imitating Christ, and particularly in the matter of avoiding sin and of doing righteousness. John enforces this idea by three or four considerations: first, by the nature of sin; it is "lawlessness," and one who is a child of God surely will not disregard and defy the law of God; secondly, by the nature of Christ and of his work: "He was manifested to take away sins; and in him is no sin"; evidently then a man who sins can have no real acquaintance with Christ: he "hath not seen him, neither knoweth him"; thirdly, by the fact that "sin is of the devil"; by their attitude toward sin, then, "the children of God are manifest, and the children of the devil"; fourthly, by the character of the "new birth"; it consists in the imparting of a new life principle, a divine germ; out of it sin could not possibly develop: "Whosoever is begotten of God doeth no sin, because his seed abideth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is begotten of God."

From all this, it is easy to understand that if a man is a Christian he will do what is right; if we are "children of God" we may be expected to resemble him in righteousness. A grave difficulty, however, exists in the absolute and unqualified terms which John employs. He says that a Christian "doeth no sin," and even "cannot sin." As a matter of fact we know that Christians do sin; and John, in the first two and in the last chapters of his epistle, tells us that Christians can sin and suggests what they are to do to find pardon and cleansing when they have sinned.

The difficulty is resolved by some in supposing that the reference is to a particular class of Christians who attain sinless perfection; but this contradicts the simple statement of the apostle which is universal: "Whosoever is begotten of God doeth no sin . . . and he cannot sin."

Others suppose the reference is to the ideal and theoretical experience of a Christian; he is a man who does not expect to sin, and is not supposed to sin, although practically he does sin at times. However, the words of John are rather too definite for such an explanation; they refer to actual sin; and they say that one "begotten of God . . . cannot sin."

Others explain that the "new nature" cannot sin, though the "old nature" may; this involves a false theory of the human mind; such belief in a dual personality or a divided self finds no support in Scripture or in science.

Still others suppose that the reference is to habitual states, or regular practice; that, John means to say, simply, that a Christian will not usually, or continually, sin. liowever, the language is too definite for this possible explanation; the statement is, he "cannot sin."

It may possibly be best to find the explanation in view of the errors John is attempting to combat. He has false teachers in mind. "My little children, let no man lead you astray: he that doeth righteousness is righteous." Evidently these teachers were suggesting that a man might be righteous even though he were doing what is wrong. There were those who claimed that sin concerned only the body, and that, in spite of impurity of life, the soul might not be stained; and others taught that sinful acts might not interfere with high spiritual states. John is therefore making an unqualified denial of an unmitigated lie. In other parts of the epistle he makes plain his understanding that all Christians do sin and have need of continual cleansing. Here, however, he is sharply rebuking those who would make light of sin, or disguise its satanic character. He does not pause to make any deductions or obvious qualifications. He declares the absolute opposition between sin and holiness, between lawlessness and righteousness, between the "children of the devil" and the "children of God." Whatever difficulty may be involved in his particular words, he burns into our souls the truth that one who has his hope set on Christ will purify himself "even as he is pure."

b. Tested by Love. Ch. 3:11-24

11 For this is the message which ye heard from the beginning, that we should love one another: 12 not as Cain was of the evil one, and slew his brother. And wherefore slew he him? Because his works were evil, and his brother's righteous.

13 Marvel not, brethren, if the world hateth you. 14 We know that we have passed out of death into life, because we love the brethren. He that loveth not abideth in death. 15 Whosoever hateth his brother is a murderer: and ye know that no murderer hath eternal life abiding in him. 16 Hereby know we love, because he laid down his life for us : and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren. 17 But whoso hath the world's goods, and beholdeth his brother in need, and shutteth up his compassion from him, how doth the love of God abide in him? 18 My little children, let us not love in word, neither with the tongue; but in deed and truth. 19 Hereby shall we know that we are of the truth, and shall assure our heart before him: 20 because if our heart condemn us, God is greater than our heart, and knoweth all things. 21 Beloved, if our heart condemn us not, we have boldness toward God; 22 and whatsoever we ask we receive of him, because we keep his commandments and do the things that are pleasing in his sight. 23 And this is his commandment, that we should believe in the name of his Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, even as he gave us commandment. 24 And he that keepeth his commandments abideth in him, and he in him. And hereby we know that he abideth in us, by the Spirit which he gave us.

The link between this section and that which precedes is found in the tenth verse of the chapter: "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." The previous paragraph applied to the Christian life the test of righteousness; here is applied the test of love. The writer regards it as an obvious test, for he declares that the whole message of the life and character of Christ was a message of love. From the beginning of their acquaintance with him it had been known by his followers that they must obey his law of love: "For this is the message which ye heard from the beginning, that we should love one another." One who is a child of God will surely obey the law revealed by the Son of God.

To impress the validity of this test, the writer is about to dwell upon the supreme example of self-sacrifice given by Christ; but he first summons to our memory the darkly contrasting figure of Cain. The demonic nature of this first murderer is evinced by the motive which inspired his cruel deed; it was envy, one of the most subtle and common and deadly forms of hatred: "Cain was of the evil one, and slew his brother . . . Because his works were evil, and his brother's righteous." Therefore Christians, who by their righteousness show themselves children of God, need not be surprised at the enmity of the unbelieving world: "Marvel not, brethren, if the world hateth you." Hatred is so natural and so universal, that love is a certain proof of the presence in one of a new life principle, of the experience of a new birth, of the possession of a new moral nature: "We know that we have passed out of death into life, because we love the brethren." If one is not animated by love, then evidently he is still in a state of spiritual death, he has not been born of God, he is not a "child of God." "He that loveth not abideth in death." As Christ himself taught, in his Sermon on the Mount, whosoever hates his brother is a murderer, for he is cherishing the motive which would result in the act, were all restraints removed and were opportunity given. Surely one who is so disposed cannot have the nature of God, cannot be a "child of God," cannot have "eternal life" : "Ye know that no murderer hath eternal life abiding in him."

In contrast with Cain, the embodiment of hatred, stands the radiant form of Christ, the revelation of love: "Hereby know we love, because he laid down his life for us." His death "for us" is not only the supreme proof of his love; it is the required measurement of ours: "and we ought to lay down our lives, for the brethren." When occasion arises, when necessity demands, we ought to show such devotion; we owe it to others, we owe it to Christ, we owe it to ourselves, for thus we show ourselves to be the children of God. These present years are giving countless examples of such heroic self-sacrifice; but tests of a less dramatic character are ever at hand: "Whoso hath the world's goods, and beholdeth his brother in need, and shutteth up his compassion from him, how doth the love of God abide in him?" This "love of God" is the love which is of the nature of God; it is a manifestation of that new life which God gives to his children. Lacking this "love of God," how can one claim to be a child of God? Let love be shown then, if we are Christians, not by our hymns and our professions alone, nor by our admiration of high motives and heroic acts, but by our daily lives: "My little children, let us not love in word, neither with the tongue; but in deed and truth."

It is true that when we judge ourselves by these high standards, when we apply to ourselves the "tests" insisted upon in this epistle, we are often discouraged and our hearts condemn us. Nevertheless, if love has been the guiding principle of our lives, then, in spite of occasional failures and of conscious faults, we shall have confidence that we are the children of God, that our new birth is a reality, that "we are of the truth." Even when our hearts condemn us as we are confronted with the memory of some great defeat, we will believe that "God is greater than our heart," that he "knoweth all things," and that he recognizes our love toward him, and our faith in Christ, and the reality of the new life he has implanted. Otherwise we could have no confidence in prayer; but when assured, by the test of love, that we are the children of God, then we speak to him with freedom, as to a loving Father, and then "whatsoever we ask we receive of him, because we keep his commandments." This latter does not mean that our prayers are answered as a reward of merit, but rather that keeping his commandments shows that we are at one with his will, and so living and praying as he would have us, our petitions are certain to be fulfilled.

Speaking of "commandments," John reminds us that they are all largely comprehended in the requirements to believe in Christ, and to love one another. The fruit of these requirements he emphasizes in the following paragraph; the second has been his theme in this, and he only pauses to insist that keeping these commandments is both a condition and a result of true fellowship with God; it deepens the assurance which is imparted to us by the Spirit of God, for "hereby we know that he abideth in us, by the Spirit which he gave us."

c. Tested by Belief. Ch. 4:1-6

1 Beloved, believe not every spirit, but prove the spirits, whether they are of God; because many false prophets are gone out into the world. 2 Hereby know ye the Spirit of God: every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God : 3 and every spirit that confesseth not Jesus is not of God: and this is the spirit of the antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it cometh; and now it is in the world already. 4 Ye are of God, my little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you than he that is in the world. 5 They are of the world: therefore speak they as of the world, and the world heareth them. 6 We are of God: he that knoweth God heareth us; he who is not of God heareth us not. By this we know the spirit of truth, and the spirit of error.

It is noticeable that in this epistle the work of the Holy Spirit, or to use the title employed by John, the work of "the Spirit," or the work of "the Spirit of God," is related almost exclusively to the imparting of faith and the inspiring of belief. Of course he has other functions; but John refers to him as specifically "the spirit of truth," whom Jesus thus described, and of whom he said, "He shall guide you into all the truth" and "He shall bear witness of me." Therefore, as in the close of the last chapter, belief "in the name of his Son Jesus Christ," is related to the presence of "the Spirit which he gave us," so, as this chapter opens, the assurance that one is a child of God is based on the confession, inspired by the Spirit of God, that "Jesus Christ is come in the flesh."

There are manifest among men many other "spirits," and many false teachers, who claim to be inspired of God; against these John warns his readers and declares that the crucial test of all teachers is their attitude toward Christ: "Beloved, believe not every spirit, but prove the spirits, whether they are of God; . . . every spirit that confesseth not Jesus is not of God." Those to whom John referred had "gone out into the world"; they had left the Church and joined the society of the godless and the unbelieving; they claimed to be "spiritual," to be "Christian," to be "divinely inspired," but in reality their "spirit" was that of antichrist; even worse, it was the "spirit" of the "prince of this world," the Devil. By these "false prophets," however, the readers of the epistle had not been led astray; as the children of God, they had been strengthened by the Spirit of God and had defeated "the spirit of error"; "Ye are of God," writes the apostle, "and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you than he that is in the world." These "false prophets," nevertheless, were very popular; they were "of the world," their spirit was in perfect sympathy with the spirit of the world, and as their teachings were determined by this spirit, they were consequently exactly such as the world delighted to hear. By way of contrast, John and his fellow apostles, claimed to be "of God," and to be guided by his Spirit; therefore the children of God received their testimony, which the "false prophets" and the world rejected: "We are of God: he that knoweth God heareth us; he who is not of God heareth us not." From all that has gone before, the apostle concludes that it is always possible to distinguish between truth and error; by the attitude toward Christ, as truly human while very God, every spirit can be tested, whether the spirit is that of a "false prophet," or of an apostle, or of the humblest and most obscure believer: "Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God: . . . By this we know the spirit of truth, and the spirit of error."

As in the days of John, so to-day many false prophets have "gone out into the world." Never have there existed a larger number of conflicting voices claiming to teach not only religions but Christian truth. We need to test the spirits. We must remember that "spiritual" does not necessarily mean "holy"; many teachers who claim to deal with mysteries and "visions" in realms which are beyond the visible and the material, many, too, who proclaim lofty sentiments and poetic fancies, are themselves false and ignorant and impure.

Nor yet does "supernatural" mean "divine." What John actually meant by the word "spirits" may be a matter of dispute; he surely implied that beings of a superhuman order are not therefore "of God," but may be satanic and demonic. We live at a time when, as never before, men are seeking aid from "spirits." Broken and bleeding hearts groping in the dark for comfort, longing for messages from loved ones whom death has snatched away, are turning in pitiful credulity to those who claim communion with the unseen world. That the "mediums" through whom these "messages" come, are usually fraudulent and deceitful, it is not difficult to prove. Even admitting some modicum of reality in their claims does not forbid the conclusion that the source of their alleged power is demonic. The real test which must be applied is this: "Every spirit that confesseth not Jesus is not of God." Confronted by some things which are mysterious, threatened by countless delusions which hide under the name of "Christians," opposed by systems of proud unbelief, we do well to-day to heed the warning of the apostle: "Beloved, believe not every spirit, but prove the spirits, whether they are of God."

What strange contrasts John here sets forth: the Church and the world, the spirit of truth and the spirit of error, Christ and Satan, false prophets and inspired apostles, the Spirit of God and the spirit of antichrist; but the line of cleavage is clearly stated: there is one invariable test — the attitude toward Jesus, the divine Son of God. Above all the problems in the world of religion and philosophy, there stands forth one supreme question: "What think ye of Christ?" This furnishes the touchstone of character, the test of belief, the proof of spiritual life.