Evening star., 1920-03-06
BY REV. HUGH T. STEVENSON.

L.
John. in his letters. sought to de-
stroy false views that had been au-
Vanced concerning the character OF
Jesus. He sought TO warn those whom
he called the children of God" SO that
they would not be led astray by err
rors concerning the personality of the
SaViors- The false doctrines evident
ly denied the unity Of Christ's person
50 that the apostle taught with great
emphasis the Significance of Jesus as
the only begottcn Son of the Father
The fact that some taught that Christ
was baptized, but denied that he was
crucif1ed. claiming that it was Jesus
who was crucitied. the Christ having
departed from Him. caused Him to
emphasize the fact that Jesus is the
Christ and that Jesus Christ came
not IN water only. but also in blood
John clearly considered that such
| views were positively anti-Christian
practical denial of both the Father
and the Son.
bishop Westcott aptly expressed the
relationship that exists between the
fourth gospel and this first epistle
| winch by similarity of G tpressiOn and
thought prove that they are from the
same author. when he said that 1.-The
theme of the eDistle is. the Christ is
Jesus: the theme of the gospel is.
jesus s iChrist." One cannot help 10
reel as the first chapter of the epistle lie
are read that Johns mind moved in a
realm that made it imrossible for him
TO compare Jesus with the greatest of
inc prophets. He is speaking of The
" ord of Life" of the Son Of the
rather, whose blood "Clcanseth us
from all sim and who is the advocate
with the Father for those who sin.
"h" is the Precipitation for our sins.
ana not for ours only, but also for the
sins of the whole world"
Johns purpose in writing this letter
n" says was so that We may know
mat ye have eternal life. even unto
you mat believe on the name of the
eternal life is in the experience Of a
CHRISTIAN. He furnishes us a test by
"nich one can try his life and deter
mine If he has eternal life. In pre-
sentlng his theme of eternal life John
treats it AS q life Of fellowship with
''od- According to the apostles teach
ing Jesus is so identified with God
that through fellowship with Him
mon come into fellowship with God
ana with one another. The one who
comes nut" relationship with Jesus
knows that he is coming into the
great experience of communion wit
GOD. aud those who share this expert
ence ind that it creates between them
a new and powerful bond of brother
hood.
The tic that binds them in Christian
l'iioWShIp is their love for the Lord
Jesus and for one another. Their
unity rested upon the profound agree
ment of tn" spiritual experiences Of
human hearts in a common relation
ship to Jesus Christ. Redeemed by
on" sacrifice for sins forever. they
share one life, for Christ is their life;
one ambition. for His glory is their
highest desire. one food for His word
and His table arc their substance: one
faith. for all their hope is built on
His blood and righteousness. not on
their own: one task. for the evangel-
iZatlon of the world is the work
which lie has left His church to do:
one heart. for if one member suffers
all the members. so far AS member
ship is real and vital. and not merely
mechanical or even ecclesiastical Suf
fer with it. one in hope. for all are.
if things are right with them. look
ing for that blessed hope and the
glorious appearing of the great God
and our Savior Jesus Christ" and
with one rule of life. freely giving
what has been freely received"
In earlier parts of this epistlc John
pointed out some of the Characteris-
ties of the Christian fellowsh He
speaks of God as light; hence fellow
ship with Him depends upon walking
in the light. Again. he says that God
is righteous: hence fellowship with
Him depends on living a righteous
life. The foundation for the fellow
ship, emphasized in the lesson. is
one that depends upon the possessing
and manifestipg love. which distin-
gushes Christianity from all other
religions. He traces the sources of
this fellowship to it's origin in God.
whom John declares is love. God s
greatest motive power is love, which
calls for fellowship. Love is an out
pouring of the heart 1t can't be
given except there is an object to be
loved God proved His love for hu-
manity in the created world, which
proclaims His affection, but He re-
vealed His personal love for men by
the gift of His only bcsotten Son.
whom He sent to be the Savior of the
world.
Christianity is both individualistic
and ,socialistic. Its message is to
individuals who prove that they have
received the same by their love Tor
their brethren. Love is the evidence
of the new birth and the source or
spiritual knowledge that enables the
Christian to love not merely the
agreeable followers of the Master.
but to exercise for the glory of the
Christ love toward the imperfect
brother. even at the cost of self
NAL In spiritualiZing the relations
that exist between men it has raised
that Of a moral obligation. In re-
auiring that one should guide their
life by love the apostle provided
not only for the transformation OF
the Individual but of society as we'll
The one whose heart is renewed
daily with the love of God will be-
come like Him. The gospers power
to conform men into the likeness of
Christ Jesus is seen in the trans
formation of drunkard into a sober
citizen. the profane swearer into
reverent worshiper. and of the lost
itself in deeds of love toward all men
and nations. If Johns teachings are
true, then Christian men will prove
their love to their fellow men in all
the practical relations of daily life.
According to John. the Christians
relationship to Christ is real. 1t
calls for public confession that
Jesus. the Man of Galilee. Prophet,
Preacher and Philanthropist. is also
the Son of God. In fact, this con-
fession is one of the fixed laws OF
the new life. The Bible holds out
no promises to the one who does
not confess Christ Jesus before men
by his lips and life Of love for them.
1t takes more than mere confession
Of the tongue to demonstrate to men
that they have been with Jesus and
learn of Him how to love the breth-
rem. The love the apostle commends
is not emotion based upon passion
that has it's roots in the lower nature
of man. that finds expression in feel
ing and impulse, it is love entirely
subordinate to principle and sane
tilted by being consecrated to God.
Love. that is the result of the in
dwelling of the Christian in Christ
and that expresses His spirit toward
men. sees beyond the present mo-
ment. 1t beholds the last drama IN
human history, 1.-The day of Judg-
ment." and begets spirit of Justice.
If we. love any one we Will Judge
that one fairly. The faults will be
seen and ways devised to help cor
rect the same. Love will give value