I John 5:13, "These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God."
This morning, we many times can get lost and immersed into concepts and passages that, as the old saying goes, we "can't see the forest for the trees." A very wise thing to do in such cases is to go back to what we know. When men go on safaris and expeditions, they set different guideposts, landmarks, or fixtures that can be traced back to in an event of going beyond where they intended. Should they lose their way, these serve to re-align and re-adjust their mindset as to their current position. So, likewise, there are guideposts in the Holy Scriptures that help us chart where exactly we are and perhaps some of where we have been. Paul was fond of summation points or summation statements in his writings. John is fond of purpose points in his writings. While Paul would sum up what he just said, John would tell you specifically why he said it. Both methods prove very effective at bringing our minds back into the focus we need to understand what we are reading.
John gives us the "why" for writing these things at the end of this epistle. The reason for writing these things was two-fold. By looking at this two-fold reason for writing, I believe we can see a major point of why the Scriptures themselves were written, and for what reason the gospel is sounded. Since the source material for the preaching of the gospel is the Holy Bible (not experiences, jokes, or the like), it stands to reason that the motivation for the writing passes into the motivation for the preaching. If John felt impressed to write these things for a particular reason, we, today, should feel likewise about proclaiming them in a gospel way.
The first fold of the reason for writing these words is that those that believe on the name of the Son of God would know that they have eternal life. While we can get too far off on this point without trying very hard, it needs to be said that preaching to those that have no testimony of Christ in their heart is vain and fruitless. These people were not about to receive the testimony of Christ (law written in their heart by thestamping of the image of Christ by the Holy Spirit). They were already in possession of that testimony. While not much was understood about the Son of God, His law was already there in the inner man. Therefore, the inner man was already in them to be able to receive John's words. The fact that these people believed on His name shows forth that He has worked and moved in their life.
These people are being written to for the first purpose that they may know that they have eternal life. Notice that John's message was not one of the offering of eternal life (as we hear so often today). His message was about the knowledge of the prior possession of eternal life. The language here cannot be twisted to make it say anything other than what it does. I am reminded of stories of veterans that went off to war and received letters from their wives that declared to them that a child had been born to them.
These letters did not serve to effect the birth, but rather, these fathers were enlightened about the birth that already transpired and their new functions in life. So it is with these words of life. They do not tell us how to get the life, but they inform us about the life already in our possession.
The functions of the gospel are the same in this regard. The gospel is not given to those to offer life, but rather, it is given to those that have life to declare and expound unto them the beauties and intricacies of that life. Many say, "Well, if the words of this life are for those that have life, what happens when one hears them or reads them that does not have life?" This is a fair and honest question, and I believe that Scripture bears out that one of two things will happen. Should one read these words that has no eternal life, it will be foolishness unto him. (I Corinthians 2:14) If he hears these words preached (and has no power to do anything about it), he will most likely scoff at them and dismiss them as "idle tales or old fables." Should this one have power to do something about it, his anger can lead him to try to annihilate it. (Acts 7) Ministers have been killed in the past by those that had the power to try to thwart their purpose. Bibles have been burned by those that sought to remove their existence.
On the other hand, we need not press the issue too far on this for two reasons. The first reason this cannot be pressed too far is that we have not the ability to discern the thoughts and intents of the heart when we see these actions take place. We can judge the actions themselves as being sinful, but we cannot stand in the place of judge, jury, and executioner to say what the state of the heart is.
Our eyes should never be held up as the standard in that regard. The other reason we cannot press this issue to far is because some might say, "These words are not understood by them, because they are not written to them." The verse above that John gives is sometimes used for that very purpose. But, John's purpose of the writing of the promises, mercies, and love of God was for those that had eternal life. But, the commandments, precepts, and laws that are written therein are for all men to keep as they will be judged for failing to keep them when time shall be no more.
The second fold for John's writing is for those that believe and now know would believe on the name of the Son of God. While the language seems redundant, we should never conceive of wasted or unnecessary space in God's word. He never says too much or too little about the things contained in His Book. What John is, in essence, saying has this meaning. Those that have life and know about their life will have the knowledge and order for how they should walk and conduct themselves in an outward way. The reading of Scriptures and listening to the heralding of the gospel is not just to gain knowledge, but it is to learn about how we should do in this life. How should we bring glory to God? How should we treat one another? Even more importantly, why do we do these things? The words of this life provide those answers for our use and ultimately God's glory.
Consider the first time the message of God's grace moved you. Whether you were reading the words or listening to the preaching, what welled up within you? The moving of the Spirit at that time gave you the sweet assurance that God loves you with an everlasting love, and that Christ died for you. Then, consider when you were instructed on how to live your life in His service. Oh the joy of the soul in its earliest love that found the sweet comfort and earnest zeal for the Lord! Now, one says, "I am well past that. For me, that was years ago." John's words continue to be presently relevant to us no matter where we are in life or in the chronology of our walk. Whether we have heard of God's grace one time or a hundred times, we can hear it again as it is food for the soul. Sometimes people say, "I have heard that story before or read that passage before." Every time that we read or hear something preached, I am always amazed at the "new/old nuggets." They are new nuggets as I never saw them before, but they are old nuggets as they have always been there.
The reading and preaching of these words affirms and confirms these things to us. As all could attest, I need these things confirmed to me over and over. These words should never get old to our eyes and ears.
May we continually keep them attuned to hear and receive them as we should. Paul concluded the Roman letter by saying that these things written and preached were things that Paul ultimately hoped they were stablished and strengthened in. (Romans 16:25-27) This is confirming in them that Paul desired, and may our desire for ourselves and each other be that we are confirmed, stablished, strengthened, and built up in the most holy faith. We cannot be rooted in these things without the testimony of Him in us, but we can certainly be lacking in the manifestation of it. May we earnestly press toward the mark by continual heeding and confirmation to these words of life that tell us of the majesty of the Lord that we will one day experience by basking in His heavenly sunlight.
In Hope,
Bro Philip |