The apostle John passed his early life in the society of the uncultivated
fishermen of Galilee. He did not enjoy the training of the schools; but
by association with Christ, the Great Teacher, he obtained the highest
education which mortal man can receive. He drank eagerly at the fountain
of wisdom, and then sought to lead others to that "well of water springing
up into everlasting life" (John 4:14). The simplicity of his words, the
sublime power of the truths he uttered, and the spiritual fervor that characterized
his teachings gave him access to all classes. Yet even believers were unable
to fully comprehend the sacred mysteries of divine truth unfolded in his
discourses. He seemed to be constantly imbued with the Holy Spirit. He
sought to bring the thoughts of the people up to grasp the unseen. The
wisdom with which he spoke, caused his words to drop as the dew, softening
and subduing the soul.
After the ascension of Christ, John stands forth a faithful, ardent
laborer for the Master. With others he enjoyed the outpouring of the Spirit
on the day of Pentecost, and with fresh zeal and power he continued to
speak to the people the words of life. He was threatened with imprisonment
and death, but he would not be intimidated.
Multitudes of all classes come out to listen to the preaching of the
apostles, and are healed of their diseases through the name of Jesus, that
name so hated among the Jews. The priests and rulers are frantic in their
opposition as they see that the sick are healed and Jesus is exalted as
the Prince of life. They fear that soon the whole world will believe on
Him, and then accuse them of murdering the Mighty Healer. But the greater
their efforts to stop this excitement, the more believe on Him and turn
from the teachings of the scribes and Pharisees. They are filled with indignation,
and laying hands on Peter and John, thrust them into the common prison.
But the angel of the Lord, by night, opens the prison doors, brings them
forth, and says, "Go, stand and speak in the temple to the people all the
words of this life" (Acts 5:20).
With fidelity and earnestness John bore testimony for his Lord upon
every suitable occasion. He saw that the times were full of peril for the
church. Satanic delusions were existing everywhere. The minds of the people
were wandering through the mazes of skepticism and deceptive doctrines.
Some who pretended to be true to the cause of God were deceivers. They
denied Christ and His gospel and were bringing in damnable heresies and
living in transgression of the divine law.
John's Favorite Theme
John's favorite theme was the infinite love of Christ. He believed in
God as a child believes in a kind and tender father. He understood the
character and work of Jesus; and when he saw his Jewish brethren groping
their way without a ray of the Sun of Righteousness to illuminate their
path, he longed to present to them Christ, the Light of the world.
The faithful apostle saw that their blindness, their pride, superstition,
and ignorance of the Scriptures were riveting upon their souls fetters
which would never be broken. The prejudice and hatred against Christ which
they obstinately cherished, was bringing ruin upon them as a nation and
destroying their hopes of everlasting life. But John continued to present
Christ to them as the only way of salvation. The evidence that Jesus of
Nazareth was the Messiah was so clear that John declares no man needs to
walk in the darkness of error while such light is proffered him.
Saddened by Poisonous Errors
John lived to see the gospel of Christ preached far and near, and thousands
eagerly accepting its teachings. But he was filled with sadness as he perceived
poisonous errors creeping into the church. Some who accepted Christ claimed
that His love released them from obedience to the law of God. On the other
hand, many taught that the letter of the law should be kept, also all the
Jewish customs and ceremonies, and that this was sufficient for salvation,
without the blood of Christ. They held that Christ was a good man, like
the apostles, but denied His divinity. John saw the dangers to which the
church would be exposed, should they receive these ideas, and he met them
with promptness and decision. He wrote to a most honorable helper in the
gospel, a lady of good repute and extensive influence:
"Many deceivers are entered into the world, who confess not that Jesus
Christ is come in the flesh. This is a deceiver and an antichrist. Look
to yourselves, that we lose not those things which we have wrought, but
that we receive a full reward. Whosoever transgresseth, and abideth not
in the doctrine of Christ, hath not God. He that abideth in the doctrine
of Christ, he hath both the Father and the Son. If there come any unto
you, and bring not this doctrine, receive him not into your house, neither
bid him God speed: for he that biddeth him God speed is partaker of his
evil deeds" (2 John 7-11).
John was not to prosecute his work without great hindrances. Satan was
not idle. He instigated evil men to cut short the useful life of this man
of God, but holy angels protected him from their assaults. John must stand
as a faithful witness for Christ. The church in its peril needed his testimony.
By misrepresentation and falsehood the emissaries of Satan had sought
to stir up opposition against John and against the doctrine of Christ.
In consequence dissensions and heresies were imperiling the church. John
met these errors unflinchingly. He hedged up the way of the adversaries
of truth. He wrote and exhorted, that the leaders in these heresies should
not have the least encouragement. There are at the present day evils similar
to those that threatened the prosperity of the early church, and the teachings
of the apostle upon these points should be carefully heeded. "You must
have charity," is the cry to be heard everywhere, especially from those
who profess sanctification. But charity is too pure to cover an unconfessed
sin. John's teachings are important for those who are living amid the perils
of the last days. He had been intimately associated with Christ, he had
listened to His teachings and had witnessed His mighty miracles. He bore
a convincing testimony, which made the falsehoods of His enemies of none
effect.
No Compromise With Sin
John enjoyed the blessing of true sanctification. But mark, the apostle
does not claim to be sinless; he is seeking perfection by walking in the
light of God's countenance. He testifies that the man who professes to
know God, and yet breaks the divine law, gives the lie to his profession.
"He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar,
and the truth is not in him" (1 John 2:4). In this age of boasted liberality
these words would be branded as bigotry. But the apostle teaches that while
we should manifest Christian courtesy, we are authorized to call sin and
sinners by their right names--that this is consistent with true charity.
While we are to love the souls for whom Christ died, and labor for their
salvation, we should not make a compromise with sin. We are not to unite
with the rebellious, and call this charity. God requires His people in
this age of the world to stand, as did John in his time, unflinchingly
for the right, in opposition to soul-destroying errors.
No Sanctification Without Obedience
I have met many who claimed to live without sin. But when tested by
God's word these persons were found to be open transgressors of His holy
law. The clearest evidences of the perpetuity and binding force of the
fourth commandment failed to arouse the conscience. They could not deny
the claims of God, but ventured to excuse themselves in breaking the Sabbath.
They claimed to be sanctified, and to serve God on all days of the week.
Many good people, they said, did not keep the Sabbath. If men were sanctified,
no condemnation would rest upon them if they did not observe it. God was
too merciful to punish them for not keeping the seventh day. They would
be counted singular in the community should they observe the Sabbath, and
would have no influence in the world. And they must be subject to the powers
that be.
A lady in New Hampshire bore her testimony in a public meeting that
the grace of God was ruling in her heart and that she was wholly the Lord's.
She then expressed her belief that this people were doing much good in
arousing sinners to see their danger. She said, "The Sabbath that this
people present to us is the only Sabbath of the Bible"; and then stated
that her mind had been very much exercised upon the subject. She saw great
trials before her, which she must meet if she kept the seventh day. The
next day she came to meeting and again bore her testimony, saying she had
asked the Lord if she must keep the Sabbath, and He had told her she need
not keep it. Her mind was now at rest upon that subject. She then gave
a most stirring exhortation for all to come to the perfect love of Jesus,
where there was no condemnation to the soul.
This woman did not possess genuine sanctification. It was not God who
told her that she could be sanctified while living in disobedience to one
of His plain commandments. God's law is sacred, and none can transgress
it with impunity. The one who told her that she could continue to break
God's law and be sinless was the prince of the powers of darkness--the
same who told Eve in Eden, through the serpent, "Ye shall not surely die"
(Gen. 3:4). Eve flattered herself that God was too kind to punish her for
disobedience of His express commands. The same sophistry is urged by thousands
in excuse of their disobedience of the fourth commandment. Those who have
the mind of Christ will keep all of God's commandments, irrespective of
circumstances. The Majesty of heaven says, "I have kept my Father's commandments"
(John 15:10).
Adam and Eve dared to transgress the Lord's requirements, and the terrible
result of their sin should be a warning to us not to follow their example
of disobedience. Christ prayed for His disciples in these words: "Sanctify
them through thy truth: thy word is truth" (John 17:17). There is no genuine
sanctification except through obedience to the truth. Those who love God
with all the heart will love all His commandments also. The sanctified
heart is in harmony with the precepts of God's law; for they are holy,
just, and good.
God Has Not Changed
God's character has not changed. He is the same jealous God today as
when He gave His law upon Sinai and wrote it with His own finger on the
tables of stone. Those who trample upon God's holy law may say, "I am sanctified";
but to be indeed sanctified, and to claim sanctification, are two different
things.
The New Testament has not changed the law of God. The sacredness of
the Sabbath of the fourth commandment is as firmly established as the throne
of Jehovah. John writes: "Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the
law: for sin is the transgression of the law. And ye know that he was manifested
to
take away our sins; and in him is no sin. Whosoever abideth in him sinneth
not: whosoever sinneth {transgresseth the law} hath not seen him, neither
known him" (1 John 3: 4-6). We are authorized to hold in the same estimation
as did the beloved disciple those who claim to abide in Christ, to be sanctified,
while living in transgression of God's law. He met with just such a class
as we have to meet. He said, "Little children, let no man deceive you:
he that doeth righteousness is righteous, even as he is righteous. He that
committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning"
(verses 7, 8). Here the apostle speaks in plain terms, as he deemed the
subject demanded.
The epistles of John breathe a spirit of love. But when he comes in
contact with that class who break the law of God and yet claim that they
are living without sin, he does not hesitate to warn them of their fearful
deception. "If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness,
we lie, and do not the truth: but if we walk in the light, as he is in
the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus
Christ His Son cleanseth us from all sin. If we say that we have no sin,
we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins,
he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from
all unrighteousness. If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar,
and his word is not in us" (1 John 1:6-10).
 |
 |