LESSON VII.—SABBATH, NOVEMBER 18, 1893
- Hereby know we love, because He laid down his life for us; and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren.
- 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?
- My little children, let us not love in word, neither with the tongue; but in deed and truth.
- Hereby shall we know that we are of the truth, and shall assure our heart before him,
- Whereinsoever our heart condemn us; because God is greater than our heart, and knoweth all things.
- Beloved, if our heart condemn us not, we have boldness toward God;
- And whatsoever we ask, we receive of him, because we keep his commandments, and do the things that are pleasing in his sight.
- 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.
- 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.
- How is the love of God shown?
- How far ought the spirit of self-sacrifice to be carried?
- What gives evidence of a lack of this love?
- To what kind of love are the believers exhorted?
- What will be known as a consequence?
- When the heart condemns, can it be expected that God will commend?
- What follows when the heart does not condemn?
- Then how much is received?
- For what reason?
- What is his commandment?
- What union is predicated of commandment keepers?
- How may we know that he abideth in us?
1. VERSES 16-18.—The Revised Version renders the first clause of verse 16 thus: "Hereby know we love, because," etc. The cross of Calvary is the grandest display of love which the universe has ever seen. John 3 : 16. "Jesus died because God loved the world. The channel had to be made whereby the love of God should be recognized by man and flow into the sinner's heart in perfect harmony with truth and justice." "The resources of infinite love have been exhausted in devising and executing the plan of redemption for man." It is love which draws man to God (Jer. 31 : 3) and leads him to repentance (Rom. 2 : 4), and "the Lord has no reserve power with which to influence men. He can give no greater manifestation of his love than that which he has given." "Oh, what a God have we! What a Benefactor! What claims has he upon our love! Having collected all the riches of the universe and laid open all the resources of infinite power, he gave all the heavenly treasure into the hands of Christ, and said: "All these are for man. Use them to convince him that there is no love greater than mine in earth or heaven. His greatest happiness consists in loving me, and giving his heart to me, who hath loved him with an infinite love." "He who has shared in the grace of Christ is thereby placed under obligation to others (Rom. 1 : 14), and this grace is more sacred to him than life (Acts 20 : 24)." "The plan of salvation was laid by a sacrifice, a gift" (2 Cor. 8 : 9), and the same spirit should characterize all Christians (Matt. 10 : 8) as was shown by the Macedonians (2 Cor. 8 : 3-5). "Thus while our gifts cannot recommend us to God, or earn us favor, they are an evidence that we have received the grace of Christ. They are a test of the sincerity of our profession of love." "He tests the love of his professed followers by committing to their tender mercies the afflicted and bereaved ones, the poor and the orphans." Deeds should accompany words in order to make them effective. James 2 : 15, 16. 2. VERSES 19-24.—A clear conscience is a good thing (2 Cor. 1 : 12), but God is the final judge (Rom. 2 : 16), and the life record determines the result (Rev. 20 : 12). "Believers, as such, ask only what is in accordance with God's will; or if they ask what God wills not, they bow their will to God's will, and so God grants them either their request or something better than it."—Fausset. God can bestow special blessings upon those only who will use them to his glory, which is always for their good. Deut. 6 : 24. The obedience of faith is evidence of such a purpose. As Christ pleased not himself (Rom. 15 : 3) but the Father (John 8 : 29), so we are to do; but this is not natural to man (Rom. 8 : 8), and is accomplished only through faith (Heb. 11 : 6). Belief in Christ insures salvation (Acts 16 : 31), and is the work of God (John 6 : 29). Love to man is the outgrowth of this experience. Christ dwells in genuine Christians (2 Cor. 13 : 5), as in Paul (Gal. 2 : 20), and works in us through his power (Phil. 2 : 13) to obedience (Rom. 5 : 19).