| Chapter 3
Chapter Outline
The apostle admires the love of God in making believers his children.(1, 2)
The purifying influence of the hope of seeing Christ, and the danger of pretending to this, and living in sin.(3–10)
Love to the brethren is the character of real Christians.(11–15)
That love described by its actings.(16–21)
The advantage of faith, love, and obedience.(22–24)
Verses 1, 2
Little does the world know of the happiness of the real followers of Christ. Little does the world think that these poor, humble, despised ones, are favourites of God, and will dwell in heaven. Let the followers of Christ be content with hard fare here, since they are in a land of strangers, where their Lord was so badly treated before them. The sons of God must walk by faith, and live by hope. They may well wait in faith, hope, and earnest desire, for the revelation of the Lord Jesus. The sons of God will be known, and be made manifest by likeness to their Head. They shall be transformed into the same image, by their view of him.
Verses 3–10
The sons of God know that their Lord is of purer eyes than to allow any thing unholy and impure to dwell with him. It is the hope of hypocrites, not of the sons of God, that makes allowance for gratifying impure desires and lusts. May we be followers of him as his dear children, thus show our sense of his unspeakable mercy, and express that obedient, grateful, humble mind which becomes us. Sin is the rejecting the Divine law. In him, that is, in Christ, was no sin. All the sinless weaknesses that were consequences of the fall, he took; that is, all those infirmities of mind or body which subject man to suffering, and expose him to temptation. But our moral infirmities, our proneness to sin, he had not. He that abides in Christ, continues not in the practice of sin. Renouncing sin is the great proof of spiritual union with, continuance in, and saving knowledge of the Lord Christ. Beware of self-deceit. He that doeth righteousness is righteous, and to be a follower of Christ, shows an interest by faith in his obedience and sufferings. But a man cannot act like the devil, and at the same time be a disciple of Christ Jesus. Let us not serve or indulge what the Son of God came to destroy. To be born of God is to be inwardly renewed by the power of the Spirit of God. Renewing grace is an abiding principle. Religion is not an art, a matter of dexterity and skill, but a new nature. And the regenerate person cannot sin as he did before he was born of God, and as others do who are not born again. There is that light in his mind, which shows him the evil and malignity of sin. There is that bias upon his heart, which disposes him to loathe and hate sin. There is the spiritual principle that opposes sinful acts. And there is repentance for sin, if committed. It goes against him to sin with forethought. The children of God and the children of the devil have their distinct characters. The seed of the serpent are known by neglect of religion, and by their hating real Christians. He only is righteous before God, as a justified believer, who is taught and disposed to righteousness by the Holy Spirit. In this the children of God are manifest, and the children of the devil. May all professors of the gospel lay these truths to heart, and try themselves by them.
Verses 11–15
We should love the Lord Jesus, value his love, and therefore love all our brethren in Christ. This love is the special fruit of our faith, and a certain sign of our being born again. But none who rightly know the heart of man, can wonder at the contempt and enmity of ungodly people against the children of God. We know that we are passed from death to life: we may know it by the evidences of our faith in Christ, of which love to our brethren is one. It is not zeal for a party in the common religion, or affection for those who are of the same name and sentiments with ourselves. The life of grace in the heart of a regenerate person, is the beginning and first principle of a life of glory, whereof they must be destitute who hate their brother in their hearts.
Verses 16–21
Here is the condescension, the miracle, the mystery of Divine love, that God would redeem the church with his own blood. Surely we should love those whom God has loved, and so loved. The Holy Spirit, grieved at selfishness, will leave the selfish heart without comfort, and full of darkness and terror. By what can it be known that a man has a true sense of the love of Christ for perishing sinners, or that the love of God has been planted in his heart by the Holy Spirit, if the love of the world and its good overcomes the feelings of compassion to a perishing brother? Every instance of this selfishness must weaken the evidences of a man's conversion; when habitual and allowed, it must decide against him. If conscience condemn us in known sin, or the neglect of known duty, God does so too. Let conscience therefore be well-informed, be heard, and diligently attended to.
Verses 22–24
When believers had confidence towards God, through the Spirit of adoption, and by faith in the great High Priest, they might ask what they would of their reconciled Father. They would receive it, if good for them. And as good-will to men was proclaimed from heaven, so good-will to men, particularly to the brethren, must be in the hearts of those who go to God and heaven. He who thus follows Christ, dwells in Him as his ark, refuge, and rest, and in the Father through him. This union between Christ and the souls of believers, is by the Spirit he has given them. A man may believe that God is gracious before he knows it; yet when faith has laid hold on the promises, it sets reason to work. This Spirit of God works a change; in all true Christians it changes from the power of Satan to the power of God. Consider, believer, how it changes thy heart. Dost not thou long for peace with God? Wouldst thou not forego all the world for it? No profit, pleasure, or preferment shall hinder thee from following Christ. This salvation is built upon Divine testimony, even the Spirit of God.
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--【译】何叶-【校】湑然-【编】何叶 2012年7月24日 (二) 21:36 (CST)
第三章
章节大纲
第1-2节，约翰赞美神使信徒得称为神的儿女这份伟大的慈爱。
第3-10节，盼望得见基督的就当洁净自己，而假冒伪善、依然住在罪里的，是危险的。
第11-15节，真基督徒的特征就是爱弟兄。
第16-21节，要用切实的行为展现出爱。
第22-24节，论信心，真爱并顺服的好处。
第1-2节
世人鲜知真正跟随基督的人其喜其乐。世人鲜知所谓的贫穷、谦卑并低微的人是神的宠儿，并且将会住进天堂。既然身处陌生人的国土，主从前就在这里遭恶待，那么基督的跟随者们就该坦然迎受在此的一切艰难。神的儿女们务要凭信而行，按盼而居，很好地在信心、盼望并真切的渴求里等候主耶稣的再来。神的儿女必将为人所识，并展现出与主耶稣基督相似的形象。他们必要像主，因为必得见主的真体。
第3-10节
神的儿女知道他们的主有着至纯的双眼，容不得半点不洁不净的与祂同住。假冒伪善之人所希望的是容许奢逸肮脏的念想和情欲，而这断不为神的儿女所期。愿我们像神的爱子爱女一样跟随着祂，体现出我们领受了祂那无以言说的怜悯，彰显出我们已具有的顺服、感恩、并谦卑的心。罪是抵挡神的律法的。在神里面（也就是在基督里面）是没有罪的。所有无罪的软弱——那些堕落的产物，主都担当了，也就是说，所有那些精神或肉体的不坚定，折磨得人身心皆苦，将人裸露在诱惑中的一切，主都担当了。然而，主却丝毫没有我们在道义上的不坚定，更绝不像我们会轻易犯罪。住在基督里的就不会继续行恶犯罪。宣布弃绝罪便是灵的伟大证据，证明了与主基督相交、坚持在主基督里、并存有对主基督的认识。务要警防自欺啊！只有行义的才是义人，是随从基督的人，透过在顺服与遭难中的信心彰显出好处。人不能行事如魔鬼却同时又是基督耶稣的门徒吧？我们切莫为神儿子前来要摧毁之物服务或纵情！从神而生就是由神的灵的权柄更新了内里。新生的美善是一份长久的道义。信仰不是一门艺术，无关于机敏和技巧，乃是全新的性情。重生的人不能再像从神而生之前那样行事，也不能像那些没有重生的人那样犯罪。在他脑里有了光，给他揭示罪的败坏和恶毒；在他心中有了权衡，愿意恨恶罪；在他的灵里有了准则，坚决抵挡罪行。即便还是犯了罪，也是可以悔改的。他再不会照先前的观念犯罪了。神的儿女与魔鬼的儿女，二者的特征截然不同。从漠视信仰并憎恨真基督徒这些特点就可以辨知蛇的种子。只有在神面前算得上公义的信徒，才得称为义的信徒，是为圣灵所管教并改造了的。于是乎，是属神的儿女还是属魔鬼的儿女就昭然若揭了。愿福音的所有教师将这些真理放在心头，并以此试验自己是不是出于神的。
第11-15节
我们该爱主耶稣，珍视祂的爱，并因此爱全部基督里的弟兄。这爱是我们信心特别的果，是我们重生的明确标记。不圣洁的人轻慢并敌视神的儿女，明明白白知悉人心的人，没有会对此感到疑惑的。我们知道我们已经出死入生了：我们可以凭在基督里的信心之据明白，爱我们弟兄的就是一体的。这并非对普通宗教里一次聚会的热忱，也不是对跟我们自己同家族同观点人的喜爱。在重生之人心里，美善的生命是荣耀的生命最起初最首要的准则，在他们中间必然没有心里恨弟兄的。
第16-21节
神竟然用自己的宝血赎罪教会，这是屈尊、是神迹、是神爱的奥秘。我们无可置疑地该爱那些神所爱之人，而且也该如此被爱。为利己主义忧伤的圣灵，将会离弃没有慰藉、藏满暗昧和歹毒的私心。基督竟爱该死的罪人，如何能得知一个人真的对此领悟了呢？或者，如果对尘世及其利益的爱恋超越了怜悯饥寒交迫的弟兄的感情，如何能得知神的爱已经由圣灵种植进了他的内心呢？如此自私自利的例子必然会削弱人洗心革面的证据；自私自利一旦成为习惯被放纵，那么必然对人造成辖制。如果我们的良心谴责我们的罪过或谴责我们不守本分，神也必这样谴责。因此，我们的良心务要广有识见、侧耳倾听，并孜孜以求。
第22-24节
藉着灵的收养，因着信靠伟大的神，信徒若在神面前坦然无惧，便可以向和好的父寻求一切可以寻求的。若所求的是对他们有益的，他们就能得到。诚如对人的善意是从天上宣告而下，所以对人的好意，尤其是对弟兄的好意，就必须存在于那些去到神和天国的人心里。凡这样跟随基督的，就住在基督里，宛如自己的摇篮、庇护和倚靠，并藉着主也住进了父里面。这种基督与信徒之间灵魂的相交，是藉着祂赐给他们的灵实现的。人能够相信在他认识神之前神就是和蔼可亲的。当信心在应许上铺垫了持守，也就设立着生效的理由。神的灵产生着一个改变，将所有真基督徒从撒旦的权势下改投到神的权柄中。信徒啊，请想想吧，它是怎样改变你内心的呢？难道你不渴望与神同在的平安吗？难道你不愿为了这份平安而放弃整个世界吗？任何利益、快感或偏爱都无法阻挠你对基督的跟随。这份救恩乃根基于神赐下的确据，甚至神的灵之上啊！
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