MHC:約翰一書 3

Chapter 3 Chapter Outline<ref>http://www.ccel.org/ccel/henry/mhc6.iJo.iv.html</ref>

F I R S T J O H N.

CHAP. III. The apostle here magnifies the love of God in our adoption, ver. 1, 2. He thereupon argues for holiness (ver. 3), and against sin, ver. 4-19. He presses brotherly love, ver. 11-18. How to assure our hearts before God, ver. 19-22. The precept of faith, ver. 23. And the good of obedience, ver. 24.

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)

分工

MHC:約翰一書 3:1-3

Adoption. (a. d. 80.) 1 Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not. 2 Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is. 3 And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure. The apostle, having shown the dignity of Christ's faithful followers, that they are born of him and thereby nearly allied to God, now here, I. Breaks forth into the admiration of that grace that is the spring of such a wonderful vouchsafement: Behold (see you, observe) what manner of love, or how great love, the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called, effectually called (he who calls things that are not makes them to be what they were not) the sons of God! The Father adopts all the children of the Son. The Son indeed calls them, and makes them his brethren; and thereby he confers upon them the power and dignity of the sons of God. It is wonderful condescending love of the eternal Father, that such as we should be made and called his sons—we who by nature are heirs of sin, and guilt, and the curse of God—we who by practice are children of corruption, disobedience, and ingratitude! Strange, that the holy God is not ashamed to be called our Father, and to call us his sons! Thence the apostle, II. Infers the honour of believers above the cognizance of the world. Unbelievers know little of them. Therefore (or wherefore, upon this score) the world knoweth us not, v. 1. Little does the world perceive the advancement and happiness of the genuine followers of Christ. They are here exposed to the common calamities of earth and time; all things fall alike to them as to others, or rather they are subject to the greater sorrow, for they have often reason to say, If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable, 1 Cor. xv. 19. The unchristian world, therefore, that walks by sight, knows not their dignity, their privileges, the enjoyments they have in hand, nor what they are entitled to. Little does the world think that these poor, humble, contemned ones are the favourites of heaven, and will be inhabitants there ere long. And they may bear their case the better since their Lord was here unknown as well as they: Because it knew him not, v. 1. Little did the world think how great a person was once sojourning here, that the Maker of it was once an inhabitant of it. Little did the Jewish world think that the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, was one of their blood, and dwelt in their land; he came to his own, and his own received him not. He came to his own, and his own crucified him; but surely, had they known him, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory, 1 Cor. ii. 8. Let the followers of Christ be content with hard fare here, since they are in a land of strangers, among those who little know them, and their Lord was so treated before them. Then the apostle, III. Exalts these persevering disciples in the prospect of the certain revelation of their state and dignity. Here, 1. Their present honourable relation is asserted: Beloved (you may well be our beloved, for you are beloved of God), now are we the sons of God, v. 2. We have the nature of sons by regeneration: we have the title, and spirit, and right to the inheritance of sons by adoption. This honour have all the saints. 2. The discovery of the bliss belonging and suitable to this relation is denied: And it doth not yet appear what we shall be, v. 2. The glory pertaining to the sonship and adoption is adjourned and reserved for another world. The discovery of it here would put a stop to the current of affairs that must now proceed. The sons of God must walk by faith, and live by hope. 3. The time of the revelation of the sons of God in their proper state and glory is determined; and that is when their elder brother comes to call and collect them all together: But we know that when he shall appear we shall be like him. The particle,ean, usually translated if, is here well rendered when; for the Hebrew particle am (to which this is thought to correspond) is observed so to signify, as Dr. Whitby has here noted; and not only is ean sometimes used for hotan, but some copies even here read hotan, when. And accordingly it seems proper so to render it in John xiv. 3, where we read it, And if I go, and prepare a place;but more naturally and properly, When I shall have gone, and shall have prepared the place, I will come again, and receive you unto myself, or paralepsomai—I will take you along with myself, that where I am there you may be also. When the head of the church, the only-begotten of the Father, shall appear, his members, the adopted of God, shall appear and be manifested together with him. They may then well wait in faith, hope, and earnest desire, for the revelation of the Lord Jesus; as even the creation itself waiteth for their perfection, and the public manifestation of the sons of God, Rom. viii.The sons of God will be known and be made manifest by their likeness to their head: They shall be like him—like him in honour, and power, and glory. Their vile bodies shall be made like his glorious body; they shall be filled with life, light, and bliss from him. When he, who is their life, shall appear, they also shall appear with him in glory, Col. iii. 4. Then, 4. Their likeness to him is argued from the sight they shall have of him: We shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is. Their likeness will be the cause of that sight which they shall have of him. Indeed, all shall see him, but not as they do; not as he is, namely, to those in heaven. The wicked shall see him in his frowns, in the terror of his majesty, and the splendour of his avenging perfections; but these shall see him in the smiles and beauty of his face, in the correspondence and amiableness of his glory, in the harmony and agreeableness of his beatific perfections. Their likeness shall enable them to see him as the blessed do in heaven. Or the sight of him shall be the cause of their likeness; it shall be a transformative sight: they shall be transformed into the same image by the beatific view that they shall have of him. Then the apostle, IV. Urges the engagement of these sons of God to the prosecution of holiness: And every man that hath this hope in him purifies himself even as he is pure, v. 3. The sons of God know that their Lord is holy and pure; he is of purer heart and eyes than to admit any pollution or impurity to dwell with him. Those then who hope to live with him must study the utmost purity from the world, and flesh, and sin; they must grow in grace and holiness. Not only does their Lord command them to do so, but their new nature inclines them so to do; yea, their hope of heaven will dictate and constrain them so to do. They know that their high priest is holy, harmless, and undefiled. They know that their God and Father is the high and holy one, that all the society is pure and holy, that their inheritance is an inheritance of saints in light. It is a contradiction to such hope to indulge sin and impurity. And therefore, as we are sanctified by faith, we must be sanctified by hope. That we may be saved by hope we must be purified by hope. It is the hope of hypocrites, and not of the sons of God, that makes an allowance for the gratification of impure desires and lusts.

論收養。 3:1你看，父賜給我們的是何等的慈愛，使我們得稱為神的兒女！我們也真是他的兒女。世人所以不認識我們，是因未曾認識他。3：2親愛的弟兄啊，我們現在是神的兒女，將來如何，還未顯明；但我們知道，主若顯現，我們必要像他，因為得見他的真體。3:3凡像他有這指望的，就潔淨自己，像他潔淨一樣。 使徒約翰，在此揭示出虔誠地緊隨基督的人其尊貴之處就在於是出於主的，是神的兒女，於是乎, 一、突然而至的奇異恩典恰是精美絕倫的賜福之泉：你看，父賜給我們的是何等的慈愛，使我們得稱為神的兒女！我們也真是祂的兒女！父收養了子的全部孩子。子甚至稱呼並接受他們為弟兄姊妹，並藉此將作為神的兒女應有的權柄和尊顯統統授予他們。永生之父屈尊賜愛是何等絕妙啊，我們竟能得以稱為神的兒女——我們本是是罪惡和負疚的孽種，該受神的詛咒——我們的行為本是墮落、乖逆和忘恩負義的產物！奇異的是，聖潔的神卻不恥做我們的父，稱我們是他的兒女！故此，使徒約翰， 二、表明信徒們超凡脫俗的榮耀。對此，非信徒是很難理解的。所以說：世人不認識你們（第1節）。對於真心跟隨基督的人，世人不能理解那份改善和喜樂。在這時和這地的災難面前，他們暴露無遺，萬有對他們跟對其他人一樣都將淪陷，或者相當程度地，他們將遭受巨大的悲痛，正如哥林多前書15:19所言，因為他們不時藉口說，我們若靠基督，只在今生有指望，簡直比眾人更可憐。世上的非基督徒，他們根據表象行事，不懂得基督徒所擁有的尊嚴、特權以及喜樂，也不知曉他們被賜予的權柄。 世人不相信所謂的貧窮、卑微和受虐之人最是上帝的寵兒 ，將會永遠地住在天堂。既然主在世和他們一樣不為人知，那麼他們就能更好地忍受一切的遭遇：因為世人不認識他（第1節）。世人想像不出，一個曾經活在世間的人，曾經寄居塵世的萬有的創造者上帝是何等偉大。猶太人過去不知道亞伯拉罕、伊薩克、和雅各布的神是他們的族親降生在他們的國土，祂為救自己的同胞而來，不料同胞卻不認得祂。祂為自己的同胞而來，同胞卻把祂定上了十字架。當然啦，他們若認得，也就不會把榮耀的主定十字架上了（參看哥林多前書2:8）。信徒們，身處不為人識的疏陌世界，就得以在那的艱險遭遇為喜樂，主從前也正是如此遭遇啊。接下來，使徒約翰， 三、激發鍥而不捨的信徒們的期盼，期盼尊貴身份必得彰顯。 1、堅稱他們現存的尊貴關係：親愛的（因為你們是上帝所愛的，你們便也是我們親愛的）弟兄們啊，現在我們是上帝的兒女（第2節）。我們藉重生有了子的屬性：我們因被收養得以繼承主的權柄、靈、以及公義。這一殊榮，所有聖徒都享有。 2、但拒絕泄漏這福祉的歸屬和終局：將來如何，還未顯明（第2節）。兒子身份和收養這榮耀的附屬關係，將延遲和保留到另一個世界再做定奪。在此該停下對此的探究，以便繼續目前當進行的事務。神的兒女要靠信心為人處事，要按盼望生活起居。 3、神的獨子顯現他身份和榮耀的時間是確定了的，便是信徒們的兄長前來召喚並全部接走他們的日子：我們知道他顯現之時就是我們當像他之時。詞綴"_ean"，常翻譯為「如果」，這裏最好譯為「那時」，因為，按惠特比博士在此的注釋，希伯來語的詞綴「am」(與之類似的）就如此註解表示意思的。不僅是ean有時用作專有名詞，並且一些版本中也讀作專有名詞「（when）那時」。據此在約翰福音14:3中這樣翻譯就很正統了，在那一節我們讀知「我若去為你們預備了地方……"。自然而然且恰如其分地，我若去為你們預備了地方，我就會再來的，接你們和我一起，我將把你們帶在我身邊，我在那裏，你們也在那裏。當教會的頭，父的獨子，再次顯現時，他的肢體，神所收養的，都將和他一同顯現。於是乎，他們當在信心中等待，滿懷期望，恆切渴盼主耶穌的顯現。「受造之物，切望等候神的眾子顯出來」（羅馬書8：19)。世人將知道神的眾子與他們的頭是相似的，並會以相似的樣子顯現出來：他們將與他相像——在尊貴、權柄和榮耀上都與他相像。他們敗壞的軀體將變得像他榮耀的身形，被源於他的生命、光亮和福氣充滿。「基督是我們的生命，他顯現的時候，你們也要與他一同顯現在榮耀里」（歌羅西書3:4）。 4、因着他們將有着與主一致的思想，所以凸顯出他們與主的相似性：我們所以會像他，是因為我們會得見他的真體。事實上，世人都會看見他，卻非像信徒們看見的一樣，也就是說看見的不是他在天國呈現於眾的真體。惡者將看見他皺眉，懼怕他的顯現，懼怕他復仇的完美形象中那份壯麗輝煌。但信徒們將看見他臉上的微笑和柔美，看見他的榮耀與慈愛相得益彰，看見他的完美和親切彼此輝映。他們的相似性使他們得以看見他，正如那些死後進入天國的靈魂所看見的一樣。或者可以說，是因為看見他所以他們相似，這將是一次洗心革面的看見：他們將被改造成聖潔無邪的形象，而這正是他們所看見的他的形象。使徒約翰繼續， 四、強調神眾子的契約，要遵行聖潔：凡像他有這指望的，就潔淨自己，像他潔淨一樣（第3節）。神的眾子都知道主是神聖潔淨的，祂有着潔淨的心和眼，容不得身邊半點污穢。想和祂同住的，必須竭盡全力在塵世、肉體和罪惡之外活出至純的潔淨，必須在恩典和聖潔之中成長。這不僅是主如此要求，他們的新性情也是如此引導的，無可否定，對天國的盼望會指示並約束他們如此行事。他們清楚至高的父神是聖潔、溫柔並純美的；他們明白父神是至高至聖的君王，整個天界都是絕對純淨聖潔的；他們知道他們承繼的是聖徒們的遺產，存在於光里。這與放縱罪惡和淫穢這些欲望，無疑就格格不入了。因此，我們憑藉真理得潔淨，就當秉懷聖潔的盼望。我們被盼望拯救，就當也被盼望潔淨。在骯髒的念想和情慾中驕奢淫逸恣意妄為的，那是偽善者的惡念，絕非神的兒女們的盼望。 --何葉 2012年2月21日 (二) 21:49 (CST)^-^~

MHC:約翰一書 3:4-10

The Mark of God's Children. (a. d. 80.) 4 Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law. 5 And ye know that he was manifested to take away our sins; and in him is no sin. 6 Whosoever abideth in him sinneth not: whosoever sinneth hath not seen him, neither known him. 7 Little children, let no man deceive you: he that doeth righteousness is righteous, even as he is righteous. 8 He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil. 9 Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; for his seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God. 10 In this the children of God are manifest, and the children of the devil: whosoever doeth not righteousness is not of God, neither he that loveth not his brother. The apostle, having alleged the believer's obligation to purity from his hope of heaven, and of communion with Christ in glory at the day of his appearance, now proceeds to fill his own mouth and the believer's mind with multiplied arguments against sin, and all communion with the impure unfruitful works of darkness. And so he reasons and argues, I. From the nature of sin and the intrinsic evil of it. It is a contrariety to the divine law: Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also (or even) the law (or, whosoever committeth sin even committeth enormity, or aberration from law, or from the law); for sin is the transgression of the law, or is lawlessness, v. 4. Sin is the destitution or privation of correspondence and agreement with the divine law, that law which is the transcript of the divine nature and purity, which contains his will for the government of the world, which is suitable to the rational nature, and enacted for the good of the world, which shows man the way of felicity and peace, and conducts him to the author of his nature and of the law. The current commission of sin now is the rejection of the divine law, and this is the rejection of the divine authority, and consequently of God himself. II. From the design and errand of the Lord Jesus in and to this world, which was to remove sin: And you know that he was manifested to take away our sins, and in him is no sin, v. 5. The Son of God appeared, and was known, in our nature; and he came to vindicate and exalt the divine law, and that by obedience to the precept, and by subjection and suffering under the penal sanction, under the curse of it. He came therefore to take away our sins, to take away the guilt of them by the sacrifice of himself, to take away the commission of them by implanting a new nature in us (for we are sanctifies by virtue of his death), and to dissuade and save from it by his own example, and (or for) in him was no sin; or, he takes sin away, that he may conform us to himself, and in him is no sin. Those that expect communion with Christ above should study communion with him here in the utmost purity. And the Christian world should know and consider the great end of the Son of God's coming hither: it was to take away our sin: And you know (and this knowledge should be deep and effectual) that he was manifested to take away our sins. III. From the opposition between sin and a real union with or adhesion to the Lord Christ: Whosoever abideth in him sinneth not, v. 6. To sin here is the same as to commit sin (v. 8, 9), and to commit sin is to practise sin. He that abideth in Christ continues not in the practice of sin. As vital union with the Lord Jesus broke the power of sin in the heart and nature, so continuance therein prevents the regency and prevalence thereof in the life and conduct. Or the negative expression here is put for the positive: He sinneth not, that is, he is obedient, he keeps the commandments (in sincerity, and in the ordinary course of life) and does those things that are pleasing in his sight, as is said v. 22. Those that abide in Christ abide in their covenant with him, and consequently watch against the sin that is contrary thereto. They abide in the potent light and knowledge of him; and therefore it may be concluded that he that sinneth (abideth in the predominant practice of sin) hath not seen him (hath not his mind impressed with a sound evangelical discerning of him), neither known him, hath no experimental acquaintance with him. Practical renunciation of sin is the great evidence of spiritual union with, continuance in, and saving knowledge of, the Lord Christ. IV. From the connection between the practice of righteousness and a state of righteousness, intimating withal that the practice of sin and a justified state are inconsistent; and this is introduced with a supposition that a surmise to the contrary is a gross deceit: "Little children, dear children, and as much children as you are, herein let no man deceive you. There will be those who will magnify your new light and entertainment of Christianity, who will make you believe that your knowledge, profession, and baptism, will excuse you from the care and accuracy of the Christian life. But beware of such self-deceit. He that doeth righteousness in righteous." It may appear that righteousness may in several places of scripture be justly rendered religion, as Matt. v. 10, Blessed are those that are persecuted for righteousness' sake, that is, for religion's sake; 1 Pet. iii. 14, But if you suffer for righteousness' sake (religion's sake) happy are you; and 2 Tim. iii. 16, All scripture, or the whole scripture, is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine—and for instruction in righteousness, that is, in the nature and branches of religion. To do righteousness then, especially being set in opposition to the doing, committing, or practising, of sin, is to practise religion. Now he who practiseth religion is righteous; he is the righteous person on all accounts; he is sincere and upright before God. The practice of religion cannot subsist without a principle of integrity and conscience.He has that righteousness which consists in pardon of sin and right to life, founded upon the imputation of the Mediator's righteousness. He has a title to the crown of righteousness, which the righteous Judge will give, according to his covenant and promise, to those that love his appearing, 2 Tim. iv. 8. He has communion with Christ, in conformity to the divine law, being in some measure practically righteous as he; and he has communion with him in the justified state, being now relatively righteous together with him. V. From the relation between the sinner and the devil, and thereupon from the design and office of the Lord Christ against the devil. 1. From the relation between the sinner and the devil.As elsewhere sinners and saints are distinguished (though even saints are sinners largely so called), so to commit sin is here so to practise it as sinners do, that are distinguished from saints, to live under the power and dominion of it; and he who does so is of the devil; his sinful nature is inspired by, and agreeable and pleasing to, the devil; and he belongs to the party, and interest, and kingdom of the devil. It is he that is the author and patron of sin, and has been a practitioner of it, a tempter and instigator to it, even from the beginning of the world. And thereupon we must see how he argues. 2. From the design and office of the Lord Christ against the devil: For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil, v. 8. The devil has designed and endeavoured to ruin the work of God in this world. The Son of God has undertaken the holy war against him. He came into our world, and was manifested in our flesh, that he might conquer him and dissolve his works. Sin will he loosen and dissolve more and more, till he has quite destroyed it. Let not us serve or indulge what the Son of God came to destroy. VI. From the connection between regeneration and the relinquishment of sin: Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin. To be born of God is to be inwardly renewed, and restored to a holy integrity or rectitude of nature by the power of the Spirit of God.Such a one committeth not sin, does not work iniquity nor practise disobedience, which is contrary to his new nature and the regenerate complexion of his spirit; for, as the apostle adds, his seed remaineth in him, either the word of God in its light and power remaineth in him (as 1 Pet. i. 23, Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever), or, that which is born of the Spirit is spirit; the spiritual seminal principle of holiness remaineth in him. Renewing grace is an abiding principle. Religion, in the spring of it, is not an art, an acquired dexterity and skill, but a new nature. And thereupon the consequence is the regenerate person cannot sin. That he cannot commit an act of sin, I suppose no judicious interpreter understands. This would be contrary to ch. i. 9, where it is made our duty to confess our sins, and supposed that our privilege thereupon is to have our sins forgiven. He therefore cannot sin, in the sense in which the apostle says, he cannot commit sin. He cannot continue in the course and practice of sin. He cannot so sin as to denominate him a sinner in opposition to a saint or servant of God. Again, he cannot sin comparatively, as he did before he was born of God, and as others do that are not so.And the reason is because he is born of God, which will amount to all this inhibition and impediment. 1. There is a light in his mind which shows him the evil and malignity of sin. 2. There is that bias upon his heart which disposes him to loathe and hate sin. 3. There is the spiritual seminal principle or disposition, that breaks the force and fulness of the sinful acts. They proceed not from such plenary power of corruption as they do in others, nor obtain that plenitude of heart, spirit, and consent, which they do in others. The spirit lusteth against the flesh. And therefore in respect to such sin it may be said, It is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me. It is not reckoned the person's sin, in the gospel account, where the bent and frame of the mind and spirit are against it. Then, 4. There is a disposition for humiliation and repentance for sin, when it has been committed. He that is born of God cannot sin. Here we may call to mind the usual distinction of natural and moral impotency. The unregenerate person is morally unable for what is religiously good. The regenerate person is happily disabled for sin. There is a restraint, an embargo (as we may say), laid upon his sinning powers. It goes against him sedately and deliberately to sin. We usually say of a person of known integrity, "He cannot lie, he cannot cheat, and commit other enormities." How can I commit this great wickedness, and sin against God! Gen. xxxix. 9. And so those who persist in a sinful life sufficiently demonstrate that they are not born of God. VII. From the discrimination between the children of God and the children of the devil. They have their distinct characters. In this the children of God are manifest and the children of the devil, v. 10. In the world (according to the old distinction) there are the seed of God and the seed of the serpent. Now the seed of the serpent is known by these two signatures:—1. By neglect of religion: Whosoever doeth not righteously (omits and disregards the rights and dues of God; for religion is but our righteousness towards God, or giving him his due, and whosoever does not conscientiously do this) is not of God, but, on the contrary, of the devil. The devil is the father of unrighteous or irreligious souls. And, 2. By hatred of fellow-christians: Neither he that loveth not his brother, v. 10. True Christians are to be loved for God's and Christ's sake. Those who so love them not, but despise, and hate, and persecute them, have the serpentine nature still abiding in them.

論神兒女的標誌。 3:4凡犯罪的，就是違背律法；違背律法就是罪。3:5你們知道主曾顯現，是要除掉人的罪，在他並沒有罪。3:6凡住在他裏面的，就不犯罪；凡犯罪的，是未曾看見他，也未曾認識他。3:7小子們哪，不要被人誘惑。行義的才是義人，正如主是義的一樣。3:8犯罪的是屬魔鬼，因為魔鬼從起初就犯罪。神的兒子顯現出來，為要除滅魔鬼的作為。3:9凡從神生的，就不犯罪，因神的道存在他心裏；他也不能犯罪，因為他是由神生的。3:10從此就顯出誰是神的兒女，誰是魔鬼的兒女。凡不行義的就不屬神，不愛弟兄的也是如此。 使徒約翰，一直聲明信徒要因着對天國的盼望，因着對在主顯現之日與他榮耀相交的盼望力，堅守聖潔這一本分。現在，約翰繼續苦口婆心不厭其煩地駁斥罪惡，駁斥一切與骯髒無益作為的來往，畢竟那些骯髒無益的作為是出於黑暗的。約翰對此據理力爭， 一、根據罪的性質及其本性的邪惡。罪惡與神的律法相悖相違。凡犯罪的，也就是違背律法；違背律法，也就是犯罪。因為罪與律法本就相悖相違，或者可以說，犯罪就是目無法紀（第4節）。罪就是缺乏或喪失了神律法的協調性和一致性。而這律法，是神的性情和聖潔匯成的聖經，涵蓋了他掌控萬有的決斷，合乎智理情理，是為世人的益處而制定的，它指給人幸福安定之道，引導人成為自然和律法的責任人。犯罪，就是廢棄神的律法，就是忤逆神的權威，也就是觸犯神本身。 二、根據主耶穌處在與來到世間的目的和使命，是為剷除罪惡：你們知道主曾顯現，是要除掉人的罪，在他並沒有罪（第5節）。眾所周知，神的兒子顯現，是按我們的本質顯現；祂來是為了維護和頌揚神的律法，他遵行誡命，屈從刑法的制裁，遭受刑法的咒詛。祂來是為了除滅我們的罪，用祂自己的聖潔消除罪的譴責，通過種植新性情在我們心裏（因為我們因着祂死的工價已得淨化），從而終斷罪對我們的糾纏，也借親身示範勸阻犯罪，並使罪者獲得赦免；可以說，祂除掉了罪，使我們得以和祂一致，然而在祂是並沒有罪的。期待與基督在天堂相交的，在地上就該學着與祂相交在至純的聖潔里。基督里的人都該確知並細想神的兒子來到凡間的偉大目的：是為除滅我們的罪——你們知道（這認知當深刻有效）主曾顯現，是為了除滅人的罪。 三、根據罪和與主的真正相交或緊緊堅持主這二者的對立：住在主裏面的就不犯罪（第6節）。趨於罪的，在此就等同於犯罪（第8、9節），犯罪就是謀劃罪。住在基督里的不會繼續呆在罪的詭計里。因為與主充滿生機的相交遏制了罪在心性中的勢頭，所以與主持續相交就能防止罪在生命里和在行為中的重演和蔓延。這裏的否定表達其實表現的是肯定意思：他並沒有罪，也就是說，他是順從的，正如第22節所講，他遵行誡命（在日常言行中虔誠地遵行），並做合神心意的事。住在基督里的，也就住在與他所立的契約里，於是能提防與之相悖的罪惡。因為他們住在主那滿有效力的光照和滿有說服力的認知里，由此可得出結論，犯罪的（住在罪惡滿盈里的），是未曾看見他（腦子裏沒有對他擲地有聲的福音智慧形成印象），也不認識他，不曾對他有經驗上的了解。日常行為中自我克制罪，是最大的證據，證明了與主基督靈的相交，以及在主里的堅定不移，並且證明了對主的知識的日積月累。 四、根據公義的行為和公義的身份二者之間的聯繫，用以暗示罪的行為和公義的身份是格格不入的 ，並提出一個設想，推測一旦與之相違，必是顯而易見的欺騙：「小子們哪，親愛的小子們啊，你們這麼多的孩子，於此不要被人誘惑。將有一些人，會對你們基督的新光和喜樂進行吹捧，使你們以為你們的知識、誓約和洗禮，不會使你們脫離基督生命的必然救贖。你們一定要清醒地意識到這種自欺欺人。行公義的必是在公義里。」似乎「公義」這詞在聖經里好幾處都只被譯為「義」。如馬太福音5:10 「為義受逼迫的人有福了，因為天國是他們的」；又如彼得前書3:14「你們就是為義受苦，也是有福的。不要怕人的威嚇，也不要驚慌」；還有提摩太後書3:16「聖經都是神所默示的，於教訓，督責，使人歸正，教導人學義，都是有益的」。全部經文，整本聖經，都是神所默示的，是有益於教義的——教導人學義，也即教導義的本質和支脈。那麼，行義的，尤其是正處在作惡犯罪對立面的，就是在行義。行義的就是公義之人，無論如何都是公義之人，在上帝面前是虔誠又正直的。沒有正直和道德這兩準則，義的行為就不能得以持續。義人所持有的公義，在於對罪的饒恕和對生命的公正，建立在中保者耶穌以公義之身擔當了一切的罪之上。祂理應獲得公義的冠冕，這將由公義的審判官主，根據其契約和應許，賜給凡愛慕祂顯現的人，見提摩太後書4:8。他和基督相交，遵從神的律法，一定程度上幾乎等同於主的公義，他以公義的身份和主相交，和主一起，那麼是何等公義啊！ 五、根據罪者和魔鬼的關係，根據主基督抗擊魔鬼的目的和使命。 1、根據罪者與魔鬼的關係。正如別處的罪者和聖徒是截然有別的（儘管即便聖徒很大程度上也被稱為罪者），因此犯罪在此就是像罪者一樣作惡——如此就與聖徒區別開來，犯罪就是活在罪的權勢和操縱之下。犯罪的是魔鬼所生的，他罪惡的本性受魔鬼慫恿，合魔鬼心意，取悅魔鬼。他屬乎魔鬼的黨羽、幫派和國度，引發罪，窩藏罪，是罪的始作俑者，慫恿煽動人犯罪，甚至從原初便開始。在此之上我們必須清楚罪者如何為自己開脫。 2、根據主基督抗擊魔鬼的目的和使命：神的兒子正是為此目的顯現的，為除滅魔鬼的作為（第8節）。魔鬼處心積慮要摧毀神在世上的創造之功。神的兒子已經展開了對魔鬼的神聖決戰。子來到塵世，以我們的肉身顯現，他能征服魔鬼並銷毀其作為。他將鬆散罪惡並越漸將其銷熔，直到徹底擊潰。我們切勿為神的兒子前來毀滅之物效力，也不要對其放任縱容。 六、根據重生與棄罪的關係：凡出於神的都不犯罪。為神所生是內在的更新，由神聖靈能力重建一份純淨聖潔的誠懇或正直無私的性情。 這樣的本性就不再犯罪，不作惡，也不行逆，畢竟作惡行逆與其新性情衝突，也與其重生之靈的氣度牴觸。因此，正如約翰補充的，神的道存在於他心裏，神的道以光照和權柄存在他的心裏（正如彼得前書1:23你們蒙了重生，不是由於能壞的種子，乃是由於不能壞的種子，是藉着神活潑常存的道），或者說，從靈生的就是靈，靈潛在的聖潔道義存在他心裏。重生的恩典就是道義長存。公義，在恩典之泉里，不是一門藝術，不是一項學來的聰敏或技巧，卻是一份全新的性情。隨即的結果便是重生之人不能犯罪。他演不了罪的角色——我認為沒有哪位有見地的演員對此能夠理解。這也許與第9節矛盾了，第9節促使我們認罪，認為我們的特權便是我們的罪能得饒恕。而這裏卻又說他因此不能犯罪，其中使徒約翰表達的觀點是，他不能作可恥的事。他不能持續在惡的行徑上和罪的行為里。他不能作惡到成為罪人的地步，以至與神的聖徒及僕人不共戴天。再次申明，他是相對地不能犯罪，不能像他從神而生之前那樣犯罪，而其他人犯了罪卻非如此。理由就是他是神所生的，能抵擋住全部的壓制與阻遏。 1、在他腦中有光照給他揭示罪的邪與惡。 2、在他心裏有引力驅使他對罪惡又恨又憎。 3、有靈潛在的道義與本質遏制罪行的勢頭和膨脹。他們前行不是出於如此完全的腐化的力量像他們在其他中作用的一樣，也不是收穫心、靈的富足和一致，這正是他們在其他中作用的。靈魂沒有對肉體的情慾。因此，對於罪可以說，並非我人所為，卻是住在我裏面的罪作的。不被認為是人的罪，在福音書有記述說，心與靈的縱橫構架都對罪極為不利。 4、如若已經犯罪了，神安排了為罪羞愧並悔悟。神所生的不能犯罪。在此，我們可以估計腦中對於本性和道德無能二者通常的區別。沒有重生的人對宗教良善是道德無能的。重生之人卻會因不能犯罪而喜不自禁。在罪的勢力上，重生之人安設了約束，打上了封條（如我們所說），如此便萬無一失且從容不迫地遏制了犯罪。我們常談論一個眾所周知的正直人：「他不能撒謊，他不能行騙，他不能犯那些滔天大罪。」我怎能作這大惡，得罪神呢！（創世記39:9）。可見，那些在罪惡的生活中不能自拔的人充分表明了他們不是從神生的。 七、根據對神的兒女與魔鬼的兒女二者的識辨。他們有着各自不同的特徵。從此就顯出誰是神的兒女，誰是魔鬼的兒女（第10節）。世界上（根據舊有的分辨）同時有神的道和蛇的道。人們清楚蛇的道有兩明顯的標誌：——1、忽視公義：不行公義的（忽略且輕慢神的權柄和權益——因為公義僅是指我們對神的公義，或是歸給神本來就屬於神的權益，以及那些不憑良心做事的）不是屬神的，相反，是屬魔鬼的。魔鬼乃不公義靈魂的父。2、恨惡基督弟兄：他也不愛弟兄（第10節）。真基督徒因尋求神尋求主該彼此相愛。凡不這樣愛弟兄，反倒輕蔑、憎惡並迫害他們的，便是在骨子裏還存留着蛇的本性。 --何葉 2012年2月22日 (三) 12:40 (CST)^-^~

MHC:約翰一書 3:11-13

Brotherly Love. (a. d. 80.) 11 For this is the message that ye heard from the beginning, that we should love one another. 12 Not as Cain, who was of that wicked one, and slew his brother. And wherefore slew he him? Because his own works were evil, and his brother's righteous. 13 Marvel not, my brethren, if the world hate you. The apostle, having intimated that one mark of the devil's children is hatred of the brethren, takes occasion thence, I. To recommend fraternal Christian love, and that from the excellence, or antiquity, or primariness of the injunction relating thereto: And this is the message (the errand or charge) which you heard from the beginning (this came among the principal parts of practical Christianity), that we should love one another, v. 11. We should love the Lord Jesus, and value his love, and consequently love all the objects of it, and thereupon all our brethren in Christ. II. To dissuade from what is contrary thereto, all ill-will towards the brethren, and that by the example of Cain. His envy and malignity should deter us from harbouring the like passion, and that upon these accounts: 1. It showed that he was as the first-born of the serpent's seed; even he, the eldest son of the first man, was of the wicked one. He imitated and resembled the first wicked one, the devil. 2. His ill-will had no restraint; it proceeded so far as to contrive and accomplish murder, and that of a near relation, and that in the beginning of the world, when there were but few to replenish it. He slew his brother, v. 12. Sin, indulged, knows no bound. And, 3. It proceeded so far, and had in it so much of the devil, that he murdered his brother for religion's sake. He was vexed with the superiority of Abel's service, and envied him the favour and acceptance he had with God. And for these he martyred his brother. And wherefore slew he him? Because his own works were evil, and his brother's righteous, v. 12. Ill-will will teach us to hate and revenge what we should admire and imitate. And then, III. To infer that it is no wonder that good men are so served now: Marvel not, my brethren, if the world hate you, v. 13. The serpentine nature still continues in the world. The great serpent himself reigns as the God of this world. Wonder not then that the serpentine world hates and hisses at you who belong to that seed of the woman that is to bruise the serpent's head.

論兄弟相愛。 3:11我們應當彼此相愛，這就是你們從起初聽到的命令。3:12不可像該隱，他是屬那惡者，殺了他的弟兄。為什麼殺了他呢？因自己的行為是惡的，弟兄的行為是善的。3:13弟兄們，世人若恨你們，不要以為稀奇。 使徒約翰，在前面已經指出了魔鬼的兒女其中一個標誌就是恨惡弟兄，在此又藉機， 一、在誡命的遠見卓識和源遠流長並亙古永恆的基礎上，忠告基督兄弟間要相愛：這是你們從起初就聽到的命令（這是實幹的基督教最主要的部分），我們當愛彼此（第11節）。我們當愛主耶穌，珍視他的愛，並因此愛主所愛的全部，也愛我們基督里的所有弟兄。 二、勸阻那與愛相違的，以及對弟兄的一切懷恨，並舉例該隱引以為戒。嫉妒與惡毒會使得我們不能懷有相同的熱情，理由如下： 1、嫉妒與惡毒，表現出該隱是蛇的道產下的第一個種；甚至，人祖的長子，也有着邪惡的一面。他效尤並雷同最初的惡者，即魔鬼。 2、他的惡念不受約束，滋生得如此迅猛以至策劃並實施了謀殺，謀殺了至親。在世界的最初，當時少有對惡念的添油加醋。但他殺了他的兄弟（第12節）。罪，一旦放縱，便一發不可收拾。 3、罪發展得如此迅猛，充斥着邪惡，以至於該隱因宗教之故殺了他的兄弟。他氣憤亞伯侍奉的優越，妒忌他從上帝得來的恩寵和贊可。為這些他就殺了他的兄弟。「為什麼殺了他呢？因自己的行為是惡的，弟兄的行為是善的」（第12節）。惡念，誘使我們恨惡並報復我們本該讚賞和作為榜樣的人事。接着，約翰 三、推知善者受虐不足為奇：弟兄們，世人若恨你們，不要以為稀奇（第13節）。蛇的本性仍在人世間持續。巨蛇自我封王，和世界的神平起平坐。不要稀奇蛇的道憎恨你並對你嘶叫，因為你是屬人的子孫，而人要打傷蛇的頭部。 --何葉 2012年2月23日 (四) 00:26 (CST)^-^~

MHC:約翰一書 3:14-19

Brotherly Love. (a. d. 80.) 14 We know that we have passed from death unto life, because we love the brethren. He that loveth not his brother abideth in death. 15 Whosoever hateth his brother is a murderer: and ye know that no murderer hath eternal life abiding in him. 16 Hereby perceive we the love of God, because he laid down his life for us: and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren. 17 But whoso hath this world's good, and seeth his brother have need, and shutteth up his bowels of compassion from him, how dwelleth the love of God in him? 18 My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth. 19 And hereby we know that we are of the truth, and shall assure our hearts before him. The beloved apostle can scarcely touch upon the mention of sacred love, but he must enlarge upon the enforcement of it, as here he does by divers arguments and incentives thereto; as, I. That it is a mark of our evangelical justification, of our transition into a state of life: We know that we have passed from death to life, because we love the brethren, v. 14. We are by nature children of wrath and heirs of death. By the gospel (the gospel-covenant or promise) our state towards another world is altered and changed. We pass from death to life, from the guilt of death to the right of life; and this transition is made upon our believing in the Lord Jesus: He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life, and he that believeth not hath the wrath of God abiding on him, John iii. Now this happy change of state we may come to be assured of: We know that we have passed from death to life; we may know it by the evidences of our faith in Christ, of which this love to our brethren is one, which leads us to characterize this love that is such a mark of our justified state. It is not a zeal for a party in the common religion, or an affection for, or an affectation of, those who are of the same denomination and subordinate sentiments with ourselves. But this love,36. 1. Supposes a general love to mankind: the law of Christian love, in the Christian community, is founded on the catholic law, in the society of mankind, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. Mankind are to be loved principally on these two accounts:— (1.) As the excellent work of God, made by him, and made in wonderful resemblance of him. The reason that God assigns for the certain punishment of a murderer is a reason against our hatred of any of the brethren of mankind, and consequently a reason for our love to them: for in the image of God made he man, Gen. ix. 6. (2.) As being, in some measure, beloved in Christ. The whole race of mankind—the gens humana, should be considered as being, in distinction from fallen angels, a redeemed nation; as having a divine Redeemer designed, prepared, and given for them. So God loved the world, even this world, that he gave his only-begotten Son, that whosoever believeth on him should not perish, but have everlasting life, John iii. 16. A world so beloved of God should accordingly be loved by us. And this love will exert itself in earnest desires, and prayers, and attempts, for the conversion and salvation of the yet uncalled blinded world. My heart's desire and prayer for Israel are that they may be saved. And then this love will include all due love to enemies themselves. 2. It includes a peculiar love to the Christian society, to the catholic church, and that for the sake of her head, as being his body, as being redeemed, justified, and sanctified in and by him; and this love particularly acts and operates towards those of the catholic church that we have opportunity of being personally acquainted with or credibly informed of. They are not so much loved for their own sakes as for the sake of God and Christ, who have loved them. And it is God and Christ, or, if you will, the love of God and grace of Christ, that are beloved and valued in them and towards them. And so this is the issue of faith in Christ, and is thereupon a note of our passage from death to life. II. The hatred of our brethren is, on the contrary, a sign of our deadly state, of our continuance under the legal sentence of death: He that loveth not his brother (his brother in Christ) abideth in death, v. 14.He yet stands under the curse and condemnation of the law. This the apostle argues by a clear syllogism: "You know that no murderer hath eternal life abiding in him; but he who hates his brother is a murderer; and therefore you cannot but know that he who hates his brother hath not eternal life abiding in him," v. 15. Or, he abideth in death, as it is expressed, v. 14, Whosoever hateth his brother is a murderer; for hatred of the person is, so far as it prevails, a hatred of life and welfare, and naturally tends to desire the extinction of it.Cain hated, and then slew, his brother. Hatred will shut up the bowels of compassion from the poor brethren, and will thereby expose them to the sorrows of death. And it has appeared that hatred of the brethren has in all ages dressed them up in ill names,odious characters, and calumnies, and exposed them to persecution and the sword.No wonder, then, that he who has a considerable acquaintance with the heart of man, or is taught by him who fully knows it, who knows the natural tendency and issue of vile and violent passions, and knows withal the fulness of the divine law, declares him who hates his brother to be a murderer. Now he who by the frame and disposition of his heart is a murderer cannot have eternal life abiding in him; for he who is such must needs be carnally-minded, and to be carnally-minded is death, Rom. viii. 6. The apostle, by the expression of having eternal life abiding in us, may seem to mean the possession of an internal principle of endless life, according to that of the Saviour, Whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst, shall never be totally destitute thereof; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life, John iv. 14.And thereupon some may be apt to surmise that the passing from death to life (v. 14) does not signify the relative change made in our justification of life, but the real change made in the regeneration to life; and accordingly that the abiding in death mentioned v. 14 is continuance in spiritual death, as it is usually called, or abiding in the corrupt deadly temper of nature. But as these passages more naturally denote the state of the person, whether adjudged to life or death, so the relative transition from death to life may well be proved or disproved by the possession or non-possession of the inward principle of eternal life, since washing from the guilt of sin is inseparably united with washing from the filth and power of sin. But you are washed, but you are sanctified, but you are justified, in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God, 1 Cor. vi. 11. III. The example of God and Christ should inflame our hearts with this holy love: Hereby perceive we the love of God, because he laid down his life for us; and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren, v. 16. The great God has given his Son to the death for us. But since this apostle has declared that the Word was God, and that he became flesh for us, I see not why we may not interpret this of God the Word. Here is the love of God himself, of him who in his own person is God, though not the Father, that he assumed a life, that he might lay it down for us! 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 hath loved, and so loved; and we shall certainly do so if we have any love for God. IV. The apostle, having proposed this flaming constraining example of love, and motive to it, proceeds to show us what should be the temper and effect of this our Christian love. And, 1. It must be, in the highest degree, so fervent as to make us willing to suffer even to death for the good of the church, for the safety and salvation of the dear brethren: And we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren (v. 16), either in our ministrations and services to them (yea, and if I be offered upon the service and sacrifice of your faith, I joy and rejoice with you all—I shall congratulate your felicity, Phil. ii. 17), or in exposing ourselves to hazards, when called thereto, for the safety and preservation of those that are more serviceable to the glory of God and the edification of the church than we can be. Who have for my life laid down their own necks; unto whom not only I give thanks, but also all the churches of the Gentiles, Rom. xvi. 4. How mortified should the Christian be to this life! How prepared to part with it! And how well assured of a better! 2. It must be, in the next degree, compassionate, liberal, and communicative to the necessities of the brethren: For whoso hath this world's good, and seeth his brother have need, and shutteth up his bowels of compassion from him, how dwelleth the love of God in him? v. 17. It pleases God that some of the Christian brethren should be poor, for the exercise of the charity and love of those that are rich. And it pleases the same God to give to some of the Christian brethren this world's good, that they may exercise their grace in communicating to the poor saints. And those who have this world's good must love a good God more, and their good brethren more, and be ready to distribute it for their sakes.It appears here that this love to the brethren is founded upon love to God, in that it is here called so by the apostle: How dwelleth the love of God in him? This love to the brethren is love to God in them; and where there is none of this love to them there is no true love to God at all. 3. I was going to intimate the third and lowest degree in the next verse; but the apostle has prevented me, by intimating that this last charitable communicative love, in persons of ability, is the lowest that can consist with the love of God. But there may be other fruits of this love; and therefore the apostle desires that in all it should be unfeigned and operative, as circumstances will allow: My little children (my dear children in Christ), let us not love in word, neither in tongue, but in deed and in truth, v. 18. Compliments and flatteries become not Christians; but the sincere expressions of sacred affection, and the services or labours of love, do. Then, V. This love will evince our sincerity in religion, and give us hope towards God: And hereby we know that we are of the truth, and shall assure our hearts before him, v. 19. It is a great happiness to be assured of our integrity in religion. Those that are so assured may have holy boldness or confidence towards God; they may appeal to him from the censures and condemnation of the world. The way to arrive at the knowledge of our own truth and uprightness in Christianity, and to secure our inward peace, is to abound in love and in the works of love towards the Christian brethren.

論弟兄相愛。 3:14我們因為愛弟兄，就曉得是已經出死入生了。沒有愛心的，仍住在死中。3:15凡恨他弟兄的，就是殺人的；你們曉得凡殺人的嗎，沒有永生存在他裏面。3:16主為我們捨命，我們從此就知道何為愛，我們也當為弟兄捨命。3:17凡有世上財物的，看見弟兄窮乏，卻塞住憐恤的心，愛神的心怎能在他裏面呢？3:18小子們哪，我們相愛，不要只在言語和舌頭上，總要在行為和誠實上。3:19從此，就知道我們是屬真理的，並且我們的心在神面前可以安穩。 親愛的使徒約翰僅稍微提了下神聖的愛，但對愛的執行卻大加擴展，在此他列舉了好幾個理由並勉勵，如， 一、那是我們的福音稱義的一個標誌，是我們的生命轉變成新狀態的標誌：我們因為愛弟兄，就曉得是已經出死入生了（第14節）。我們的本性是盛怒的兒女和死亡的繼承人。藉着福音（契約或應許）我們朝向另一個世界的狀態轉變更改。我們出死入生，從負罪的死轉為有光亮的生命；這種轉變紮根在我們對主耶穌的信賴上：信子的人有永生，不信子的人，神的震怒常在他身上（約翰福音3:36）。我們最終能確信這種狀態的幸福轉變：我們知道已經是出死入生了。我們之所以知道，是憑着我們對基督的信心做證據，在此信心中對弟兄的愛是一視同仁的，引導我們以此愛為特徵，作為我們得稱為義的狀態的一個標誌。這種愛，不是在平常宗教信仰里對一次聚會的熱情，也不是對與我們同宗派和順從我們觀點之人的喜歡。但這種愛， 1、意味着是遍及人類的愛：基督里愛的法則，在基督團體裏，根基是包容一切的法則，在人類社會中，你要如愛己般地愛鄰里。人類要愛彼此，主要在於兩點： （1）、因為我們是神傑出的功，受造於他，被造得與他如出一轍。神對謀殺犯制訂處罰的原因，也就是以防我們恨惡人類同胞的緣由，因此，也就是我們要愛弟兄的理由：神造人是按神自己的形像造的（創世記9:6）。 （2）、因為我們，在一定程度上，為救世主所深愛着。人類的全部種族——全人類，當被看做是，有別於墮落天使的，是已得救贖的民族。因為有一位天賜的挽回祭，為他們籌劃、準備和付出。神愛世人，甚至愛整個世界，祂賜下自己的獨子，凡信祂的，都不至滅亡，反得永生（約翰福音3:16）。為上帝所愛的世人，相應地該為我們所愛。這樣的愛，會在熱切的盼望和祈禱並嘗試中盡心竭力，為着改變和拯救尚未蒙召的盲目世界。我內心關於以色列的願望和祈禱就是他們能蒙拯救。此外，這種愛包括一切該對敵人付出的愛。 2、它包含對基督團體、全基督教教會的特殊的愛，並尋求他的頭，因着是祂的肢體，因着是住在祂裏面並被祂拯救、審判和淨化的。這種愛，在開明的教會裏，我們有機會當面熟識並確切獲悉，所以尤其作用於裏邊的群體。若是為着個人利益，他們不會像為尋求愛他們的神和主這般相愛。是神和主，或者，你若願意，可以說成是神的愛和基督的恩典，在他們裏面並有助於他們相親相惜。因此，此愛是在基督里的信心的產物，是我們出死入生的行道上的一張通牒。 二、恨弟兄，相反地，標誌着我們的狀態是充滿了仇恨，標誌着我們仍然處在死的律法審判之下：不愛弟兄（基督里的弟兄）的住在死亡里（第14節）。他仍舊受着律法的咒詛和譴責。使徒通過一個清晰的演繹推理提出理由證明：「你們曉得凡殺人的嗎，沒有永生存在他裏面。恨弟兄的就是殺人的。藉此你只能知道，恨弟兄的沒有永生住在他裏面」（第15節）。或者，正如第14節表述的：他仍住在死里。凡恨弟兄的都是殺人的，因為人的恨，蔓延至今，是對生命和對幸福的恨，必然趨於想要它毀滅。該隱因恨殺了他的兄弟。恨，封鎖內心對貧苦弟兄的同情，把他們拋進死亡的傷痛里。根據已經顯示出來的，對弟兄的仇恨給他們這一生都貼上了惡名，貼上了令人作嘔的特徵，貼上了昭著臭名，將他們暴露於迫害和劍鋒。那麼，那相當了解人心的人——或受了徹底了解人心之人教導的，那明白卑鄙和兇殘的盛怒下必然的趨勢和結果的——此外還明白神聖法則的全部內容的，他宣告恨弟兄的是殺人的，也就不足為奇了。順着心裏的情愫和癖性殺人的，沒有永生住在他裏面。因為，這樣的一個人就是體貼肉體的，而體貼肉體的就是死（羅馬書8:6）。使徒約翰，通過闡述有永生住在我們裏面，似乎表示我們體內有了永生的道義，根據耶穌基督的準則：人若喝我所賜的水就永遠不渴，永不再因此徹底枯竭。正如約翰福音4:14所說，我所賜的水，要在他裏頭成為泉源，直涌到永生。 在此，一些人也許很容易推測，出死入生（第14節）並不意味着在我們得以稱義的生命中引起了相對的改變，而是在我們重生的生命里才真正有了變化；相應地，住在死里，如第14節提到的，是仍然住在靈的死亡里，正如通常所說的，是住在腐敗與仇恨的性情里。但是，正如這幾節更自然地指出的人的狀態，不論被判處為生或死，出死入生的相對轉變都能夠由內在是否具有永生的道義來證明。因為，洗脫了罪的負疚是藉着洗脫了罪的玷污和操控，從而成為了不可分割的一體。且看哥林多前書6:11，「但如今你們奉主耶穌基督的名，並藉着神的靈，已經洗淨，成聖稱義了」。 三、神和基督的楷模給我們的心點燃聖潔的愛：我們從此理解神的愛，因祂為我們捨棄自己的生命；我們也當為弟兄捨命（第16節）。偉大的神已經賜下了祂的兒子為我們受死。既然使徒約翰宣告了道就是神，主為我們道成肉身，我想不通為什麼我們還不明白這齣於神的道。這是神自己的愛啊，出於祂的並在祂自己裏面，儘管不是父，但實實在在是神啊！祂呈現出的是一個生命，一個祂會為我們捨棄的生命啊！這就是神聖的愛的屈尊，奇蹟和奧秘所在！神竟用自己的寶血拯救教會！所以，毋庸置疑，我們當愛那些神所愛的人，也當如此被人所愛。我們若對上帝存絲毫愛意，就必當這樣行！ 四、使徒約翰，提出了熱烈但有約束的愛的榜樣，並激發對愛的行動，且繼續向我們展現基督的愛其性情和效力究竟該是什麼樣的。 1、應該是，最高限度地，熱烈得讓我們為教會的利益和親愛的弟兄們的安危與得救，哪怕受死也心甘情願：我們也當為弟兄捨命（第16節），在我們對他們的服侍和貢獻中（你們，我以你們的信心為供獻的祭物。我若被澆奠在其上，也是喜樂，並且與你們眾人一同喜樂（腓利比書2:17）），或者，當我們自己暴露在危險里，那時就當遵照命令為那些安全和保存對於榮耀神和啟發教會比我們更有用的弟兄獻身。就像羅馬書16:4：「誰為我的命，將自己的頸項，置之度外。不但我感謝他們，就是外邦的眾教會，也感謝他們」。基督徒，對這樣的生命該何等克制!隨時做好放棄生命的準備！完全相信一個更好的生命！ 2、較低程度地，對於弟兄們，心存憐憫和慷慨並樂於與之交談，都是必須的：凡有世上財物的，看見弟兄窮乏，卻塞住憐恤的心，愛神的心怎能在他裏面呢？（第17節）。上帝之所以願意讓基督里的一些弟兄貧窮，是為了讓那些富足的行使愛心和仁慈給予救助。同樣地，上帝之所以樂意賜給基督里某些弟兄世界的利益，是為了他們能夠將所得的恩典傳送給那些貧苦的聖徒。那些擁有世界的好處的當更加愛良善的上帝，更加愛他們良善的弟兄，並在弟兄尋求時樂於分享。於此看來，愛弟兄是建立在愛神基礎之上的，使徒約翰在此如此申斥：愛神的心怎能在他心裏呢？愛弟兄所表現出的就是心存愛神，絲毫不愛弟兄，也就根本不是真的愛神。 3、我本打算在接下來的經節中繼續剖析第三位的也就是最低限度的愛，但使徒阻止了我，暗示這最後的慈善的交通之愛，按個人能力，是能組成愛神的最低要求的愛。不過，這種愛也許能產生別樣的成果。因此，使徒約翰希望，如果環境允許的話，至少那該是切實可行的：小子們哪，我們相愛，不要只在言語和舌頭上，總要在行為和誠實上（第18節）。阿諛奉承不是基督徒，懷着聖潔的感情說虔敬的言語，滿有愛心的服侍和行動，如此才是真基督徒。 五、此愛表明了我們對信仰的虔敬，給我們以對神的盼望：從此，就知道我們是屬真理的，並且我們的心在神面前可以安穩（第19節）。確保我們在真道上的完全，是一份巨大的喜樂。那些有這確信的人在神面前都就能有聖潔的勇氣和信心，可以懇求他不要對世人非難和譴責。要成就我們自己對在基督里的真理和正義的理解，確保我們內心的平安，途徑就是對基督里的弟兄們滿懷愛，並多多參加愛的事工。 --何葉 2012年2月23日 (四) 02:45 (CST)^-^~

MHC:約翰一書 3:20-22

The Testimony of Conscience. (a. d. 80.) 20 For if our heart condemn us, God is greater than our heart, and knoweth all things. 21 Beloved, if our heart condemn us not, then have we confidence toward God. 22 And whatsoever we ask, we receive of him, because we keep his commandments, and do those things that are pleasing in his sight. The apostle, having intimated that there may be, even among us, such a privilege as an assurance or sound persuasion of heart towards God, proceeds here, I.To establish the court of conscience, and to assert the authority of it: For, if our heart condemn us, God is greater than our heart, and knoweth all things, v. 20. Our heart here is our self-reflecting judicial power, that noble excellent ability whereby we can take cognizance of ourselves, of our spirits, our dispositions, and actions, and accordingly pass a judgment upon our state towards God; and so it is the same with conscience, or the power of moral self-consciousness.This power can act as witness, judge, and executioner of judgment; it either accuses or excuses, condemns or justifies; it is set and placed in this office by God himself: the spirit of man, thus capacitated and empowered, is the candle of the Lord, a luminary lighted and set up by the Lord, searching all the inward parts of the belly, taking into scrutiny and viewing the penetralia—the private recesses and secret transactions of the inner man, Prov. xx. 27. Conscience is God's vicegerent, calls the court in his name, and acts for him. The answer of a good conscience towards God, 1 Pet. iii. 21. God is chief Judge of the court: If our heart condemn us God is greater than our heart, superior to our heart and conscience in power and judgment; hence the act and judgment of the court are the act and judgment of God; as, 1. If conscience condemn us, God does so too: For, if our heart condemn us, God is greater than our heart, and knoweth all things, v. 20. God is a greater witness than our conscience, and knoweth more against us than it does: he knoweth all things; he is a greater Judge than conscience; for, as he is supreme, so his judgment shall stand, and shall be fully and finally executed. This seems to be the design of another apostle when he says, For I know nothing by myself, that is, in the case wherein I am censured by some. "I am not conscious of any guile, or allowed unfaithfulness, in my stewardship and ministry. Yet I am hereby justified; it is not by my own conscience that I must ultimately stand or fall; the justification or justifying sentence of my conscience, or self-consciousness, will not determine the controversy between you and me; as you do not appeal to its sentence, so neither will you be determined by its decision; but he that judgeth me (supremely and finally judgeth me), and by whose judgment you and I must be determined, is the Lord," 1 Cor. iv. 4. Or, 2. If conscience acquit us, God does so too: Beloved, if our heart condemn us not, then have we confidence toward God (v. 21), then have we assurance that he accepts us now, and will acquit us in the great day of account.But, possibly, some presumptuous soul may here say, "I am glad of this; my heart does not condemn me, and therefore I may conclude God does not." As, on the contrary, upon the foregoing verse, some pious trembling soul will be ready to cry out, "God forbid! My heart or conscience condemns me, and must I then infallibly expect the condemnation of God?"But let such know that the errors of the witness are not here reckoned as the acts of the court; ignorance, error, prejudice, partiality, and presumption, may be said to be faults of the officers of the court, or of the attendants of the judge (as the mind, the will, appetite, passion, sensual disposition, or disordered brain), or of the jury, who give a false verdict, not of the judge itself; conscience—syneidesis, is properly self-consciousness.Acts of ignorance and error are not acts of self-consciousness, but of some mistaken power; and the court of conscience is here described in its process, according to the original constitution of it by God himself, according to which process what is bound in conscience is bound in heaven; let conscience therefore be heard, be well-informed, and diligently attended to.

論良心的證據。 3:20我們的心若責備我們，神比我們的心大，一切事沒有不知道的。3:21親愛的弟兄啊，我們的心若不責備我們，就可以向神坦然無懼了。3:22並且我們一切所求的，就從他得着，因為我們遵守他的命令，行他所喜悅的事。 使徒約翰，已經指出可能有，甚至在我們中間真的有，這樣一項特權，在神的面前可以作為良心的確據與合理的說辭，並在此繼續道， 一、要建設良心的法庭，維護其權威：因為，我們的心若責備我們，神比我們的心大，一切事沒有不知道的（第20節）。我們的心在此是我們自我反省的司法機關，藉其崇高傑出的能力，我們能審定自己、審定我們的靈、我們的性情、我們的行為舉止，並據此作出判斷我們在神面前的身份；良心，或道德力量的自我意識，也就是像心這樣對我們起作用的。此權能，像證詞、審判和法官的執行那樣起作用；或控告或饒恕，或判罪或辯解，全權由神親自在其職權內定奪並判處：人的靈——因被授權和得應許，是主的燈，一盞由主點燃並擺設的燈，照亮內在心腹的所有部位，監視和洞察隱秘之事——人內心深藏的私密隱晦和不可告人之事（箴言20:27）。良心是神的代理，以他的名調用法庭，替他起作用。對於在神面前有無虧的良心的解釋，請參看彼得前書3:21。神是良心法庭的主要審判官：我們的心若責備我們，神比我們的心大，在審判和權柄上都高過我們的內心和良知，於是良心法庭的條令和審理，也就是神的法令和審理。 1、如若良心譴責我們，那麼神也如此譴責我們：因為，我們的心若責備我們，神比我們的心大， 知道一切的事（3:20）。神的鑑察遠大於我們的良心，知道的比我們所作所為的還多：他知道一切事，他是比良心更大的法官，因此，他是至高的，他的審判會生效，成為完全的徹底的判決。這似乎是另一使徒的設計，當時他說，因為我自己一無所知，也就是說，不知道在案件中我被誰譴責。「在我的工作和事奉中，我雖不覺得自己有錯，卻也不能因此得以稱義。」然而我為此受審，不是被我自己的良心受審，我最終必將不是停下就是跌倒。我良心的辯護和判決，或自我意識，不會指定你我間的論戰。正如，你不對良心的判決進行上述，你也就不會受良心的決斷判處；但是，他審判我（最高的，終極的審判），在他的審判下你我就被定奪了，而他就是主。」如哥林多前書4:4：我雖不覺得自己有錯，卻也不能因此得以稱義。但判斷我的乃是主。 2、若良心判我們無罪，神也便判我們無罪：親愛的弟兄啊，我們的心若不責備我們，就可以向神坦然無懼了（第21節），我們便能確定他接受了我們，並會在大日的時候判我們無罪。但是，可能，一些自以為是的靈魂對此會說「我為此高興，我的心沒責備我，所以我相信神也不責備我」。然而相反地，正如前一節所講，那些偽善的顫抖的靈魂準備哭嚎吧「神快禁止！我的心或良心在責備我，我該絕對地期待神的責備嗎？」這種人要知道，對這種過錯的見證不比在法庭的審理，無知、錯誤、歧視、偏袒和論定，可以說成是法庭長官的過失，或是法官的隨員的失誤（由於心緒、意圖、欲望、盛怒、感覺、性格和思維錯亂），或者說錯在陪審團——他們給出了一個並非出於法官的錯誤裁定。良心，是最真實的自我意識。無知和失誤的行為不是自我意識的行為，卻是出於一些錯誤的力量。在此，根據神親自製定的原初的法規，根據受良心約束的也受神約束的法規，良心法庭的程序得以栩栩如生低描寫出來。最後，請我們務要聽取良心，自我檢舉，並孜孜以求。 --何葉 2012年2月23日 (四) 01:41 (CST)^-^~

MHC:約翰一書 3:23-24

God's Commandments. (a. d. 80.) 23 And this is his commandment, That we should believe on the name of his Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, as he gave us commandment. 24 And he that keepeth his commandments dwelleth in him, and he in him. And hereby we know that he abideth in us, by the Spirit which he hath given us. The apostle, having mentioned keeping the commandments, and pleasing God, as the qualification of effectual petitioners in and with Heaven, here suitably proceeds, I. To represent to us what those commandments primarily and summarily are; they are comprehended in this double one: And this is his commandment, That we should believe on the name of his Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, as he gave us commandment, v. 23. To believe on the name of his Son Jesus Christ is, 1. To discern what he is, according to his name, to have an intellectual view of his person and office, as the Son of God, and the anointed Saviour of the world. That every one that seeth the Son, and believeth on him, may have everlasting life, John vi. 40. 2. To approve him in judgment and conscience, in conviction and consciousness of our case, as one wisely and wonderfully prepared and adapted for the whole work of eternal salvation. 3. To consent to him, and acquiesce in him, as our Redeemer and recoverer unto God. 4. To trust to him, and rely upon him, for the full and final discharge of his saving office. Those that know thy name will put their trust in thee, Ps. ix. 10. I know whom I have believed, and I am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day, 2 Tim. i. 12. This faith is a needful requisite to those who would be prevalent petitioners with God, because it is by the Son that we must come to the Father; through his grace and righteousness our persons must be accepted or ingratiated with the Father (Eph. i. 6), through his purchase all our desired blessings must come, and through his intercession our prayers must be heard and answered. This is the first part of the commandment that must be observed by acceptable worshippers; the second is that we love one another, as he gave us commandment, v. 23. The command of Christ should be continually before our eyes. Christian love must possess our soul when we go to God in prayer. To this end we must remember that our Lord obliges us, (1.) To forgive those who offend us (Matt. vi. 14), and, (2.) To reconcile ourselves to those whom we have offended, Matt. v. 23, 24. As good-will to men was proclaimed from heaven, so good-will to men, and particularly to the brethren, must be carried in the hearts of those who go to God and heaven. II. To represent to us the blessedness of obedience to these commands. The obedient enjoy communion with God: And he that keepeth his commandments, and particularly those of faith and love, dwelleth in him, and he in him, v. 24. We dwell in God by a happy relation to him, and spiritual union with him, through his Son, and by a holy converse with him; and God dwells in us by his word, and our faith fixed on him, and by the operations of his Spirit. Then there occurs the trial of his divine inhabitation: And hereby we know that he abideth in us, by the Spirit which he hath given us (v. 24), by the sacred disposition and frame of soul that he hath conferred upon us, which being a spirit of faith in God and Christ, and of love to God and man, appears to be of God.

論神的誡命。 3：23神的命令就是叫我們信他兒子耶穌基督的名，且照着他所賜給我們的命令彼此相愛。3:24遵守神命令的就住在神裏面，神也住在他裏面。我們所以知道神住在我們裏面，是因他所賜給我們的聖靈。 使徒約翰，已經提到要遵行誡命，並要按天堂里有效力的請願人的資格，令上帝喜樂。相應地在此繼續道， 一、簡明扼要地呈現給我們的誡命包括兩點：神的命令就是叫我們信他兒子耶穌基督的名，且照着他所賜給我們的命令彼此相愛（第23節）。相信他兒子耶穌基督的名就是， 1、要明辨耶穌是誰，按他的名，要理智地看待他這人及其使命，祂是神的兒子，是神指定的救世主。每個看見並信靠子的人，都能得永生（約翰福音6:40）。 2、在我們的案件中，要認可祂的判斷和良心、定罪和鑑察，認可祂已經英明絕妙地為永恆救贖的全部工作準備好了一切。 3、要贊成並默認祂是上帝差來的我們的救主。 4、要信賴祂，倚靠祂，相信祂的救贖之工必能最終徹底開釋我們的罪。如詩篇9:10「認識你名的人要倚靠你」。又如提摩太後書1:12「我知道我所信的是誰，也深信他能保全我所交付他的，（或作他所交託我的）直到那日」。對於那些將成為上帝面前有權勢的請願者來說，這信心是必備的必需品，因為藉着子我們才能前往父，是藉着子的恩典和公義我們這些人才能為父所接納和喜悅（以弗所書1:6），是藉着子的寶血我們渴盼的祝福才能實現，是藉着子的調停我們的禱告才蒙垂聽和應許。這是誡命的第一點，合乎神心意的敬拜者必須遵行。第二點就是，我們當愛彼此，照着神賜給我們的命令（第23節）。基督的這一誡命當在我們眼前揮之不去。當我們藉着禱告去到神面前時，基督的愛應該佔據我們的整個靈魂。要達到這目的，我們必須牢記我們的主迫使我們要， （1）、要寬恕那些冒犯我們的人（馬太福音4:14），並且 （2)、要和好我們冒犯的人（馬太福音5:23—24）。神顯示的是善意待人，所以，凡去到天國見神的，都得善意待人，尤其是要愛弟兄，並把這份善意和愛裝在心裏。 二、向我們呈現出遵行這些誡命的人有福了。順服的人得享與神相交：遵守神命令的就住在神裏面，神也住在他裏面（第24節）。通過與祂快樂的相交，和與祂靈的相交，通過祂的兒子，通過與祂虔誠的對話，我們住在神裏面；藉着祂的道，藉着我們對祂堅定不移的信心，以及藉着祂聖靈的作工，神住在我們裏面。有驗證可以得知這神聖的居住：我們所以知道神住在我們裏面，是因祂所賜給我們的聖靈（第24節），通過祂賜予我們的神聖氣質和靈魂構架，這在神和基督里是信心的靈，有着對神和人的愛，顯出是從神生的。 --何葉 2012年2月23日 (四) 02:21 (CST)^-^~

目錄

約翰一書 3:1 約翰一書 3:2 約翰一書 3:3 約翰一書 3:4 約翰一書 3:5

約翰一書 3:11 約翰一書 3:12 約翰一書 3:13 約翰一書 3:14 約翰一書 3:15

約翰一書 3:16 約翰一書 3:17 約翰一書 3:18 約翰一書 3:19 約翰一書 3:20

約翰一書 3:21 約翰一書 3:22 約翰一書 3:23 約翰一書 3:24

約翰一書目錄

約一 1 約一 2 約一 3 約一 4 約一 5

MHC:聖經目錄

舊約(OT) 創(Gen) 出(Exod) 利(Lev) 民(Num) 申(Deut) 書(Josh) 士(Judg) 得(Ruth) 撒上(1Sam) 撒下(2Sam) 王上(1Kgs) 王下(2Kgs) 代上(1Chr) 代下(2Chr) 拉(Ezra) 尼(Neh) 斯(Esth) 伯(Job) 詩(Ps) 箴(Prov) 傳(Eccl) 歌(Song) 賽(Isa) 耶(Jer) 哀(Lam) 結(Ezek) 但(Dan) 何(Hos) 珥(Joel) 摩(Amos) 俄(Obad) 拿(Jonah) 彌(Mic) 鴻(Nah) 哈(Hab) 番(Zeph) 該(Hag) 亞(Zech) 瑪(Mal)

新約(NT) 太(Matt) 可(Mark) 路(Luke) 約(John) 徒(Acts) 羅(Rom) 林前(1Cor) 林後(2Cor) 加(Gal) 弗(Eph) 腓(Phil) 西(Col) 帖前(1Thess) 帖後(2Thess) 提前(1Tim) 提後(2Tim) 多(Titus) 門(Phlm) 來(Heb) 雅(Jas) 彼前(1Pet) 彼後(2Pet) 約一(1John) 約二(2John) 約三(3John) 猶(Jude) 啟(Rev)

導航

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參考

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