Spurgeon's notes on 1-3 JOHN
"Truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with His
Son Jesus Christ."
1 John
The apostle John plunges at once into his subject, and begins to discourse upon the Word made flesh, in whom his soul delighted.
1 John 1:1-3
How strong are John's expressions as to the certainty of our Lord's having appeared in the flesh. He had been heard, seen, studiously observed, and actually touched; his appearing was no fiction or pious legend, but a sure matter of fact, and he who appeared was none other than Jesus, the eternal life.
1 John 1:4
Fellowship with Jesus and joy lie so closely together, that the apostle could aim at both at the same time.
1 John 1:5
These little words contain a mint of meaning. What a wondrous sentence,—"God is light!"
1 John 1:6, 7
Only in truth and holiness can we have fellowship with God, and to render this possible to such sinful creatures as we are, the precious blood of Jesus must purge us from sin. Have we all been cleansed by it?
1 John 1:8-10
God only acts according to the truth, he will meet us as sinners, for that is our true character; but if we claim to be innocent, he cannot admit that falsehood, and will not commune with us.
1 John 2:1
This one sentence is worth the whole of the kingdoms of the world.
1 John 2:2
He did not die for Jews alone, but to all races the way of salvation is opened by his atoning blood.
1 John 2:3
Our life and conversation are to ourselves as well as to others the best evidence as to our state.
1 John 2:7, 8
The love of our brother is in one sense an old command, for it is the substance of the second table of the law; but the gospel sets it in a new light beneath the cross, and binds us to keep it by new and powerful obligations.
1 John 2:9-11
Hatred is darkness, love is light; the revengeful man is an heir of eternal midnight. Let us purge ourselves from all anger, malice, and envy, for these are evils of the darkest dye.
1 John 2:12
Little children have sins; they need to be forgiven; and they may be forgiven at once. Should not every child go to Jesus and ask to be washed in his precious blood? To be little children in Jesus Christ is a great privilege, and to such the word of God is directed as much as to the more advanced saints.
1 John 2:13
These established saints, having a deeper knowledge of their Lord, were bound to lend the more earnest attention to his word, and to carry it out more fully.
These young men are the flower of the army of the Lord of Hosts. By their victories already won the apostle summons them to new conflicts. The Spirit of God has a call for believers in all stages of the divine life.
1 John 2:14-15
He may use it, but love it he must not, unless he will renounce the love of God.
1 John 2:18
The spirit of antichrist has many forms, and is present in every age. Everything which robs Christ of his glory is anti-christian.
1 John 2:19
Bad teachers leave the church of God because they never in truth belonged to it. When they go over to Rome they go to their own place.
1 John 2:20
An experimental knowledge of the truth is the best preservative against error.
1 John 2:22
This is the greatest of all falsehoods, and it insults both the Father and the Son by doubting their testimony.
1 John 2:24
You cannot find a better gospel; persevere, then, in what you already know.
1 John 2:28
Being full of love he pleads with us never to desert our Lord, or listen to the false gospels which would lead us astray. Ever may this family be true to Jesus, to the gospel, and to holy living: and may none of us ever be deceived by false doctrine, or tempted into sin.
1 John 3:6
We understand by this not that believers are perfectly free from sinning, but that they do not sin habitually, willfully, and openly as the unregenerate do. Their lives are holy, and when faults occur they grieve over them. The river of their lives runs towards righteousness, and though there are eddies in it these do not affect the main current.
1 John 3:7-9
He cannot sin with his whole heart, or continuously, or finally, or as the main act of his life. Sin is not his element, or his delight.
1 John 3:10, 11
The beloved John seems to breathe out only love. Like the harp of Anacreon his heart resounds "love alone."
This ancient record of the first murder is used by John as a picture of the action of the unregenerate in all time. Love marks the children of God, and hate is the sure ensign of the heirs of wrath. Thus writes the beloved apostle.
John 3:10-15
This ancient record of the first murder is used by John as a picture of the action of the unregenerate in all time. Love marks the children of God, and hate is the sure ensign of the heirs of wrath. Thus writes the beloved apostle:
O for grace to purge our hearts of all anger, envy, malice, and bitterness of every kind, that like Jesus we may be full of love and gentleness.
1 John 3:12, 13
That hatred has existed from the beginning. The very first man who died was martyred for the faith.
1 John 3:14-18
He whose whole religion lies in words is a hypocrite worthy of the scorn of all mankind. Above all things let us be real in all that we do.
1 John 4:2, 3
This is a very useful test in many cases. If any form of doctrine denies or dishonors the Godhead or Messiahship of the Lord Jesus, or makes his incarnation to be a mere myth, it is to be rejected with abhorrence. Errors which touch the person or work of Jesus are fatal.
1 John 4:6
Every spirit which does away with Jesus or dishonors him in any degree we know to be the spirit of error. This test is very simple, but very accurate.
1 John 4:7, 8
Love is the divine law of life, selfishness is sin; when grace restores us to our proper relationship with God and his creation, love is the very instinct of our renewed nature.
1 John 4:10-14
We are surprised to learn that it was James and John who thought of destroying the unfriendly Samaritans. Had it been Peter we should not have wondered, but how could the loving John act thus? Is not this another instance of the fact that most good men, at some time or other, fail in the very grace for which they are most remarkable? How differently did the beloved disciple act and write in after days! To show the contrast let us read—1 John 4:10-14.
1 John 4:11
The master motive for benevolence is the love of God, it is an argument which will never lose its force.
1 John 4:12-18
Fear dwells upon the punishment deserved, and so has no rest. When perfect love assures the soul of pardoned sin, the heart has joyful rest.
1 John 4:14
He was an eyewitness that Jesus did not come to destroy men's lives; this he had seen, and could testify to it with authority
1 John 4:19, 20
An old Latin author says, "The eyes are our leaders in love." Juvenal wondered at one who loved a person whom he had never seen. If, then, we do not love those whom we see, is it likely that we really love the invisible God?
1 John 4:21
A Christian is one who has a solemn awe of the commands of God, hence he labors to abound in deeds and words of love, because the Lord has bidden him to do so.
1 John 5:1
Do you believe in Jesus? Do you love your Lord? Then you are born again.
1 John 5:2, 3
Obedience proves the truth of. faith, especially obedience to the command which bids us love. It is idle to talk of being saved if we are not living unto God.
1 John 5:4, 5
Faith, then, is the sure evidence of the new birth, and if we believe in the Lord Jesus we are born again, and shall overcome the world.
1 John 5:6
Cleansing from the power of sin, and delivering from its guilt.
1 John 5:7, 8
Instead of all other heavenly signs, the church has for her standing miracles the energetic work of the Holy Spirit, the purifying influence of the gospel, and the peace-giving energy of the atonement. If there be no power of the Holy Spirit, no sanctification, and no pardon of sin, our religion is a delusion; but if these be facts, and they certainly are, our faith has solid grounds.
1 John 5:9-13
You do believe, but you may believe yet more. "Lord, increase our faith," is no needless prayer.
1 John 5:14, 15
Answers to prayer are a powerful establishment of faith. The God who has an ear for our prayers is no fiction.
1 John 5:16-18
Whatever the unpardonable sin may be, the child of God shall be kept from it. We need not curiously inquire what that dark crime may be; it will be better to follow our Lord, and we shall be preserved from it.
2 JOHN
"This is love, that we walk after His commandments."
Here we have a letter to a lady and her godly family, towards whom John felt a fervent Christian affection. Her name we do not know, nor is it of any consequence, for the epistle will suit any believing household.
2 John 1:1, 2
John in his private letter does not mention that he is an apostle, but writes more familiarly as an elder of the church. The lady to whom he wrote was known to many, and beloved by all who loved the truth. The best and purest love arises out of common attachment to the gospel. Happy is that household which has gained the love of the saints by its zeal for God.
2 John 1:3
Such a blessing may the Lord pronounce on this family, and we shall be rich indeed.
2 John 1:4
The venerable old mans heart was more comforted by seeing family religion than by all else below the skies. How good and how pleasant it is to see a household loving the Lord.
2 John 1:5
John harps sweetly on this string. Being so aged a man none would misunderstand his affectionate words.
2 John 1:6
Obedience to Christ is love. "Be you holy" is the most ancient rubric of the church; all lovers of God obey it.
2 John 1:7
The world is bad enough, but deceivers come into it from Satan, and try to make it worse by their errors. Modern scepticism is by some praised and petted, but it is to be abhorred by all who abide in the truth.
2 John 1:8
Faithful ministers fear lest their converts should disappoint them by not remaining firm in the truth. If they go over to error their ministers have labored in vain.
2 John 1:10, 11
As he who aids and abets a thief cannot be an honest man, so he who encourages a false teacher is a sharer in his crime.
2 John 1:12
There are words of warning which are better spoken than written. In some cases it is wise even to make a journey to warn friends against insidious error.
3 JOHN
"He who does good is of God."
3 John
Old Master Trapp says John wrote this letter "to a rich Corinthian, rich in this world and rich in good works, a rare bird anywhere, but especially at Corinth, where Paul found them far behind the poor Macedonians in works of charity."
3 John 1:1, 2
It would not be safe to wish this for many, for if their bodies only prospered as their souls do, many would die, and most professors would be weak and withered, sick and sorry.
3 John 1:3, 4
John loved his converts as his children, and was glad when he found them sound in doctrine and in practice. What would he say to "modern doubt"? It would break the good mans heart. God's people should hold the truth more firmly than ever, for the professing church is idolizing clever scepticism.
3 John 1:5-7
Gaius kept open house for traveling preachers and poor saints. One of the greatest honors we can have is to entertain a servant of the Lord. The Master sets it down as done to himself.
3 John 1:8
Gaius could not preach, but he lodged those who did, and so he obtained a prophet's reward.
3 John 1:10
What! Did men speak against the beloved John? Then none of us can hope to escape opposition if we be faithful. We wonder at such a poor creature as Diotrephes impudently setting himself up against the great apostle. We must take heed that we do not imitate him by grieving any of the Lord's ministers.
3 John 1:11-12
John censured one but commended another. Where there is a Diotrephes there is generally a Demetrius; the Lord neutralizes the evil of one by the good of another, or churches could not exist.
3 John 1:14
Say little and write less. Speaking is better than writing, especially from preachers, who would do well to put away ink and paper and preach as the Lord gives them utterance.
3 John 1:14
Our religion is social and courteous. Let us not fail in kindly words and deeds.