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"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?"
(I John 3: 17).
To such there is no "blessed assurance" and rightly so, for a graceless doctrinaire is an
abomination. To this same thought the apostle returns at the close of chapter 4::--
"If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar (see above `we are of the
truth'): for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom
he hath not seen?" (I John 4: 20).
Thought answers to thought in this chapter, as the mirror reflects the face. "No man
hath seen God at any time." We know His love by His great gift. We have never seen
God. Our profession of love to Him will be measured by the love we actually show to
the brethren we can see. As the first epistle nears its end, the number of "knows" seems
to increase.
"That ye may know that ye have eternal life" (5: 13).
"If we know that He hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions
that we desired" (with the condition, of course, of verse 14) (5: 15).
"We know that whosoever is born of God sinneth not, but He that is the Begotten of
God keepeth him, and that wicked one toucheth him not" (5: 18).
"We know that we are of God, and the whole world lieth in the wicked one. And we
know that the Son of God is come, and hath given us an understanding, that we may know
Him that is true . . . . ." (5: 19, 20).
It is a blessed thing to know. Lack of love plunges us in darkness, and we know not
whither we go, because that darkness hath blinded our eyes:--
"I have not written unto you because ye know not the truth, but because ye know it,
and that no lie is of the truth" (I John 2: 21).
May we all perceive that such knowledge is not barren or unfruitful, but is expressed
in life, light, and love.