809. 2JN 1:3. CHRISTIAN CATHOLICITY. II

2Jn_1:3. Christian Catholicity. II

"Truth and love."’972Jn_1:3.

Each of these is an essential principle of true religion. There cannot be acceptable worship when either is wanted. There is no substitute for either. It is desirable that they should be found working harmoniously together. Where they both exist, and are cherished, spiritual health and prosperity must be the blessed result. Let us just notice briefly the definition we should give to these when considering them in their utmost religious latitude and extent. Truth in the ordinary sense of the term signifies veracity; but it also includes fidelity, sincerity, and correctness. Veracity in opposition to falsehood; fidelity in opposition to inconstancy; sincerity in opposition to deceit; and correctness in opposition to error. Love includes affection, goodness, mercy, and kindness. Now in this extensive sense shall we consider the words of the text. We remark,

I. We see these strikingly exhibited in the divine character.

They are both leading characters in the Godhead. Both stand prominently out; and in both is the godly man deeply concerned and interested. God is truth. God is love. David says of Jehovah, that all his ways are truth. "Just and true are thy ways, O thou king of saints." "He is a God of truth, without iniquity; just and righteous is he." "All his works are truth, and his ways judgment." Truth is the basis of the divine throne. Truth is the girdle of all the divine perfections. Truth is the honor of the divine nature, the glory of the divine government, and the very essence of the divine law. We could have no esteem for, or confidence in, Jehovah, unless his ways and works were true and righteous altogether. But truth might subsist with stern severity or inexorable wrath. It might be associated with the awful and terrific only. But in Jehovah it is in glorious harmony with love. God is love. His essential nature is goodness. "Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good." The whole earth is full of his goodness. Goodness or love is the glory of all the attributes. Moses prayed, "I beseech thee show me thy glory;" and he said, "I will make all my goodness," &c. Now the love of God is represented in scripture as encompassing the world in the provisions of redemption. "God so loved the world," &c. But this love is exercised only in all its tender and complacent exercises on holy beings. It is the saint’s peculiar prerogative; the believer’s present bliss, and the foretaste of his future heaven. The Lord loveth the righteous, &c. His love is shed abroad in our hearts, &c. In this the people of God dwell: "He that dwelleth in God," &c. As a God of truth we reverence, adore, and trust in him. As a God of love we delight in him, and love him. "We love him because he first loved us." Both truth and love were,

II. Eminently displayed in the economy of human redemption.

God had a twofold design in the redemption of our world. The first was to vindicate his truth and to magnify his righteousness. The other, to exhibit his love, and exercise his mercy. In the holy life and sacrificial death of Christ, the truth of Jehovah was rendered especially illustrious. He magnified the law and made it honorable. He ratified both the threatening and the promise. In his death the penalty was extorted, and yet in that death by the woman’s seed was the serpent bruised. Redemption is full of truth. Truth as well as grace came by Jesus Christ. But how gloriously did the love of God appear. "Herein is love,"

&c. A love which provided so great a gift, and made such an amazing sacrifice. Redemption seems to exhaust the merciful resources of God’s infinite love. It will be the song of the redeemed forever and ever. Even then it will never be fully told.

"Angels, assist our mighty joys,

Strike all your harps of gold;

But when you raise your highest notes,

His love can ne’er be told."

Both truth and love were,

III. Fully embodied in the life and mission of Jesus.

He said, "I am the truth." He was the reality of the types and shadows,’97the end of all the sacrifices, &c. He was the preacher of truth. He came to proclaim truth in all its fulness and purity. He was the prince of truth. His lips poured forth streams of celestial truth. Then he lived the truth. He was the model of perfect truth. He was holy, harmless, &c. No guile was ever found in his mouth. But see also Jesus as incarnate love. Love moved him to the great work. Love brought him from heaven. Love distinguished all his acts. Love beamed in his eyes; spake in all his discourses; ministered in his hand; caused him to traverse Judea, &c., on journeys of beneficence. "He went about doing good." His miracles were all miracles of love. His sorrows, sufferings, and death, were all the effects of his love to us. But truth and love were always seen in harmony. He never sacrificed either. He ever exhibited the majesty of truth, and the tenderness of love.

IV. Both truth and love are essential to the existence of true religion.

(1.) We become religious by a saving knowledge of the truth. (2.) We walk in truth. (3.) Love the truth. (4.) Obey the truth. (5.) We must have our loins girt about with truth. (6.) Witness for the truth. (7.) Worship God in truth. (8.) Labor to diffuse the truth. Now these points show us the essentiality of truth to the existence of vital religion. Ignorance, insincerity, and unfaithfulness are the marks of the children of the devil; but the disciples of Jesus are of the truth. "They are the true circumcision who worship God in the spirit," &c. But love is equally essential to the Christian character. He that dwells in God dwells in love. Love is our best evidence of real piety. "Whoso loveth is born of God." Now the love of the Christian is the love of holiness to a holy being,’97the supreme love of God,’97the ardent love of Jesus Christ,’97the sincere love of the believer. (1.) This is to be the spirit of the Christian. (2.) The conversation of the Christian’97speaking in love. And (3.) The perfection of the Christian’97to dwell in perfect love. (4.) The badge of the Christian’97"By this shall all men know," &c. (5.) The watchword of the Christian. "Little children, love one another." But truth and love are to be maintained in harmony. Truth dignifies and hallows love; and love sweetens and sanctifies truth. Truth and love are to resemble the beams of the sun; bright and warm; not like the lava of the volcano, hot and destructive. Truth must irradiate the mind, and love influence the heart. One is the perfection of holiness, and the other the essence of goodness. Now the influence of these on the Christian character deserves our attention. Truth will be seen in our sincerity; in our fidelity to God and one another; in our exactness of speech; in the ingenuousness of our demeanor; in the candid guileless movements of the life. Love will be seen in the cultivation of goodness, and beneficence, and mercy, and kindness. Love will destroy selfishness of heart. Love will soften, and fill us with gentleness. Love will keep up the sympathies of our best feelings, and the ardor of our finest sensibilities. Love seems to affect all the senses of the body. It gives the ear acuteness, the eye sensible tenderness, the hand gentle softness, and the heart a glowing goodness.

V. Truth and love are perfected in the spirits of the glorified.

Heaven is the region of truth and love. There is the throne which rests on eternal invincible truth, and there is the sceptre of grace and love. Just so it is with the inhabitants. Perhaps no mere human being ever possessed pure truth without any mixture of darkness or error; or pure love, without any dross of selfish alloy. But the saints in heaven are all as crystal, clear, transparent, bright, reflecting the purity of God. And there too, are they as seraphim, flames of holy, disinterested love. There are the perfections of holiness and fulness of bliss. Nothing else is necessary to the high honor and felicity of intellectual beings.

Application

Now let us apply this subject.

1. Are we under the influence of both? Do we know the truth, and love it, and live it? Are we the subjects of spiritual love? Love to God, and to our fellowmen, &c.

2. Let these be cherished.

They are associated with our real welfare, prosperity, and usefulness.

3. Let us labor to diffuse them:

O Lord, send out thy light and thy truth.

4. Earth will resemble heaven when they become universal.

Autor: JABEZ BURNS