SSAGE AND ITS PRACTICAL RESULTS

'This then is the message which we have heard of Him, and declare
unto you, that God is light, and in Him is no darkness at all. 6.
If we say that we have fellowship with Him and walk in darkness, we
lie, and do not the truth: 7. But if we walk in the light, as He is
in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of
Jesus Christ His Son cleanseth us from all sin. 8. If we say that
we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.
9. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us
our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 10. If we say
that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar, and His word is not in
us.'

'My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin
not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus
Christ the righteous: 2. And He is the propitiation for our sins:
and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world. 3.
And hereby we do know that we know Him, if we keep His
commandments. 4. He that saith, I know Him, and keepeth not His
commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. 5. But whoso
keepeth his word, in him verily is the love of God perfected:
hereby know we that we are in Him. 6. He that saith he abideth in
Him ought himself also so to walk, even as He walked.'--1 John
i. 5-ii. 6.

John is the mystic among the New Testament writers. He dwells much on
the immediate union of the soul with God, and he has little to say about
institutions and rites. His method is not to argue, but to utter deep,
simple propositions which convince by their own light. But he is also
intensely eager for plain, practical morality, and in that respect sets
the example which, unfortunately, too many of the more mystical types of
Christian teaching have failed to follow. To him the outcome and test of
all deep hidden union with God is righteousness in life.

The blending of these two elements, which is the very keynote of this
letter, is wonderfully set forth in this passage. They would require
much more space than we command for their treatment, for every clause is
weighty as gold. We can but skim the surface, and try to bring out the
salient points.

I. We have, first, a wonderful gathering up of the whole gospel message
into one utterance as to the e