's work as advocate for believers and as propitiation for
the world. As there, so here, two practical consequences follow, which
are drawn out on corresponding lines. Observe the repetition in verses 3
and 5 _b_, of 'hereby know we,' and in verses 4 and 6 of 'He that
saith.'

Note, too, the reappearance of 'is a liar' and of 'the truth is not in
him' in verse 4. The drift of the section may be briefly put as follows.
John's heart melts as he thinks of the possibilities of holiness open to
believers, and of the sad actualities of their imperfect lives, and he
addresses them by the tender name, 'my little children.' The impelling
and guiding motive of his letter is that they may not sin. Practical
righteousness is the end of revelation, and its complete attainment
should be the aim of every believer.

But the sad experience of 'saints' is that they are not yet wholly
delivered from its power. Therefore 'the message' is not only 'God is
light without blending of darkness,' but, 'we Christians have an
Advocate with the Father.' Jesus is to-day carrying on His mighty work
of prevalent intercession for all His servants, and that intercession
secures forgiveness for their inconsistencies and lapses, because it
rests upon Christ's finished work of 'propitiation,' which is for the
whole world, even though it actually avails only for believers.

Such being the power of Christ's work in its twofold aspect of
propitiation and of intercession, the same practical issues as in the
preceding section were shown to flow from the revealed nature of God are
here, in somewhat different form, linked with that work. First, keeping
his commandments (which is equivalent to 'walking in the light') is the
test to ourselves, as well as to others, of our really knowing Him with
a knowledge which is not mere head work, but the acquaintance of
sympathy and friendship, or, in the words of the previous paragraph,
having fellowship with Him.

Clearly, the scope of this section requires that 'His commandments'
should here mean Christ's, not the Father's. All professions of knowing
Jesus which are not verified by obedience to Him are false. If we do
keep His word--not merely the individual 'commandments,' but the word as
one great whole--our love to God reaches its perfection, for it is no
mere emotion of the heart, but the force which is to mould and actuate
all our acts.

Verse 5 _b_ should be separated from the preceding words, for it is
really t