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The Acts of the Apostles
who were breaking the law of God, yet claiming that they were living
without sin, he did not hesitate to warn them of their fearful deception.
Writing to a helper in the gospel work, a woman of good repute
and wide influence, he said: “Many deceivers are entered into the
world, who confess not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh. This
is a deceiver and an antichrist. Look to yourselves, that we lose not
those things which we have wrought, but that we receive a full reward.
Whosoever transgresseth, and abideth not in the doctrine of Christ,
hath not God. He that abideth in the doctrine of Christ, he hath both
the Father and the Son. If there come any unto you, and bring not this
doctrine, receive him not into your house, neither bid him Godspeed:
for he that biddeth him Godspeed is partaker of his evil deeds.”
We are authorized to hold in the same estimation as did the beloved
disciple those who claim to abide in Christ while living in transgression
of God’s law. There exist in these last days evils similar to those that
threatened the prosperity of the early church; and the teachings of
the apostle John on these points should be carefully heeded. “You
must have charity,” is the cry heard everywhere, especially from those
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who profess sanctification. But true charity is too pure to cover an
unconfessed sin. While we are to love the souls for whom Christ died,
we are to make no compromise with evil. We are not to unite with
the rebellious and call this charity. God requires His people in this
age of the world to stand for the right as unflinchingly as did John in
opposition to soul-destroying errors.
The apostle teaches that while we should manifest Christian cour-
tesy we are authorized to deal in plain terms with sin and sinners; that
this is not inconsistent with true charity. “Whosoever committeth sin,”
he writes, “transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the
law. And ye know that He was manifested to take away our sins; and
in Him is no sin. Whosoever abideth in Him sinneth not: whosoever
sinneth hath not seen Him, neither known Him.”
As a witness for Christ, John entered into no controversy, no
wearisome contention. He declared what he knew, what he had seen
and heard. He had been intimately associated with Christ, had listened
to His teachings, had witnessed His mighty miracles. Few could see the
beauties of Christ’s character as John saw them. For him the darkness
had passed away; on him the true light was shining. His testimony
in regard to the Saviour’s life and death was clear and forcible. Out