William Burkitt Notes and Observations - 1 John 2:25 - 2:25

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William Burkitt Notes and Observations - 1 John 2:25 - 2:25


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This Chapter Verse Commentaries:

Observe here, 1. How gracious Almighty God is to enforce his commands with promises of reward; he required of us adherence to the truth, and perseverance in it, in the former verse; here he promises eternal life, by way of encouragement, in this verse.

Observe, 2. The benefit promised, life, eternal life; the greatness of this life is immeasurable,, the worth of this life is inestimable; the joys of this life innumerable, the duration of it is interminable.

Observe, 3. The certainty of the conveyance; this is, the promise promised.

Mark, he doth not say purposed, but promised. A purpose is a secret and a hidden intention of the mind, but a promise is a revelation of that intention; yea, it is more than a declaration. A promise makes sure, as well as makes manifest; especially God's promise, which has his oath for the confirmation of it, Heb_6:17.

Observe, 4. The peculiarity of the persons to whom the promise is made, he hath promised us; not to us as apostles only, but to us as Christians: all that are born of God are begotten to a lively hope of an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled, and that fadeth not away: Again, he has promised us, not promised all eternal life, but us, who are thus and thus qualified, who keep his commandments, and walk as he walked.

Observe, 5. The eminency of the author by whom this promise is made, in the relative he; This is the promise which he hath promised us.

Here note, That eternal life was promised by God to good men under the Old Testament; Heb_11:16 tells us, that the Old Testament saints desired a better country, to wit, an heavenly; now how could they have desired it, if they had not known it? And how could they have known it, if God had not revealed it? And Christ bade the Jews search the scriptures , for in them ye think ye have eternal life; intimating, that in the writings of Moses, eternal life was made known typically and darkly, not so clearly and fully as by the gospel, 2Ti_1:10 He is holy, and cannot lie; righteous, and cannot deceive; immutable, and cannot repent.