1 John 4:14
The apostles testify to the love and grace of God in Christ, who is the Saviour of all the elect of God.
John Gill emphasizes the apostolic testimony regarding the love and grace of God as revealed through Jesus Christ. He explains that while no one has seen God's essence, the apostles witnessed Christ's love, miracles, and resurrection, affirming that He was sent by the Father to be the Savior of the world. Gill clarifies that this salvation is not universal for every individual but is specifically for the elect, encompassing believers from all nations and backgrounds. He highlights Christ's role as the complete Savior, delivering believers from sin and its consequences. The sermon underscores the importance of recognizing and testifying to the truth of Christ's mission.
Text
Ver. 14. And we have seen, and do testify,....
This seems to be particularly said of the apostles, who had a clear discerning of the love and grace of God, manifested in the mission of Christ into the world; for though no man had seen his nature and his person, yet they had seen his love, and the exceeding riches of his grace, which he had shown forth in Christ Jesus; and they had also seen Christ, God manifest in the flesh; they had seen his glory, as the glory of the only begotten of the Father; they had seen him with their bodily eyes; they had seen his works and miracles; they had seen him dying and risen again from the dead, and go up to heaven; they were witnesses, and eyewitnesses of him, and bore a faithful testimony of him, and for him, and particularly set their seal to this truth,
that the Father sent the Son [to be] the Saviour of the world; not of every individual person in it, for there are some that will go into everlasting punishment, and even a world that will be condemned; Christ is not in fact the Saviour of all the individuals of human nature, and therefore was not sent to be such; for if he was, the end of his mission is not fully answered; nor of the Jews only, but of the Gentiles also, and who are chiefly intended by "the world"; See Gill on "1Jo 2:2"; and even of all the elect of God, styled his people, his sheep, his friends, his church, and the sons of God; and it may be said of all that believe in him throughout the whole world, without any distinction of nation, age, sex, state, or condition: and Christ is the Saviour both of the souls and bodies of these, from all their sins, original and actual; from the power of Satan, the bondage and curse of the law, and wrath to come, and he is the only, able, willing, and complete Saviour, and who saves with an everlasting salvation.
Sermon Outline
- The Witness of the Apostles
- They saw the love and grace of God in Christ
- They saw Christ, God manifest in the flesh
- They saw his glory and his works
Key Quotes
“They had seen his love, and the exceeding riches of his grace, which he had shown forth in Christ Jesus;” — John Gill
Application Points
- Believers can trust in the love and grace of God in Christ, who is their Saviour.
- Christ's salvation is not limited to every individual person in the world, but only to those who believe in him.
- Believers can find everlasting salvation in Christ, who saves them from all sins, original and actual, and from the power of Satan.