Homily 5
1 John 3:9-18
"Whoever is born of God does not commit sin; for his seed remains in
him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God. In this the children
of God are manifest, and the children of the devil: whoever is not
righteous is not of God, neither he who loves not his brother. For this
is the message that you heard from the beginning, that we should love
one another. Not as Cain, who was of the wicked one, and slew his
brother. And wherefore slew he him? Because his own works were
evil, and his brother's righteous. Marvel not, my brethren, if the world
hate us. We know that we have passed from death to life, because we
love the brethren. He who loves not abides in death. Whoever hates
his brother is a murderer: and you know that no murderer has eternal
life abiding in him. In this we know love, that He laid down His life for
us: and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren. But whoever
has this world's good, and sees his brother have need, and shuts up
his bowels of compassion from him, how can the love of God dwell in
him? My little children, let us not love only in word and in tongue; but
in deed and in truth."
1. Hear intently, I beseech you, because it is no small matter that we
have to cope withal: and I doubt not, because you were intent upon it
yesterday, that you have with even greater intentness of purpose come
together to-day. For it is no slight question, how he says in this Epistle,
"Whoever is born of God, sins not," and how in the same Epistle he has
said above, "If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and
the truth is not in us." What shall the man do, who is pressed by both
sayings out of the same Epistle? If he shall confess himself a sinner, he
fears lest it be said to him, Then are you not born of God; because it is
written, "Whoever is born of God, sins not." But if he shall say that he
is just and that he has no sin, he receives on the other side a blow from
the same Epistle, "If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves,
and the truth is not in us." Placed then as he is in the midst, what he
can say and what confess, or what profess, he cannot find. To profess
himself to be without sin, is full of peril; and not only full of peril, but
also full of error: "We deceive ourselves," says he, "and the truth is not
in us, if we say that we have no sin." But oh that you had none, and
said this! for then would you say truly, and in uttering the truth would
have not so much as a vestige of wrong to be afraid of. But, that you do
ill if you say so, is because it is a lie that you say. "The truth," says he,
"is not in us, if we say that we have no sin." He says not, "Have not
had;" lest haply it should seem to be spoken of the past life. For the
man here has had sins: but from the time that he was born of God, he
has begun not to have sins. If it were so, there would be no question to
embarrass us. For we should say, We have been sinners, but now we
are justified: we have had sin, but now we have none. He says not this:
but what says he? "If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves,
and the truth is not in us." And then after a while he says on the other
hand, "Whoever is born of God sins not." Was John himself not born of
God? If John was not born of God, John, of whom you have heard that
he lay in the Lord's bosom; does any man dare engage for himself that
in him has taken place that regeneration which it was not granted to
that man to have, to whom it was granted to lie in the bosom of the
Lord? The man whom the Lord loved more than the rest, him alone
had He not begotten of the Spirit?
2. Mark now these words. As yet, I am urging it upon you, what straits
we are put to that by putting your minds on the stretch, that is, by
your praying for us and for yourselves, God may make enlargement,
and give us an outlet: lest some man find in His word an occasion of
his own perdition, that word which was preached and put in writing
only for healing and salvation. "Every man," says he, "that does sin,
does also iniquity." Lest haply you make a distinction, "Sin is iniquity."
Lest you say, A sinner I am, but not a doer of iniquity, "Sin is iniquity.
And you know that to this end was He manifested, that He should take
away sin; and there is no sin in Him." And what does it profit us, that
He came without sin? "Every one who sins not, abides in Him: and
every one who sins, has not seen Him, neither known Him. Little
children, let no man seduce you. He who does righteousness is
righteous, even as He is righteous." This we have already said, that the
word "as" is wont to be used of a certain resemblance, not of equality.
"He who does sin is of the devil, because the devil sins from the
beginning." This too we have already said, that the devil created no
man, nor begat any, but his imitators are, as it were, born of him. "To
this end was the Son of God manifested, that He should undo the
works of the devil." Consequently, to undo (or loose) sins, He who has
no sin. And then follows: "Every one who is born of God does not
commit sin; for his seed remains in him: and he cannot sin, because he
is born of God:" he has drawn the cord tight! - Belike, it is in regard of
some one sin that he has said, "Does not sin," not in regard of all sin:
that in this that he says, "Whoever is born of God, does not sin," you
may understand some one particular sin, which that man who is born
of God cannot commit: and such is that sin that, if one commit it, it
confirms the rest. What is this sin? To do contrary to the
commandment. What is the commandment? "A new commandment
give I to you, that you love one another." Mark well! This
commandment of Christ is called, "love." By this love sins are loosed. If
this love be not kept, the not holding it is at once a grievous sin, and
the root of all sins.
3. Mark well, brethren; we have brought forward somewhat in which,
to those who have good understanding, the question is solved. But do
we only walk in the way with those who run more swiftly? Those that
walk more slowly must not be left behind. Let us turn the matter every
way, in such words as we can, in order that it may be brought within
reach of all. For I suppose, brethren, that every man is concerned for
his own soul, who does not come to Church without cause, who does
not seek temporal things in the Church, who does not come here to
transact secular business; but comes here in order that he may lay
hold upon some eternal thing, promised to him, whereunto he may
attain: he must needs consider how he shall walk in the way, lest he is
left behind, lest he go back, lest he go astray, lest by halting he do not
attain. Whoever therefore is in earnest, let him be slow, let him be
swift, yet let him not leave the way. This then I have said, that in
saying, "Whoever is born of God sins not," it is probable he meant it of
some particular sin: for else it will be contrary to that place: "If we say
that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us."
In this way then the question may be solved. There is a certain sin,
which he who is born of God cannot commit; a sin, which not being
committed, other sins are loosed, and being committed, other sins are
confirmed. What is this sin? To do contrary to the commandment of
Christ, contrary to the New Testament. What is the new
commandment? "A new commandment give I to you, that you love one
another." Whoever does contrary to charity and contrary to brotherly
love, let him not dare to glory and say that he is born of God: but
whoever is in brotherly love, there are certain sins which he cannot
commit, and this above all, that he should hate his brother. And how
fares it with him concerning his other sins, of which it is said, "If we
say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in
us?" Let him hear that which shall set his mind at rest from another
place of Scripture; "Charity covers a multitude of sins."
4. Charity therefore we commend; charity this Epistle commends. The
Lord, after His resurrection, what question put He to Peter, but, "do
you love me?" And it was not enough to ask it once; a second time also
He put none other question, a third time also none other. Although
when it came to the third time, Peter, as one who knew not what was
the drift of this, was grieved because it seemed as if the Lord did not
believe him; nevertheless both a first time and a second, and a third
He put this question. Thrice fear denied, thrice love confessed. Behold
Peter loves the Lord. What is he to do for the Lord? For think not that
he in the Psalm did not feel himself at a loss what to do: "What shall I
render to the Lord for all the benefits He has done to me?" He who
said this in the Psalm, marked what great things had been done for
him by God; and sought what he should render to God, and could find
nothing. For whatever you would render, from Him did you receive it
to render. And what did he find to offer in return? That which, as we
said, my brethren, he had received from Him, that only found he to
offer in return. "I will receive the cup of salvation, and will call upon
the name of the Lord." For who had given him the cup of salvation, but
He to whom he wished to offer in return? Now to receive the cup of
salvation, and call upon the name of the Lord, is to be filled with
charity; and so filled, that not only you shall not hate your brother, but
shall be prepared to die for your brother. This is perfect charity, that
you are prepared to die for your brother. This the Lord exhibited in
Himself, who died for all, praying for them by whom He was crucified,
and saying, "Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do." But
if He alone has done this, He was not a Master, if He had no disciples.
Disciples who came after Him have done this. Men were stoning
Stephen, and he knelt down and said, "Lord, lay not this sin to their
charge." He loved those who were killing him; since for them also he
was dying. Hear also the Apostle Paul: "And I myself," says he, "will be
spent for your souls." For he was among those for whom Stephen,
when by their hands he was dying, besought forgiveness. This then is
perfect charity. If any man shall have so great charity that he is
prepared even to die for his brethren, in that man is perfect charity.
But as soon as it is born, is it already quite perfect? That it may be
made perfect, it is born; when born, it is nourished; when nourished,
it is strengthened; when strengthened, it is perfected; when it has
come to perfection, what says it? "To me to live is Christ, and to die is
gain. I wished to be dissolved, and to be with Christ; which is far
better: nevertheless to abide in the flesh is needful for you." For their
sakes he was willing to live, for whose sakes he was prepared to die.
5. And that you may know that it is this perfect charity which that man
violates not, and against which that man sins not, who is born of God;
this is what the Lord says to Peter; "Peter, do you love me?" And he
answers, "I love." He says not, If you love me, shew kindness to me. For
when the Lord was in mortal flesh, He hungered, He thirsted: at that
time when He hungered and thirsted, He was taken in as a guest;
those who had the means, ministered to Him of their substance, as we
read in the Gospel. Zacchæus entertained Him as his guest: he was
saved from his disease by entertaining the Physician. From what
disease? The disease of avarice. For he was very rich, and the chief of
the publicans. Mark the man made whole from the disease of avarice:
"The half of my goods I give to the poor; and if I have taken any thing
from any man, I will restore him fourfold." That he kept the other half,
was not to enjoy it, but to pay his debts. Well, he at that time
entertained the Physician as his guest, because there was infirmity of
the flesh in the Lord, to which men might show this kindness; and this,
because it was His will to grant this very thing to those who did Him
kind service; for the benefit was to those who did the service, not to
Him. For, could He to whom angels ministered require these men's
kindness? Not even His servant Elias, to whom He sent bread and flesh
by the ravens upon a certain occasion had need of this; and yet that a
religious widow might be blessed, the servant of God is sent, and he
whom God in secret did feed, is fed by the widow. But still, although by
the means of these servants of God, those who consider their need get
good to themselves, in respect of that reward most manifestly set
forth by the Lord in the Gospel: "He who receives a righteous man in
the name of a righteous man shall receive a righteous man's reward:
and he who receives a prophet in the name of a prophet shall receive a
prophet's reward: and whoever shall give to drink to one of these little
ones a cup of cold water only in the name of a disciple, verily I say to
you, He shall in no wise lose his reward:" although, then, those who do
this, do it to their own good: yet neither could this kind office be done
to Him when about to ascend into Heaven. What could Peter, who
loved Him, render to Him? Hear what. "Feed my sheep:" i.e. do for the
brethren, that which I have done for you. I redeemed all with my
blood: hesitate not to die for confession of the truth, that the rest may
imitate you.
6. But this, as we have said, brethren, is perfect charity. He who is born
of God has it. Mark, my beloved, see what I say. Behold, a man has
received the Sacrament of that birth, being baptized; he has the
Sacrament, and a great Sacrament, divine, holy, ineffable. Consider
what a Sacrament! To make him a new man by remission of all sins!
Nevertheless, let him look well to the heart, whether that be
thoroughly done there, which is done in the body; let him see whether
he have charity, and then say, I am born of God. If however he have it
not, he has indeed the soldier's mark upon him, but he roams as a
deserter. Let him have charity; otherwise let him not say that he is
born of God. But he says, I have the Sacrament. Hear the Apostle: "If I
know all mysteries, and have all faith, so that I can remove mountains,
and have not charity, I am nothing."
7. This, if you remember, we gave you to understand in beginning to
read this Epistle, that nothing in it is so commended as charity. Even if
it seems to speak of various other things, to this it makes its way back,
and whatever it says, it will needs bring all to bear upon charity. Let us
see whether it does so here. Mark: "Whoever is born of God does not
commit sin." We ask, what sin? because if you understand all sin, it
will be contrary to that place, "If we say that we have no sin, we
deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us." Then let him say what
sin; let him teach us; lest haply I may have rashly said that the sin here
is the violation of charity, because he said above, "He who hates his
brother is in darkness, and walks in darkness, and knows not whither
he goes, because the darkness has blinded his eyes." But perhaps he
has said something in what comes afterwards, and has mentioned
charity by name? See that this circuit of words has this end, has this
issue. "Whoever is born of God, sins not, because His seed remains in
him." The "seed" of God, i.e. the word of God: whence the apostle says,
"I have begotten you through the Gospel. And he cannot sin, because
he is born of God." Let him tell us this, let us see in what we cannot sin.
"In this are manifested the children of God and the children of the
devil. Whoever is not righteous is not of God, neither he who loves not
his brother." Aye, now indeed it is manifest of what he speaks:
"Neither he who loves not his brother." Therefore, love alone puts the
difference between the children of God and the children of the devil.
Let them all sign themselves with the sign of the cross of Christ; let
them all respond, Amen; let all sing Alleluia; let all be baptized, let all
come to church, let all build the walls of churches: there is no
discerning of the children of God from the children of the devil, but
only by charity. Those who have charity are born of God: those who
have it not, are not born of God. A mighty token, a mighty distinction!
Have what you will; if this alone you have not, it profits you nothing:
other things if you have not, have this, and you have fulfilled the law.
"For he who loves another has fulfilled the law," says the apostle: and,
"Charity is the fulfilling of the law." I take this to be the pearl which the
merchant man in the Gospel is described to have been seeking, who
"found one pearl, and sold all that he had, and bought it." This is the
pearl of price, Charity, without which whatever you may have, profits
you nothing: which if alone you have, it suffices you. Now, with faith
you see, then with actual beholding you shall see. For if we love when
we see not, how shall we embrace it when we see! But wherein must
we exercise ourselves? In brotherly love. You may say to me, I have
not seen God: can you say to me, I have not seen man? Love your
brother. For if you love your brother whom you see, at the same time
you shall see God also; because you shall see Charity itself, and within
dwells God.
8. "Whoever is not righteous is not of God, neither he who loves not
his brother." "For this is the message:" mark how he confirms it: "For
this is the message which we heard from the beginning, that we
should love one another." He has made it manifest to us that it is of
this he speaks; whoever acts against this commandment, is in that
accursed sin, into which those fall who are not born of God. "Not as
Cain, who was of that wicked one, and slew his brother. And why did
he slay him? Because his own works were evil, and his brother's
righteous." Therefore, where envy is, brotherly love cannot be. Mark,
my beloved. He who envies, loves not. The sin of the devil is in that
man; because the devil through envy cast man down. For he fell, and
envied him that stood. He did not wish to cast man down that he
himself might stand, but only that he might not fall alone. Hold fast in
your mind from this that he has subjoined, that envy cannot exist in
charity. You have it openly, when charity was praised, "Charity envies
not." There was no charity in Cain; and had there been no charity in
Abel, God would not have accepted his sacrifice. For when they had
both offered, the one of the fruits of the earth, the other of the
offspring of the flock; what think you, brethren, that God slighted the
fruits of the earth, and loved the offspring of the flock? God had not
regard to the hands, but saw in the heart: and whom He saw offer with
charity, to his sacrifice He had respect; whom He saw offer with envy,
from his sacrifice He turned away His eyes. By the good works, then, of
Abel, he means only charity: by the evil works of Cain he means only
his hatred of his brother. It was not enough that he hated his brother
and envied his good works; because he would not imitate, he would
kill. And hence it appeared that he was a child of the devil, and hence
also that the other was God's righteous one. Hence then are men
discerned, my brethren. Let no man mark the tongue, but the deeds
and the heart. If any do not good for his brethren, he shews what he
has in him. By temptations are men proved.
9. "Marvel not, brethren, if the world hate us." Must one often be
telling you what "the world" means? Not the heaven, not the earth, nor
these visible works which God made; but lovers of the world. By often
saying these things, to some I am burdensome: but I am so far from
saying it without a cause, that some may be questioned whether I said
it, and they cannot answer. Let then, even by thrusting it upon them,
something stick fast in the hearts of those who hear. What is "the
world"? The world, when put in a bad sense, is, lovers of the world:
the world, when the word is used in praise, is heaven and earth, and
the works of God that are in them; whence it is said, "And the world
was made by Him." Also, the world is the fullness of the earth, as John
himself has said, "Not only for our sins is He the propitiator, but (for
the sins) of the whole world:" he means, "of the world," of all the
faithful scattered throughout the whole earth. But the world in a bad
sense, is, lovers of the world. Those who love the world, cannot love
their brother.
10. "If the world hate us: we know" - What do we know? - "that we
have passed from death to life" - How do we know? "Because we love
the brethren." Let none ask man: let each return to his own heart: if he
find there brotherly love, let him set his mind at rest, because he is
"passed from death to life." Already he is on the right hand: let him not
regard that at present his glory is hidden: when the Lord shall come,
then shall he appear in glory. For he has life in him, but as yet in
winter; the root is alive, but the branches, so to say, are dry: within is
the substance that has the life in it, within are the leaves of trees,
within are the fruits: but they wait for the summer. Well then, "we
know that we have passed from death to life, because we love the
brethren. He who loves not, abides in death." Lest you should think it a
light matter, brethren, to hate, or, not to love, hear what follows:
"Every one who hates his brother, is a murderer." How now, if any
made light of hating his brother, will he also in his heart make light of
murder? He does not stir his hands to kill a man; yet he is already held
by God a murderer; the other lives, and yet this man is already judged
as his slayer! "Every one who hates his brother is a murderer: and you
know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him."
11. "In this know we love:" he means, perfection of love, that
perfection which we have bidden you lay to heart: "In this know we
love, that He laid down His life for us: and we ought to lay down our
lives for the brethren." Lo here, whence that came: "Peter, do you love
me? Feed My sheep." For, that you may know that He would have His
sheep to be so fed by him, as that he should lay down his life for the
sheep, straightway said He this to him: "When you were young, you
girded yourself, and walked whither you would: but when you shall be
old, you shall stretch forth your hands, and another shall gird you, and
carry you whither you would not. This spake He," says the evangelist,
"signifying by what death he should glorify God;" so that to whom He had said, Feed my sheep," the same He might teach to lay down his life
for His sheep.
12. Whence begins charity, brethren? Attend a little: to what it is
perfected, you have heard; the very end of it, and the very measure of
it is what the Lord has put before us in the Gospel: "Greater love has
no man," says He, "than that one lay down his life for his friends." Its
perfection, therefore, He has put before us in the Gospel, and here also
it is its perfection that is put before us: but you ask yourselves, and say
to yourselves, When shall it be possible for us to have "this" charity?
Do not too soon despair of yourself. Haply, it is born and is not yet
perfect; nourish it, that it be not choked. But you will say to me, And
by what am I to know it? For to what it is perfected, we have heard;
whence it begins, let us hear. He goes on to say: "But whoever has this
world's good, and sees his brother have hunger, and shuts up his
bowels of compassion from him, how can the love of God dwell in
him?" Lo, whence charity begins withal! If you are not yet equal to the
dying for your brother, be even now equal to the giving of your means
to your brother. Even now let charity smite your bowels, that not of
vainglory you should do it, but of the innermost marrow of mercy;
that you consider him, now in want. For if your superfluities you can
not give to your brother, can you lay down your life for your brother?
There lies your money in your bosom, which thieves may take from
you; and though thieves do not take it, by dying you will leave it, even
if it leave not you while living: what will you do with it? Your brother
hungers, he is in necessity: belike he is in suspense, is distressed by
his creditor: he is your brother, alike you are bought, one is the price
paid for you, you are both redeemed by the blood of Christ: see
whether you have mercy, if you have this world's means. Perchance
you say, "What concern is it to me? Am I to give my money, that he may
not suffer trouble?" If this be the answer your heart makes to you, the
love of the Father abides not in you. If the love of the Father abide not
in you, you are not born of God. How boast you to be a Christian? You
have the name, and have not the deeds. But if the work shall follow the
name, let any call you pagan, show you by deeds that you are a
Christian. For if by deeds you do not show yourself a Christian, all men
may call you a Christian yet; what does the name profit you where the
thing is not forthcoming? "But whoever has this world's good, and
sees his brother have need, and shuts up his bowels of compassion
from him, how can the love of God dwell in him?" And then he goes on:
"My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in
deed and in truth."
13. I suppose the thing is now made manifest to you my brethren: this
great and most concerning secret and mystery. What is the force of
charity, all Scripture sets forth; but I know not whether any where it is
more largely set forth than in this Epistle. We pray you and beseech
you in the Lord, that both what you have heard you will keep in
memory, and will come to that which is yet to be said, until the epistle
be finished, with earnestness, and with earnestness hear the same.
But open your heart for the good seed: root out the thorns, that that
which we are sowing in you be not choked, but rather that the harvest
may grow, and that the Husbandman may rejoice and make ready the
barn for you as for grain, not the fire as for the chaff.
["Cannot sin," &c. - Augustin maintains that the one sin which the
Christian cannot commit is violation of charity; he cannot do
otherwise than love, and do acts that flow from love, if he is a
Christian. No doubt this indicates a great truth, for love expresses the
inner essence of the believer's life and character. But the strong
language of the apostle is not met by this partial statement. Better
acknowledge the apparent contradiction between "does not commit
sin," "cannot sin," and "if we say, we have no sin, we deceive
ourselves." The apostle does not solve the problem. Meyer, who
discards many explanations of the first two phrases, - as, sinning
knowingly and wilfully, committing mortal sins and many others
specified by him, thinks that the solution lies in the fact simply that
the apostle desires to emphasize the contrast between born of God
and a sinner. He does not show how emphasizing a contrast explains a
contradiction (which he discovers in the passage). Jonathan Edwards
and Ezek. Hopkins, following many others with whom Westcott
coincides, judge that the alleged impossibility of sinning relates to
total character, or prevailing habit; the Christian may be surprised,
overtaken, beguiled by sin, but fights against sin, does not consent to
sin with his whole heart; "he does not wish sin." It has been added
that as to his nature - renewed; as to the new life - life from the Spirit
of God, - his divine sonship and sin are irreconcilable contraries. In
part, these suggestions and definitions may meet the difficulty which
the apostle, doubtless wishing to present a high ideal of the life of one
born from above, leaves for practical solution by those who have
passed from death to life. - J.H.M.]
[Love; beneficence. - Augustin throughout these homilies amply
vindicates his own declaration that the epistle on which he is
commenting relates largely to charity; and his glowing words not only
exhibit love as one star in the constellation of Christian graces, but as
a deep and joyous principle and centre of life, "a well of water" within,
from which refreshing streams of beneficence will spontaneously
gush forth. He controverts those in his day who taught that it was
enough to have the truth, to possess right opinions, and that such
need not be forward in sacrificing aught for the truth's sake, or to help
their brethren. And in kindly reproof of such indolent and ignorant
self seeking, he points the earnest believer to whom comes the lofty
utterance of the apostle, lay down life, if need be, for your brother, and
who shrinks from such a test, to a lower evidence of the Christ-like
mind, within the reach of all, and from which all may go up higher -
"help your brother in his necessity, relieve his wants; if not ready to do
this for the brother before your eyes, how can you pretend love to the
unseen Father and Friend?" As the apostle's reprehension of errorists
in his day is applicable in refutation of many false opinions rife in our
times, so his and Augustin's fervent commendation of the surpassing
excellence of love, and the absolute need, for the believer, of uniformly
and constantly manifesting it in act and life, can never be superfluous,
can never grow old. Indifference as to doctrine, and careless coldness
with respect to the sufferings of others, against both of which St. John
lifts up his voice, if not peculiar to our day and nation, are yet
deplorable evils among us, demanding energetic and practical
protests from those who love the truth and love man. - J.H.M.]