John 1:18 No man has seen God at any time, the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he has declared him. Concerning — I. THE CHARACTER OF GOD, Who is — 1. Not an abstraction, but a Person. 2. Not a Supreme Intelligence merely, but an infinite Heart. 3. Not a Divinity enthroned in the serene altitudes of His measureless perfections, but a Father interested in the affairs and providing help for the necessities of His children, yea, coming near them in the person of His Son. II. THE DESTINY OF MAN. 1. By establishing the inherent dignity of human nature, since it was capable of union with Divine. 2. By revealing its lofty possibilities when so allied. 3. And so discovering that man must have a future not bounded by time. The first prediction of this was man's creation (Leviticus 1:27), the second the Incarnator (Hebrews 2:14). III. THE SUBSTANCE OF THE GOSPEL which is announced to be grace and truth, without which the nature of God could not be revealed nor the destiny of man attained. Lessons: 1. Do we believe in the Incarnation? Our answer discloses the inner quality of our souls (1 John 4:2, 3). 2. Have we accepted the gospel it brings? This also is heart searching, character revealing, destiny fixing inquiry (John 3:33, 36; 1 John 5:10). 3. Can we confirm from personal experience these truths? If so our faith will be invincible against modern doubt. (T. Whitelaw, D. D.) Parallel Verses KJV: No man hath seen God at any time; the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him. |
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