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1 John 5:9-12

9. -- For this is the witness of God which he hath testified of his
Son.

9. -- Porro hoc est testimonium Dei, quod testificatus est de Filio
suo.

10. He that believeth on the Son of God hath the witness in himself: he
that believeth not God hath made him a liar; because he believeth not
the record that God gave of his Son.

10. Qui credit in Filium Dei, habet testimonium in seipso; qui non
credit Deo, mendacem facit eum; quia non credidit in testimonium quod
testificatus est Deus de Filio suo.

11. And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and
this life is in his Son.

11. Et hoc est testimonium, quod vitam aeternam dedit nobis Deus; et
haec vita in Filio ejus est.

12. He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God
hath not life.

12. Qui habet Filium, habet vitam; qui non habet Filium Dei, vitam non
habet.


9 For this is the witness, or testimony, of God The particle hoti does
not mean here the cause, but is to be taken as explanatory; for the
Apostle, after having reminded us that God deserves to be believed much
more than men, now adds, that we can have no faith in God, except by
believing in Christ, because God sets him alone before us and makes us
to stand in him. He hence infers that we believe safely and with
tranquil minds in Christ, because God by his authority warrants our
faith. He does not say that God speaks outwardly, but that every one of
the godly feels within that God is the author of his faith. It hence
appears how different from faith is a fading opinion dependent on
something else.

10. He that believeth not As the faithful possess this benefit, that
they know themselves to be beyond the danger of erring, because they
have God as their foundation; so he makes the ungodly to be guilty of
extreme blasphemy, because they charge God with falsehood. Doubtless
nothing is more valued by God than his own truth, therefore no wrong
more atrocious can be done to him, than to rob him of this honor. Then
in order to induce us to believe, he takes an argument from the
opposite side; for if to make God a liar be a horrible and execrable
impiety, because then what especially belongs to him is taken away, who
would not dread to withhold faith from the gospel, in which God would
have himself to be counted singularly true and faithful? This ought to
be carefully observed.

Some wonder why God commends faith so much, why unbelief is so severely
condemned. But the glory of God is implicated in this; for since he
designed to shew a special instance of his truth in the gospel, all
they who reject Christ there offered to them, leave nothing to him.
Therefore, though we may grant that a man in other parts of his life is
like an angel, yet his sanctity is diabolical as long as he rejects
Christ. Thus we see some under the Papacy vastly pleased with the mere
mask of sanctity, while they still most obstinately resist the gospel.
Let us then understand, that it is the beginning of true religion,
obediently to embrace this doctrine, which he has so strongly confirmed
by his testimony.

11 That God hath given us eternal life Having now set forth the
benefit, he invites us to believe. It is, indeed, a reverence due to
God, immediately to receive, as beyond controversy, whatever he
declares to us. But since he freely offers life to us, our ingratitude
will be intolerable, except with prompt faith we receive a doctrine so
sweet and so lovely. And, doubtless, the words of the Apostle are
intended to shew, that we ought, not only reverently to obey the
gospel, lest we should affront God; but, that we ought to love it,
because it brings to us eternal life. We hence also learn what is
especially to be sought in the gospel, even the free gift of salvation;
for that God there exhorts us to repentance and fear, ought not to be
separated from the grace of Christ.

But the Apostle, that he might keep us together in Christ, again
repeats that life is found in him; as though he had said, that no other
way of obtaining life has been appointed for us by God the Father. And
the Apostle, indeed, briefly includes here three things: that we are
all given up to death until God in his gratuitous favor restores us to
life; for he plainly declares that life is a gift from God: and hence
also it follows that we are destitute of it, and that it cannot be
acquired by merits; secondly, he teaches us that this life is conferred
on us by the gospel, because there the goodness and the paternal love
of God is made known to us; lastly, he says that we cannot otherwise
become partakers of this life than by believing in Christ.

12 He that hath not the Son This is a confirmation of the last
sentence. It ought, indeed, to have been sufficient, that God made life
to be in none but in Christ, that it might be sought in him; but lest
any one should turn away to another, he excludes all from the hope of
life who seek it not in Christ. We know what it is to have Christ, for
he is possessed by faith. He then shews that all who are separated from
the body of Christ are without life.

But this seems inconsistent with reason; for history shews that there
have been great men, endued with heroic virtues, who yet were wholly
unacquainted with Christ; and it seems unreasonable that men of so
great eminence had no honor. To this I answer, that we are greatly
mistaken if we think that whatever is eminent in our eyes is approved
by God; for, as it is said in Luke,

"What is highly esteemed by men is an abomination with God." (Luke
16:15)

For as the filthiness of the heart is hid from us, we are satisfied
with the external appearance; but God sees that under this is concealed
the foulest filth. It is, therefore, no wonder if specious virtues,
flowing from an impure heart, and tending to no right end, have an ill
odor to him. Besides, whence comes purity, whence a genuine regard for
religion, except from the Spirit of Christ? There is, then, nothing
worthy of praise except in Christ.

There is, further, another reason which removes every doubt; for the
righteousness of men is in the remission of sins. If you take away
this, the sure curse of God and eternal death awaits all. Christ alone
is he who reconciles the Father to us, as he has once for all pacified
him by the sacrifice of the cross. It hence follows, that God is
propitious to none but in Christ, nor is there righteousness but in
him.

Were any one to object and say, that Cornelius, as mentioned by Luke,
(Acts 10:2,) was accepted of God before he was called to the faith of
the gospel: to this I answer shortly, that God sometimes so deals with
us, that the seed of faith appears immediately on the first day.
Cornelius had no clear and distinct knowledge of Christ; but as he had
some perception of God's mercy, he must at the same time understand
something of a Mediator. But as God acts in ways hidden and wonderful,
let us disregard those speculations which profit nothing, and hold only
to that plain way of salvation, which he has made known to us.