D. A. Carson's exposition of John 14-17 tackles section 15:1-16 in the 5th chapter. The book, The Farewell Discourse and Final Prayer of Jesus, is a thorough engagement of these chapters and Carson provides an interesting perspective.
Carson considers the love of God in the following quote:
"What must be noticed in these and other biblical passages that treat the love of God or the love of Jesus is that there is a broad spectrum of ideas associated with God's love; and this spectrum changes according to the context. The Bible insists on God's wrath against all men, a wrath grounded in his holy nature; yet it insists on God's love for all men, sending his Son and inviting them to come to him.The Bible also speaks of God's love in a narrower sense: he chooses a Jacob above an Esau, a David instead of Saul, an entire people for the praise of his glorious grace. It is often illegitimate to transfer the associations of one passage on God's love to some other passage; and it is always illegitimate to use the association of one passage to disallow those of another passage." (95-6)
Also, in discussing the question of whether one can lose his salvation, Carson procures an important consideration: "The question [on losing one's salvation] is an important one; but it is important only for those who have a high view of Scripture and who therefore think that the statements of the Bible ultimately can be reconciled with one another. If someone does not share this perspective, there is nothing to prevent him from supposing that one biblical book teaches one thing and another biblical book teaches a contradictory thing. He might even suppose that some of the biblical authors were so confused that they contradicted themselves." (96) Carson then elucidates the effect of a high view of Scripture in the reader: "The person with a high view of Scripture, however, tries to synthesize passages which seem to say that a believer cannot fall completely away with other passages which seem to sat that a believer can indeed be utterly rejected; he believes one God of truth stands behind both sets of passages." (96)
As the chapter progresses Carson discusses the link between intimacy and obedience: "But when all qualifications are carefully registered, the full force of Jesus' teaching in John 15 must burn its message on our minds: as Jesus remains in his Father's love by means of obedience, so the believer must remain in Jesus' love by means of obedience. That is what it means to remain in the vine; that is what intimacy with Jesus entails." (99) This is an admonition that is greatly needed these days in North American Christianity; greatly needed in my own life. Carson follows this admonition up with a warning that should be heeded: "No one is more miserable than the Christian who for a time hedges on his obedience. He does not love sin enough to enjoy its pleasures, and he does not love Christ enough to relish holiness. He perceives that his rebellion is iniquitous, but obedience seems distasteful. He does not feel at home any longer in the world, but the memory of his past associations and the tantalizing lyrics of his old music prevent him from singing with the saints. He is a man most pitied; and he cannot forever remain ambivalent." (100)
I am finding works of exposition by accomplished theologians very enjoyable and beneficial. This is my third such book and I'm looking forward to reading some more.
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