Joh 15:16, Rom 3:24, 5:8, 1Jo 4:10 | JFB | STEP | 16. Ye have not chosen me, but I . . . you —a wholesale memento after the lofty things He had just said about their mutual indwelling, and the unreservedness of the friendship they had been admitted to. ordained —appointed. you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit —that is, give yourselves to it. and that your fruit should remain —showing itself to be an imperishable and ever growing principle. (Compare ). that whatsoever ye shall ask, &c.

John 15:16

16. Ye have not chosen me, but I . . . you—a wholesale memento after the lofty things He had just said about their mutual indwelling, and the unreservedness of the friendship they had been admitted to.

ordained—appointed.

you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit—that is, give yourselves to it.

and that your fruit should remain—showing itself to be an imperishable and ever growing principle. (Compare Pr 4:18; 2Jo 8).

that whatsoever ye shall ask, &c.—(See on Joh 15:7).

Romans 3:24

24. justified freely—without anything done on our part to deserve.

by his grace—His free love.

through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus—a most important clause; teaching us that though justification is quite gratuitous, it is not a mere fiat of the divine will, but based on a "Redemption," that is, "the payment of a Ransom," in Christ's death. That this is the sense of the word "redemption," when applied to Christ's death, will appear clear to any impartial student of the passages where it occurs.

Romans 5:8

8. But God commendeth—"setteth off," "displayeth"—in glorious contrast with all that men will do for each other.

his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners—that is, in a state not of positive "goodness," nor even of negative "righteousness," but on the contrary, "sinners," a state which His soul hateth.

Christ died for us—Now comes the overpowering inference, emphatically redoubled.

1 John 4:10

10. Herein is love—love in the abstract: love, in its highest ideal, is herein. The love was all on God's side, none on ours.

not that we loved God—though so altogether worthy of love.

he loved us—though so altogether unworthy of love. The Greek aorist expresses, Not that we did any act of love at any time to God, but that He did the act of love to us in sending Christ.