1 John 3:19-24

1 John 3:19–24 (ESV)

19. By this we shall know that we are of the truth and 19b. reassure our heart before him; 20. for whenever our heart condemns us, God is greater than our heart, and he knows everything.

19a. By this [the love and obedience that we exhibit; v. 11-18] we will know that we are of the truth.

Last Week:

Inner attitude equates to physical action in the eyes of God.

Real love is not a feeling, it is an action. It produces selfless, sacrificial giving.

Evil people live evil lives [Cain]; while Godly people live Godly lives.

Since Christ is the Righteous [2:29], Pure [3:3] and Sinless One [3:5]; and the pattern of our lives then it is an “absolute impossibility” that those who abide in Him keep on sinning.

19b-20. We will reassure our hearts in his presence whenever our hearts condemn us, because:

God is greater than our hearts,

And God knows all things

Applicable examples for v.19b-20:

When we would refuse to love in action and truth (v. 18), God, who is “greater than our hearts” in kindness and generosity, motivates us to resist the hardness of heart that would refuse to show compassion to those in need

When we feel guilty because we feel like we are not measuring up to God’s expectations... God who “knows all things” is aware of our motives and actions.

John is saying that [as believers] we are often in need of persuading our hearts in His presence when our hearts would condemn us.

21 Beloved, if our heart does not condemn us, we have confidence before God; 22 and whatever we ask we receive from him, because we keep his commandments and do what pleases him.

John continues to engage the believer who struggles with a “condemning heart.”

The confidence spoken of in verse 21 can be translated as “boldness” or “a freedom of speech” that the Child of God may have when approaching their Heavenly Father.

And Verse 22 explains that this “boldness or freedom” is possible because of the believer’s desire to pray for what pleases God and is according to his will. [5:14-15]

1 John 5:14–15 (ESV)

And this is the confidence that we have toward him, that if we ask anything according to his will he hears us. And if we know that he hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests that we have asked of him.

The guarantee of answered prayer is based on the proper standing of the petitioner, which in return gives him confidence to approach God freely and openly.

“Obedience is the indispensable condition, not the meritorious cause, of answered prayer.” - John Stott

It is the continual obeying of God’s commands and the striving to please Him that precede our confidence before God in prayer.

23 And this is his commandment, that we believe in the name of his Son Jesus Christ and love one another, just as he has commanded us.

We stated last week that “Loving Like Jesus” is fundamental to faith in Christ.

Remember how Jesus answered when asked, “What should someone do to inherit eternal life?”

Luke 10:27 (ESV) - And he answered, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind, and your neighbor as yourself.”

Jesus’ point is that faith in God consist of love for God and our neighbor, it is inconceivable to love God apart from faith.

Furthermore, a faith that does not produce love for one’s neighbor is no faith. It never was faith.

James 2:17 (ESV) - So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.

24 Whoever keeps his commandments abides in God, and God in him. And by this we know that he abides in us, by the Spirit whom he has given us.

Verse 24 makes it clear that being a believer is expressed by a continual, reciprocal relationship with the Father through the indwelling of the Holy Spirit.

Reciprocal - Meaning mutual action. It is characterized by two or more subjects that simultaneously act upon each other

Romans 8:16 (ESV)

The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God,

The verses says that “by the Spirit” or “From the Spirit” and indicates the source of our salvific confidence.

The believer knows he or she is saved, because he or she is indwelled by the Spirit of God.

It is the salvific assurance of the believer, made evident by their desire to love and obey the Lord - that allows the Christian to stand confidently before God in prayer and rest assured that He will answer their requests.