Chapter 3
Verses 16-24:
"By this we know love, because He laid down His life for us. And we also ought to lay down our lives for the brethren. But whoever has this world’s goods, and sees his brother in need, and shuts up his heart from him, how does the love of God abide in him?
My little children, let us not love in word or in tongue, but in deed and in truth. And by this we know that we are of the truth, and shall assure our hearts before Him. For if our heart condemns us, God is greater than our heart, and knows all things. Beloved, if our heart does not condemn us, we have confidence toward God. And whatever we ask we receive from Him, because we keep His commandments and do those things that are pleasing in His sight. And this is His commandment: that we should believe on the name of His Son Jesus Christ and love one another, as He gave us commandment. Now he who keeps His commandments abides in Him, and He in him. And by this we know that He abides in us, by the Spirit whom He has given us."
The last blog was verses 10-15, which was the love of the brethren. Now though, John shows us what true love is, by giving the perfect example of Jesus (John 10:11). This is the mark to which John wishes for all Christians to strive for, though unattainable for us to show this kind of love that Chrsit did, we are to follow the example. And so he says, "we also ought to lay down our lives for the brethren." In John's gospel Jesus says, "Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends"(John 15:13).
But our love for one another may not always require us to make such a costly sacrifice, "But whoever has this world's goods, and sees his brother in need, and shuts up his heart from him, how does the love of God abide in him?"(v.17). What is required is decision and action as well. As he says in verse 18, "let us not love in word or in tounge, but in deed and in truth." This as well is true for a Christian who professes love for God, but does that "Christian" show it in deed and in truth?
Continuing in verse 19, "by this," meaning by the love of the brethren that he has been speaking of "we know that we are of the truth..." Though keep in mind this is not the foundation on which our salvation rests, it is not as sure as the adoption which is sealed on our hearts by the Spirit (Romans 8:16). The apostle further explains: "by this" we also "assure our hearts before Him." A genuine assurance before God we cannot have unless His Spirit produces in us the fruit of love towards our brothers and sisters.
Verse 20, "If our heart codemns us..." Those who profess Christianity do it in vain if they do not have the testimony of a good conscience, and if their "heart codemns" them when love of the brethren is brought to their attention. "God is greater than our heart, and knows all things," (Speaking of judgment) how much more will God, who searches deeper and more severely, codemn those whose "heart codemns" them (1 Cor. 4:4-5, Proverb 16:2).
On the other hand, "if our heart does not codemn us, we have confidence toward God." As we know that no heart will be pure before God, but if we bring before Him a testimony of a heart conscious of what is right and honest, "we have confidence toward God" (Eph 3:12).
In verse 22, "whatever we ask we receive from Him..." Now there are of course some out there that will use this verse and others (John 14:13-14) to say, "pray for anything and you'll get whatever your [fleshly] heart desires." Do note though that it says later in this same epistle, "Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us" (1 John 5:14-15 emphasis added). Also to finish off the rest of the verse it continues to say, "because we keep His commandments and do those things that are pleasing in His sight." This is for those who rightly worship and fear the Lord that will be heard in their prayers, the prayers of the ungodly and reprobate are not heard by God.
Then John gives what the commandment is, "that we should believe on the name of His Son Jesus Christ and love one another, as He gave us commandment."
And lastly verse 24, is a reoccuring theme throughout (1 John 2:3-6), for the sake of not making this blog much longer, I will leave you to either check out my blog on that or get a good commentary on it.
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1 comment:
"good commentary" meaning... John of Geneva's? :)
I like that statement near the end of asking according to God's will. James also says (Jam 4:3) that when we ask and don't receive, it's because we ask wrongly that we might spend it on our own passions or desires.
It's also a good thing to have a clean conscience, but it's also true that sometimes our conscience can deceive us. That's why , for example, we are called to examine ourselves to see whether or not we are in the faith (2Co 13:5).
Thanks!
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