The book of First John

A Verse by Verse Study
Text 1st John 3:20 - 22

 

A. Introduction

     1. Last week we saw in V. 16 “Hereby perceive we the love of God, because he laid down his life for us: and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren.”

          a. That our love for our brethren should be so that we should be willing to die for them.

          b. This is great love, however no greater than Christ’s love for us.

     2. V. 17 “But whoso hath this world's good, and seeth his brother have need, and shutteth up his bowels of compassion from him, how dwelleth the love of God in him?”

          a. How dare we watch our brethren do without while we enjoy the fruit of the grace of God.

          b. The Lord gives us opportunity to help other, do we help? Galatians 6:10 “As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men, especially unto them who are of the household of faith.”

     3.  V. 18 “My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth.”

          a. This is not to be in word or in tongue, but rather in deed and in truth.

          b. This reminds us of James 2:14 “What doth it profit, my brethren, though a man say he hath faith, and have not works? can faith save him?”

     4. V. 19 “And hereby we know that we are of the truth, and shall assure our hearts before him.”

          a. That we are to do it not for show but rather because of our hearts.

 

B. V. 20 “For if our heart condemn us, God is greater than our heart, and knoweth all things.”

     1. “For if our heart condemn us,” This deals with hypocrisy.

          a. An outward deed does not always show a clear picture, however the heart knows the truth. Was it done for show or for the Lord?

          b. Our heart will condemn us when we do something for the wrong reason.

          c. Romans 2:15 “Which shew the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and their thoughts the mean while accusing or else excusing one another;)”

     2. “God is greater than our heart,”

          a. You think your heart condemns you wait until God does. God “knoweth all things” and He knows whether we done something out of love or for self satisfaction.

          b. The Lord knows the heart and what is real and not real. He knows the sins of our hearts.

 

C. V. 21 “Beloved, if our heart condemn us not, then have we confidence toward God.”

     1. Clear your heart, do it because you love the Lord and your brethren.

     2. This by no means is telling us just because we have a clear heart that God is ok with it, there is such a thing as a seared or hardened heart. 

     3. There are also those who are ignorant of the truth.

     4. Here in V. 21 the Lord is saying if we have done this deed for the right and true reason, then our hearts will not condemn us.

     5. John goes on “then have we confidence toward God.” That is we have a pure heart as we stand before the Lord. Confidence means boldness stand before the Lord with a proud heart.

     6. Job 27:6 “My righteousness I hold fast, and will not let it go: my heart shall not reproach me so long as I live.”

     7. Psalms 101:2 “I will behave myself wisely in a perfect way. O when wilt thou come unto me? I will walk within my house with a perfect heart.”

      8. Hebrews 10:22 “Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water.”

 

D. V. 22 “And whatsoever we ask, we receive of him, because we keep his commandments, and do those things that are pleasing in his sight.”

     1. This is the reward of the Lord for doing a good deed for the right reason.

     2. This deals with prayer; however this will be covered again in Chapter 5.

          a. This is the promise of the Lord,  Mark 11:24 “Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them.”

          b. However, we must ask for the right reason. James 4:3 “Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts.”

          c. And we must ask according to God’s will.  1 John 5:14 “And this is the confidence that we have in him that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us:”

          d. However, if these stipulations are followed and if we are faithful to the Lord, He is more than happy to grant us our request.

     3.  “V. 22 “because we keep his commandments, and do those things that are pleasing in his sight.”

          a. Psalms 145:18-19 “The LORD is nigh unto all them that call upon him, to all that call upon him in truth. (19) He will fulfil the desire of them that fear him: he also will hear their cry, and will save them.”

          b. Proverbs 15:29 “The LORD is far from the wicked: but he heareth the prayer of the righteous.”

          c. There must also be faith in the prayer. Mark 11:24 “Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them.”