Your Heart & His Commandment 1 John 3:19-24

Introduction

John wrote 1 John to give assurance to Christians

Ther were some who said you couldn’t know, others who said you know thru thm

J wantd Christians to kno, have assurance, have confidence, knowledge sln doubt

Today in 1J 3:19-24 J writes to give Christians assurance they belong/follow the truth

In any age there are many voices claiming to speak for ‘the truth’

How do we know we blng/ff the truth? How do we know weblng/ff the truth???

John writes to give assurance Christians belong/follow the truth

Background

Connection of ‘truth’ in v 19 is with 18 – Christian love is in deeds and truth, practical sd

Note 19 and 24 the phrase ‘by this we know’, not ID in Greek, tense diff future/present

19a could be looking back i.e. love in deed and truth, but here look forward better

…You Follow/Belong To The Truth…

  1. You Know … By Your Heart 20-21
  1. 19-21, 4X’s ‘our heart’, this is a subjective look, a look inside, heart = conscience
  2. Your heart may condemn you 20

Condemn – kataginosko, lit against knowing or condemn

Your heart says no you do not know the truth, conscience says no

God is greater than your conscience and knows all things – The source of your heart condemning you is God, He is > your hrt

A condemning heart may tell U that ‘no’ you do not follow/belong to the truth

  1. Your heart may not condemn you i.e. give you confidence 21

Your heart does not condemn you, you have confidence before God

You do not have any guilt, doubt in your conscience

The result is confidence or assurance before God cf 2:28

A non-condemning heart may give you assurance, somewhat subjective

  1. You Know … By Your Keeping His Commandment 22-24
  1. 22-24 4X’s His commandments, this is an objective look, concrete, definite
  2. Keeping His commandments 22

Key to answered prayer – what we ask, we receive from Him

Answered prayer: accord to His will 1J5:14/J15:7; obedience; pray in JS name; clean from sin J5:16, Is 59:1,2; forgive others Mt21:22, Ja1:5-7

Because we keep His commandments and do those things that please in His sight

J14:15, 15:14

Please God: Ro88 spiritually, Ga110favor God over man E66 do will fm hrt

Ga110 walk worthy of, Hb 116 faith, Hb13:16 do good/sharing

  1. Keeping His commandment 23

Note here it is singular ‘commandment – the one with two sides,toward God..man

This is His commandmnt that we blv on nam of His Son JS, Ac16:30,31 J9:35-38

AND love one another as He gave us commandment J13:34,35; 15:12,17

1J2:7,8!!!

  1. Keeping His commandments 24

He who keeps His commandments abides in Him and He in him

Keeping His commandments the means to abide in Him but also He in us

J15, J17, J14:23

By this we know He abides in us by the Spirit He has given us

Belong/follow/of the truth, recall HS referred to as Spirit of truth J16:13

Assurance He abides in us by the Holy Spirit He has given us 4:1-6

JS sent the Holy Spirit, Disciples received the Holy Spirit –

J14:16,17; 16:7; Acts 2; 1Co12:13 Ro 8:9,16