1 John 3:22 - Forerunner Commentary

1 John 3:22

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Articles, Bible studies, and sermons that contain The First Epistle of John 3:22:

I John 3:20-22
Excerpted from: Love and Fellowship

We need something that we can bounce off, or measure ourselves against, judge ourselves against, and that is what he is answering here. How can we have assurance here and now? How do we know that we belong to the truth? How can we best deal with our own heart—which is condemning us and bringing us into despair, bringing us into discouragement, and doubt, and fear, and anxiety?

Regardless of the source—whether it is confusion, or whatever—there is something that we have to understand here. That is, we are dealing with a feeling, an emotion, and we must not allow our emotions to destroy our confidence! Man has a multifaceted personality, but we must understand that, of our personality, our emotions are the least stable—least reliable—parts of human personality because they are educated by our experiences and are almost completely subjective.

That is what John is talking about here. There is something that is a good measurement, or standard, against which we can measure whether or not we are in the truth; but it cannot be our feelings. Some people get a sense of well-being, even enjoyment, out of killing, robbing, fornicating, or committing adultery, while, at the same time, something good and wholesome fills them with boredom because it is not "exciting."

We are dealing with two things here. One is, what is it that tends to produce a right sense of confidence and well being? Number two is, what is it that enables us to be confident as to whether we are "in the truth," whenever our heart condemns us? The combination is interesting because we can be doing the right things and still our heart will condemn us. From time to time, it will overpower us spiritually, making us feel guilty and despairing.

It is not how we feel, but whether or not we are loving.

So, love is not a feeling. Love is an action. Let us get that down, so that it is firmly implanted in our minds. Love is obedience to God. It is that simple. It is an action.

Whether the love is towards God or man, it does not rest on feelings but on practical acts—deeds. So, the first test, then, is not something that is dealt with abstractly. That is, it is not a thing of the mind, but it is good, solid evidence against which we can measure ourselves. Are we keeping the commands of God? We can say, "Yes, I keep this one. I keep this one. I keep this one. I keep this one, and that one, and that one, and so forth. I've done this. I've done that." That is love. You see, we can measure ourselves against something, because God gives us accurate descriptions of exactly what love is.

And so we come to this and we are discouraged, and here is God's checklist. The first one on it we can be assured by, because, yes, we are keeping the commandments regardless of the way I feel. I am still doing it.

Articles
Ask, Seek, Knock
Is the Christian Required To Do Works? (Part Four)
Reasoning With God
Religious Confusion and You
The Offerings of Leviticus (Part Four): The Peace Offering

Bible Studies
Basic Doctrines: Faith Toward God
Parable of the Persistent Friend

Essays
Another Look at the Prosperity Gospel
Sick and Tired
Where Is My Rolls Royce? (Part One)

Sermons
Offerings (Part Six)
Hands That Hang Low
Unity and Unleavened Bread
Unity
In Whom Do You Place Your Confidence?
Offerings (Part Five)
Whatever We Ask
Principled Living (Part 4): Giving of Ourselves
Love and Fellowship
Faith Over Fear
Learning to Live in the Light
Offerings (Part Four)
Hands That Hang Low
Whatever We Ask
Man's Greatest Challenge (Part 2)
John (Part 23)
Acts (Part Twenty-Three)
Prayer Makes a Difference
These Things We Know
The Christian and the World (Part Six)
The Covenants, Grace, and Law (Part 9)

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