1 John 3:18-24
18 “Little children, let’s not love with word or with tongue, but in deed and truth. 19 We will know by this that we are of the truth, and will set our heart at ease before Him, 20 that if our heart condemns us, that God is greater than our heart, and He knows all things. 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 the things that are pleasing in His sight.” 23 This is His commandment, that we believe in the name of His Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, just as He commanded us. 24 The one who keeps His commandments remains in Him, and He in him. We know by this that He remains in us, by the Spirit whom He has given us.”
Deed and truth: Love is to be tangible. Love is not simply words but actions. This loving action assures our heart that we are God’s children and are in Christ. When we see love coming from us, we can know that we have passed from death to life. Our hearts, or consciences, can condemn us even if God does not condemn us. This is why John affirms that God is greater than our hearts. His realities transcend any negative emotion or flavor of shame that we experience.
Whatever we ask, we receive from Him: This is not naming and claiming certain things in life. God is answering our prayers based on His New Covenant commands: believe in Jesus and love one another (1 John 3:23). He wants us to believe more fully and to love for relentlessly. He will always help us to grow and mature in our faith in these ways. This is God’s will for us in Christ.
The one who keeps His commandments…by the Spirit: If we have believed in Christ, we are one with the Holy Spirit. He has poured His love into our hearts (see Romans 5:5) and has therefore made us to keep His commandments perpetually within our new natures.
