3 We proclaim to you what we have seen … is a swifter witness than conscience, and a superior Judge unto 3 … Our heart refers to our mind with its various attributes. (2) God knows everything, and He sometimes gives us credit for our good intentions. 20.If our heart condemn us—As not loving our brother in deed and in active benefaction to his needs. 1 John 3:19-20 New International Version (NIV). Because of His love, God not only calls us His children, He actually makes us His children. John states (1:1) that he is writing “concerning the Word of Life,” and then adds (1:2), “and the life was manifested, and we have seen and testify and proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and was manifested to us.” In verse 1, the emphasis is on the humanity of Jesus Christ as He came in the flesh. All who have … In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.. John 1:1 opens the larger section sometimes described as the "Prologue to John" (John 1:1–18) which deals … First, what John is about to say, in verse 20, will help a believer know he or … It is certain that the reprobate are sometimes sunk by Satan into such stupor, that they are no longer conscious of their own evils, and. Our faith is not to be blind and unthinking but based on truth. In verse 2, John’s focus shifts to Jesus … Of want of love to the brethren, and of hypocrisy in it, as well 1 a That which was b from the beginning, c which we have heard, d which we have seen with our eyes, e which we looked upon and f have touched with our hands, concerning the word of life— 2 g the life h was made manifest, and we have seen it, and i testify to it and proclaim to you the eternal life, a which was with the Father and h was made manifest to … The problems in the churches were caused by false teachers who had left the church (2:19). But here a question may be raised. But Alford objects, Thus hoti is translated 'because' in the beginning, and '(we know) that' in the middle of the verse. The first “because” thus applies to the two alternate cases, 1 Jn 3:20, 21 (giving the ground of saying, that having love we shall gain over, or assure our minds before Him, 1 Jn 3:19); the second “because” applies to the first alternate alone, namely, “if our heart condemn us.” When he reaches the second alternate, 1 Jn 3:21, he states it independently of the former “because” which had connected it with 1 Jn 3:19, … The … law, or their own hearts condemn them, there is no condemnation The Study of John 1, 2 & 3 Page 2 And history reveals that it was well underway by the last half of the 2nd century. The answer to these things is not difficult; hypocrites are deceived because they shun the light; and the reprobate feel nothing, because they have departed from God; and, indeed there is no security for an evil conscience but in hiding-places. satisfaction for sin, and brought in an everlasting hence, if the condemnation of men's hearts and consciences be so Peter's conscience, though condemning him of his denial of the Lord, assured him of His love; but fearing the possibility, owing to his fall, of deceiving himself, he appeals to the all-knowing God (John 21:17): so Paul, 1 Corinthians 4:3-4). 1 John 3:19, CSB: "This is how we will know that we belong to the truth and will reassure our hearts before him" What does 1 John 3:19 mean? False Prophets and Teachers. 1 John 3:20. For if our heart condemn us Of want of love to the brethren, and of hypocrisy in it, as well as of any other sin; for the conscience, which is meant by the heart here, is accuser, witness and judge; it accuses of the evil of sin, and is as good as a thousand witnesses; and upon its own testimony pronounces guilty, and condemns. , and no guilt can escape his inspection. So, if our heart condemn us of sin in general, yet if we have the one sign of sonship, love, we may still assure our hearts, knowing that God is greater than our heart, and knoweth all things. This gaining over of the heart to peace is not so advanced experience as having CONFIDENCE toward God, which flows from a heart condemning us not. Our application of faith in light of this verse … For this reason, Paul says, that though he was not conscious of wrong himself, yet he was not therefore justified, (1 Corinthians 4:4;) for he knew that however carefully attentive he was to his office, he erred in many things, and through inadvertence was ignorant of mistakes which God perceived. But we know that when Christ appears, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is. We truly care about what God thinks of us because we know more than most about Him. But the former sense seems best to agree These false teachers were haughty and unloving. 1 John 3:18. The meaning is now clear, that since the knowledge of God penetrates deeper than the perceptions of our conscience, no one can stand before him except the integrity of his conscience sustains him. They denied the Incarnation … he knows them more perfectly, he judges of them more exactly, and it. 1 That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked at and our hands have touched —this we proclaim concerning the Word of life. While 1 John appear to be a general letter addressed to congregations scattered throughout Asia Minor, and 2 John was sent to a lady and her family (2 John 1), in 3 John, the apostle clearly names the sole recipient as “the beloved Gaius” (verse 1). living God! he pleases; and he is the searcher and trier of it; and besides, rendering it, "how much greater is God than our hearts?" Jesus teaches in our text verse from John 3:20 that unsaved people who love their sins WON'T come to the light to be saved. Just as I have loved you, you also should love one another” (John 13:34). We know that we are … “Our heart condemns us because of our acts of sin (see note on 1 John 2:1), and we ask in fear, ‘Am I loving as I ought to do?? He says, that God is greater than our heart, with reference to judgment, that is, because he sees much more keenly than we do, and searches more minutely and judges more severely. 1 John 3:15 Parallel Verses [⇓ See commentary ⇓] 1 John 3:15, NIV: "Anyone who hates a brother or sister is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life residing in him." 1 John 3:1-24. See, John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible, Robertson's Word Pictures in the New Testament, Greek Testament Critical Exegetical Commentary, Expository Notes with Practical Observations on the New Testament, Johann Albrecht Bengel's Gnomon of the New Testament, Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible, Alexander MacLaren's Expositions of Holy Scripture, Justin Edwards' Family Bible New Testament, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible - Unabridged, E.M. Zerr's Commentary on Selected Books of the New Testament. Copyright © 2021, Bible Study Tools. and in active benefaction to his needs. of any avail unto them. 1 John is extensively cited by Tertullian, who died in 215, and Clement of Alexandria, in addition to quoting 1 John, wrote a commentary on 2 John in his Adumbrationes. Commentary on 1 John 3:11-15 (Read 1 John 3:11-15) We should love the Lord Jesus, value his love, and therefore love all our brethren in Christ. without alarm or fear, as Paul says, rush headlong into perdition; it is also certain, that hypocrites usually flatter themselves, and proudly disregard the judgment of God, for, being inebriated by a false conceit as to their own righteousness, they feel no convictions of sin. If ourheart condemns us. 21 Beloved, if our hearts do not condemn us, we have confidence before God; 22 and we receive from him whatever we ask, because we keep his commandments and do what … This love is the special fruit of our faith, and a certain sign of our being born again. See 1 Kings 8:18-19. 20.For if our heart condemn us He proves, on the other hand, that they in vain possess the name and appearance of Christians, who have not the testimony of a good conscience. John has already told us in 1 John 1:8 If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. Underlying the action of men towards Christ during His historical manifestation was a general law: a law which operates wherever men are similarly invited to walk in the light. testimony pronounces guilty, and condemns. On that day the prophetic feast of centuries was fulfilled. 20. The principle is explained in this verse. The condemning testimony of conscience is not alone, but is the echo of the voice of Him who is greater, and knoweth all things. In John the word ajpovllumi seems to mean either (1) to be lost (2) to perish or be destroyed, depending on the context. J. W. Roberts thinks this is so. John 1:1 is the first verse in the opening chapter of the Gospel of John.In the Douay–Rheims, King James, Revised Standard, New International, and other versions of the Bible, the verse reads: . for whenever our heart condemns us, God is greater than our heart, and he knows everything. It is best to make this part of the same thought as 1 John 3:19. Bengel takes this as consoling the believer whom his heart condemns; who therefore, like Peter, appeals from Bengel takes this as consoling the believer whom his heart condemns; who therefore, like Peter, appeals from conscience to Him who is greater than conscience, "Lord, thou knowest all things: thou knowest that I love thee." 2 And many will follow their sensuality, and because of them the way of truth q will be blasphemed. Salem Media Group. But none who rightly know the heart of man, can wonder at the contempt and enmity of ungodly people against the children of God. If our own knowledge of neglect causes us to feel condemned, we may be sure that God will condemn us also because He knows our hearts. Barnes's 1-john 3:20 Bible Commentary For if our heart condemn us - We cannot hope for peace from any expectation that our own hearts will never accuse us, or that we ourselves can approve of all that we have done. of sin, and is as good as a thousand witnesses; and upon its own For if our heart condemn us very great, as sometimes to be intolerable and insupportable, Compare Peter"s answer, John 21:17. True love proves itself by deed. It is a paradox that only as we do see that Jesus paid it all (Romans 8:1-4and notes) will we be set free to make our lives a living sacrifice in praise to God!! John 3:20. Watch our overview video on the letters of John, which breaks down the literary design of the books and their flow of thought. God? 1 John 3:19-24. 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