1 John 3:21

Beloved, if our heart condemn us not, then have we confidence toward God.

EXPOSITORY (ENGLISH BIBLE)

Benson Commentary

1 John 3:21-22. Beloved, if our heart condemn us not — If our conscience, duly enlightened by the word and Spirit of God, and comparing all our thoughts, words, and works with that word, pronounce that they agree therewith; then have we confidence toward God — Our consciousness of his favour continues, with liberty of access to him, and intercourse with him; and we have this further blessing, that whatsoever we ask — According to his will; we receive of him — Or shall receive in the time, measure, and manner which he knows will be most for his glory and for our good. This general declaration must be limited by the conditions which in other passages of Scripture are represented as necessary in order to our petitions being granted by God: such as, that we ask things which his word authorizes us to ask, 1 John 5:14-15; and that we ask them in faith, James 1:6; or in a full persuasion of, and reliance upon, his wisdom, power, and goodness; and with sincerity and resignation. Such prayers they who live in his fear and love, and comply with his will, as far as they know it, walking before him in holiness and righteousness, may expect will be heard and answered.

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary

3:16-21 Here is the condescension, the miracle, the mystery of Divine love, that God would redeem the church with his own blood. Surely we should love those whom God has loved, and so loved. The Holy Spirit, grieved at selfishness, will leave the selfish heart without comfort, and full of darkness and terror. By what can it be known that a man has a true sense of the love of Christ for perishing sinners, or that the love of God has been planted in his heart by the Holy Spirit, if the love of the world and its good overcomes the feelings of compassion to a perishing brother? Every instance of this selfishness must weaken the evidences of a man's conversion; when habitual and allowed, it must decide against him. If conscience condemn us in known sin, or the neglect of known duty, God does so too. Let conscience therefore be well-informed, be heard, and diligently attended to.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Beloved, if our heart condemn us not - If we so live as to have an approving conscience - that is, if we indulge in no secret sin; if we discharge faithfully every known duty; if we submit without complaining to all the allotments of Divine Providence.

Then have we confidence toward God - Compare the 1 John 3:19; 1 John 2:28 notes; Acts 24:16 note. The apostle evidently does not mean that we have confidence toward God on the ground of what we do, as if it were meritorious, or as if it constituted a claim to his favor; but that we may so live as to have evidence of personal piety, and that we may look forward with a confident hope that we shall be accepted of him in the great day. The word here rendered "confidence" - παῤῥησίαν parrēsian - means properly "boldness;" usually boldness or openness in speaking our sentiments. See the notes at 1 John 2:28. The confidence or boldness which we have toward our Maker is founded solely on the evidence that he will graciously accept us as pardoned sinners; not in the belief that we deserve his favor.

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

21. Beloved—There is no "But" contrasting the two cases, 1Jo 3:20, 21, because "Beloved" sufficiently marks the transition to the case of the brethren walking in the full confidence of love (1Jo 3:18). The two results of our being able to "assure our hearts before Him" (1Jo 3:19), and of "our heart condemning us not" (of insincerity as to the truth in general, and as to LOVE in particular) are, (1) confidence toward God; (2) a sure answer to our prayers. John does not mean that all whose hearts do not condemn them, are therefore safe before God; for some have their conscience seared, others are ignorant of the truth, and it is not only sincerity, but sincerity in the truth which can save men. Christians are those meant here: knowing Christ's precepts and testing themselves by them.

Matthew Poole's Commentary

But for their not condemning us, though the expression be merely negative, it must imply somewhat positive; for there are many whose hearts condemn them not, through ignorance of their rule, or oscitancy, self-indulgence, or neglect of themselves. But if after thorough search, with sincerity in the sight of God, our hearts do not condemn, but acquit us, as upright towards him, not willing to allow ourselves in any ill temper or practice, (such as, for instance, this of not loving, or neglecting, our brother),

then we have confidence (liberty of speech the word literally signifies, which well suits with what follows)

toward God; we have nothing to hinder or lie as a bar against us in our recourse to him.

Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible

Beloved, if our heart condemn us not,.... Which must be understood, not of a stupidity of mind, as is in unregenerate men, who have no sense of sin, no sorrow for it, or remorse of conscience on account of it; or as is in them who are past feeling; having their consciences seared as with a red hot iron; such cannot be entitled to the advantages that follow; nor is it of persons the apostle speaks, but of himself, and Christians, the beloved of the Lord, and one another, who had an experience of the grace of God upon their souls, and made a profession of religion: nor does it design such a purity of heart and life in believers, as that their hearts do not smite, reproach, and condemn them for sin at any time, for such a state of perfection is not to be attained to and expected in this life; but rather a conscience purged by the blood of Christ, or an heart sprinkled from an evil conscience by that blood, which speaks peace and pardon, so that there is no more conscience of sin, for the removal of which that is applied; and this gives boldness and confidence at the throne of grace: though it is best of all to confine it to the case of brotherly love; for the sense is not, if our heart condemn us not of anything but of the want of brotherly love, or insincerity in it,

then have we confidence towards God; or with him, at the throne of his grace: such can draw nigh to him, and stand before him with an holy and humble confidence, when such as hate the brethren, as Cain did, in whom the apostle instances, and those that go in his way, cannot; whose heart condemned him, his conscience smote him, and he went from the presence of the Lord; but those that love the brethren have confidence of their relation to God; by this they know their regeneration, and by that their adoption, and so that they are the children of God; and can therefore draw nigh to God as their Father, and call him so; they can come with an holy boldness and intrepidity of mind before him, and use a "freedom of speech", with him; can tell him all their mind, pour out their souls unto him, and lay before him their case and wants; they have confidence of his power, faithfulness, and willingness to supply their need, and fulfil all his promises to them, and that their prayers will be heard, answered, and regarded by him in his own time.

Geneva Study Bible

{21} Beloved, if our heart condemn us not, then have we confidence toward God.

(21) A third effect also rises from the former, that in these miseries we are sure to be heard, because we are the sons of God: as we understand by the grace of sanctification which is only for the elect.

EXEGETICAL (ORIGINAL LANGUAGES)

Meyer's NT Commentary

1 John 3:21. In this verse the apostle states the case of our heart not accusing (or condemning) us. We can understand it thus, that what he previously observed has happened, namely, that in the consciousness that we are of the truth, we have induced our heart to refrain from its accusation against us. Then this thought does not stand to the preceding one in the relation of antithesis (as if in this verse a different case was contrasted with the case stated in 1 John 3:20), but in that of continuation;[247] but it is more correct to suppose that the apostle is here speaking of a relationship which is different from that indicated in 1 John 3:20, and that he is not regarding the question whether the non-condemnation has never taken place at all, or has been only brought about by persuasion. That two sentences may stand to one another in the relation of antithesis even without the antithetical particle, is proved by chap. 1 John 1:8-9.

παῤῥησίαν ἔχομεν πρὸς τὸν Θεόν] states what occurs when the case exists which is mentioned by ἐάν; it is erroneous to explain παῤῥησίαν ἔχομεν = πείσομεν τὰς καρδίας ἡμῶν; the same expression in chap. 1 John 2:28 and 1 John 4:17, and construed with πρός, chap. 1 John 5:14; the same construction in Romans 5:1 : εἰρήνην ἔχ. πρὸς τὸν Θεόν. As the calming of the heart, so also confidence toward God, which is the subject here, is based on the fact that God is greater than our heart, and knows all things.

[247] The objection of Ebrard to this interpretation, that ἐάν cannot serve the purpose of introducing a deduction from a premiss which is presupposed as already having actually occurred, is inappropriate, for ἐάν is not in this view at all taken as “if, then, therefore,” but is retained in its own proper meaning. Contrary to Braune’s opinion, that with this interpretation not μή, but μηκέτι would have to be used, it is to be observed that it was not necessary to bring out the element which is contained in μηκέτι.

Expositor's Greek Testament

1 John 3:21-22. παρρησίαν, see note on 1 John 2:28. ὃ ἐὰν αἰτῶμεν λαμβάνομεν, though not always in the form we expect or desire; the answer may be different from but it is always better than our prayer. St. Augustine draws a distinction between the hearing of prayer “ad salutem” and “ad voluntatem,” comparing the experience of St. Paul (2 Corinthians 12:7-9): “Rogasti, clamasti, terclamasti: ipsum semel quod clamasti audivi, non averti aures meas a te; novi quid faciam; tu vis auferri medicamentum quo ureris; ego novi infirmitatem qua gravaris. Ergo iste ad salutem exauditus est, ad voluntatem non est exauditus.… Tu morbum confitearis, ille medicamentum adhibeat.” Cf. Juan de Avila: “Go to prayer rather to hearken than to speak. Bend humbly and lovingly before God, expecting.” τηροῦμεν, see note on 1 John 2:3.

Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

21. Beloved] See on 1 John 3:2.

if our heart condemn us not] An argument à fortiori: if before God we can persuade conscience to acquit us, when it upbraids us, much more may we have assurance before Him, when it does not do so. It is not quite evident whether ‘condemn us not’ means ‘ceases to condemn us’, because we have persuaded it, or ‘does not condemn us from the first’, because it has had no misgivings about us. Either makes good sense. The same word for ‘condemn’ occurs Galatians 2:11 of S. Peter’s dissimulation at Antioch: ‘I resisted him to the face, because he stood condemned’, and in Sir 14:2, ‘Blessed is he whose conscience hath not condemned him’ (οὐ κατέγνω).

then have we confidence towards God] ‘Then’, which is not in the Greek, may be omitted; we have boldness (see on 1 John 2:28) toward God (1 John 5:14). We approach to Him as children to a Father and not as criminals to a Judge. This is not the same as ‘persuading our heart’ (1 John 3:19), but may be the result of it. Compare ‘to have peace toward God’ (Romans 5:1), i.e. in our relations to Him: both A. V. and R. V. render ‘have peace with God’, but the Greek is the same as here (πρὸς τὸν Θεόν).

Bengel's Gnomen

1 John 3:21. Μὴ καταγινώσκῃ, does not condemn) either as never injured, or as again appeased.—παῤῥησίαν, confidence) in asking. This is repeated, ch. 1 John 5:14-15. This confidence far excels that tranquility which is expressed by the verb πείσομεν, we shall tranquilize.

Pulpit Commentary

Verse 21. - Beloved (1 John 2:7; 1 John 3:2), there is a still more blessed possibility. If the consciousness of genuine love will sustain us before God when our heart reproaches us, much more may we have confidence towards him (1 John 2:28) when it does not reproach us. 1 John 3:21

Vincent's Word Studies

Beloved

The affectionate address is suggested by the preceding thought of tormenting self-accusation.

Confidence (παῤῥησίαν)

Rev., boldness. See on 1 John 2:28.