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I. "HEREBY SHALL WE KNOW THAT WE ARE OF THE TRUTH," There is no gainsaying the logic of this whole passage. The children of God, by a spiritual necessity, "do justly, and love mercy."

II. AND HOW MUCH THAT IS NOT GLORIOUS REMAINS IN EVERY LIFE! Oh, the iniquity of our holy things! Remove the smooth blue stone that lies in the sun with the glass blades waving round it — so clean and smooth and quiet it looks — remove it and you see creeping things innumerable — things that hate the light, that love dampness and darkness. And so in life. Beneath the surface honesty, how much dishonesty do we find! Beneath the surface truthfulness — the court of justice veracity — how much untruth — what falsity — what shams. What lies we tell ourselves — what false testimonials we give ourselves! Beneath the surface purity of life, what uncleanliness of thought, desire, imagination! Beneath the surface love, what self-love, what meannesses. Beneath our best deeds, what a mixture of motives that will not bear the light — hideous things that love darkness and dirt!

III. WHAT APPEAL LIES FROM THE VERDICT OF CONSCIENCE? What answer can there be to these self-accusations? What can we say to our own heart? "Hereby shall we know that we are of the truth, and shall assure" — shall persuade, pacify, silence — "our heart before Him whereinsoever our heart shall condemn us." "We are of the truth." The imperfections are manifold. The inconsistencies are glaring, and yet the endeavour to love proves that the holy place is not empty yet. Travellers tell us that the mirage in the desert is so like a lake of water, that not until they actually enter it can the deception be discovered. But if a stream of water never so small were seen entering the lake, or a rill flowing out of it, they would know at once that what lay before them in the distance was real — was fact, and not phantom. Well, if a stream that makes for righteousness is flowing into your life, cleansing and sweetening and fertilising your thoughts, aims, and affections, and if another stream of kindness is flowing out of your lives to others, fertilising and gladdening hearts else fruitless and joyless, then you may be certain that your religion is not a make believe, not a piece of self-deception, but a reality. You are of the truth. God is there.

IV. "GOD IS GREATER THAN OUR HEART." The heart means the whole inner moral life — the conscience. That is the greatest thing in each of us — that which, without being consulted, magisterially approves and condemns. But "God is greater than our heart." The heart condemns sin. God condemns sin and forgives the sinner. God is greater! Conscience sees the flaws in our life. God sees them too, and mends them. God is greater! Conscience is the iron pen that writes down without pity all that has been in man's life. God is love, and blots out the handwriting that was against us. "God is greater than our heart." This is the true heartsease — the flower whose fragrance soothes the restless soul — faith in the love of God. "Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God. Believe also in Me."

V. "BELOVED, IF OUR HEART CONDEMN US NOT" — And there are blessed moods when the heart lies hushed and silent before God — when conscience lays its sceptre and crown at the feet of Christ, and all that is within us stands up to bless the Lord, who forgiveth all our iniquities. Now in these blessed hours we "have boldness toward God, and whatsoever we ask we receive of Him, because we keep His commandments, and do the things that are pleasing in His sight." We know at such times that we are one with God. We love what He loves. We hate what He hates. His commandments are our law. And we pray to Him freely, confidently, unhesitatingly, speaking to Him as to One of whose sympathy we feel sure.

(J. M. Gibbon.)

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KJV: And hereby we know that we are of the truth, and shall assure our hearts before him.

WEB: And by this we know that we are of the truth, and persuade our hearts before him,