Title: Rebuke and Boldness
(Lecture 34) 1 John 3:19-23 Reproof and boldness
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By this we will know that we belong to the truth, and we will strengthen our hearts before the Lord. If our hearts have anything against us, how much more is it a God who is greater than our hearts and knows all things? Beloved, if our hearts condemn us, If we do not have it, we have confidence before God, and we receive from him whatever we ask for, because we keep his commandments and do the things that are pleasing to him. (1 John 3:19-23)
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The text begins with the words, “By this we will know that we are of the truth, and will strengthen our hearts before the Lord” (verse 19). That is, we know that we belong to the truth by loving in deeds and truth. Therefore, loving in deeds and truth is evidence that can be seen only by those who belong to the truth. In other words, you cannot see it in the world. For this reason, I said that love should not be understood on a worldly level, nor should it be understood as a feeling of liking someone.
However, the content of verse 19 does not simply emphasize that we should love in deeds and in truth. In other words, doing the act of love is not the main focus. The reason is that the content that appears from verse 20 is saying something different. If we emphasize the works of love, in fact, the content from verse 20 can be said to be unnecessary. Because verse 19 is enough. However, from verse 20 we are talking about our heart rebuking us, and verse 22 is suddenly talking about prayer. When you see this, you are saying something different.
Verse 22 says, “Whatever we ask, we receive from him, because we keep his commandments and do the things that are pleasing in his sight.” When we keep God's commandments and understand what pleases God with love, we can think of it as meaning that those who do love will receive answers to whatever they ask, but it is only a fragmentary thought bound to the text.
In order to understand verse 22, we need to understand verses 20-21, “If our hearts have anything against us, how much more is it a God who is greater than our hearts and knows all things? ” (verses 20-21) must be understood.
People know how to rebuke themselves. There is probably no one who hasn't been rebuked by the question, 'Should I do this?' This is the meaning of the phrase “if our hearts have anything against us”. But, he asks, “How much more is it that God is greater than our hearts and knows all things?”
A man knows how to reprove himself, but he does not know everything about himself. In other words, even if you admit you are a sinner, the depth of sin you feel and admit to yourself is too shallow. Do you know the depth of your sins? Do you know all sins? Even if they confess that they are sinners, don't most of them end up with some kind of cosmetic statement that they live greedy for the world and cannot live by faith? Because they do not know the depth of their sins.
But God is bigger than our hearts and knows everything about us. In other words, God perfectly knows the depth of my sin that I do not know. Therefore, the words of verse 19 are that even though we do not know the depth of our sins, we have no choice but to rebuke ourselves. How much more great would that rebuke be if God knew the depth of our sins perfectly.
But in verse 21, another word appears. How are we to understand this saying, “Beloved, if our hearts are blameless”? It is human beings who have no choice but to reprove themselves, and this is what we say, 'If our heart has nothing to reproach'. This verse does not mean ‘unless you do anything that is reproachable’. In that case, the text becomes a strange and contradictory meaning that God hears prayers if humans who cannot help but do reproach do not do the things that are reproachable.
God knows all our sins. But Christ was sent for us. I have no choice but to reprove myself, so how can we be seen in the eyes of God who knows all that is hidden in me? Wouldn't it be seen as a natural thing that there is no possibility of salvation, and rather, there is no possibility of salvation? Nevertheless, Jesus was sent for us. Therefore, being without reproach means not reproaching yourself, and not reproaching yourself means relying on the grace and love of God who saved you. It does not mean that it is okay to commit a sin, but it means that there is no doubt, anxiety, and reproof, asking, “Can I be saved even with this?” In other words, it means knowing the grace and love of God. All the prayers of such people are answered by God. Why?
It is because we know God that our heart has nothing against us. That is, I know the relationship that God is my Father and I am the Son of God. He believes that because he is a son, nothing will ever be kicked out of his position as a son. When such a person prays, he prays as a son. Because it is his son's prayer, he hears what he asks for anything.
However, there are many people who are interested in how can we receive answers when we pray? The reality is that even the false teaching that the secret to receiving 100% answers has appeared. If you pay attention to how to receive answers like this, it means that you do not come to the Father as a son.
When I do something wrong as a son, I say, 'I did something like this, but is it possible that I am not your father's son? If he doubts that he will drive me out of his position as a son, then he is foolish.
God and the believer are in an eternal and unbreakable relationship of Father and Son. This unbreakable relationship is love. Therefore, there is no reproof in the love of the Father, and because of it, you can be bold. It is a believer's boldness to know that nothing can separate me from the Father's love.
As a son, he listens to whatever you ask for. However, not listening to what is wrong is also God's answer.
But why are you talking about these things in connection with love? Because we can learn to love from the only-begotten Son who laid down his life for us. It is the price of the life of the only begotten son that we become the sons of God. This is God's love. He who knows this love can love his brother. So love is not an emotion. Doing love is not a matter of liking the person, but of knowing the love of the Father.
We were poor people who could not live without God's help. He gave his only begotten Son to help us. Therefore, believers should consider their own situation when they see someone in need. And like the love of God who helped me, I have to help my brother. This is living in deed and truth. But it doesn't just mean helping with wealth. It is necessary to help with Christ, who is more precious than money. It is love that always wants to testify of Christ to all those in need.