Love and Confidence

View daily reading plan: 1 John 3.19-24

John shows that practical demonstrations of love yield a benefit: “hereby we know that we are of the truth, and shall assure our hearts before him”. Assurance of salvation comes with taking God at His word but a generous spirit gives an added confidence that faith is genuine.

There may be a situation when a called-for expression of love has not been fulfilled (v.20) and “our heart condemns us”. God is greater than our hearts and has made provision for our failure as the epistle has already shown with its references to “the blood of Jesus Christ” and “the propitiation”.

The believer who obeys the command to love his brother has confidence to articulate his requests boldly in the presence of God with the expectation that God will answer (v.22). By contrast, “If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me” (Ps 66.18).

The practical issues in these few verses should not be lost on us. Is our love just talk? Does practical affection strengthen our assurance? Can we with a conscience “void of offence” approach the Father in prayer? Does our love for the family of God prove our faith in the Son of God?

Friday, 10 May, 2024