1 John 3:19-20 --- By this we shall know that we are of the truth and reassure our heart before him; for whenever our heart condemns us, God is greater than our heart, and he knows everything.
Yesterday, 1 John 3:18 gave clear and precise instruction on how to love our brothers/sisters. Not just in word or talk, but in deed (actions) and truth (genuine/sincere/real). If I am doing this in my life, then today's verses 19-20 bring me a powerful thing… ASSURANCE.
So far, what I've taken away from the first three chapters of 1 John is it's all about giving the follower of Jesus Christ a straightforward way to KNOW that you KNOW Him and to highlight/convict false teachers. After reading these three chapters you either have rock solid confidence and assurance of where you are with Jesus or you are offended, confused, doubting, or possibly just skimming quickly to check the box you read it and move on.
Here is what's great about today's verses, while we're here on Earth we're still human, we've still got our ups and downs, we should be growing and maturing in Christ, but we still have moments of weakness. We still slip up. We've still got this old self and the enemy that doesn't want to leave us alone. However, God knows that, and he gives us a way to assure our hearts that we're walking with Him the right way.
If we're loving others the way He has outlined over the past several verses, in willingness to die or even tougher, to live for others, to not just love in word/talk but in deed/truth, then our heart (conscience/feelings) can be assured we're walking in the truth, in Him.
Again, God is so amazing because He knows that even when we have the evidence before us, even when we see we're loving the way He's outlined and we've checked ourselves against 1 John 1:6-8, there will be times when our heart or a better way to put it our conscience or feelings will condemn us.
So, God doesn't say in verses 19-20, Now I've given you a way to be sure about things so if you get hung up by your feelings or "heart" then you just aren't believing enough or looking close enough at things. NO WAY!! That's how the devil comes after you. Whispering things to try and mimic and sound like God but twisting it into a way to tear you down and push you into a dark corner. God ALWAYS builds up and deals with things in the light! Even when He addresses something negative or bad in our life, it's always in a way that leads to Jesus, to life, to love.
So, what I hear God say in it is: "Take a look at yourself and check for the evidence of all the things I've laid out for you over these chapters of my word. Then you can be ASSURED and KNOW you are walking with me. However, when your heart or feelings creep in and accuse or condemn you. Just remember I am greater than your feelings, your emotions, your heart, your conscience, and I know everything. So come talk to me about it right away."
God created us with feelings and emotions, but He's clear that He is greater than them. His direction and His Word are above our feelings. Feelings will change day by day, hour by hour, heck sometimes minute by minute, but He NEVER changes! He is the same yesterday, today and forever!
In diving into other commentaries I came across a quote from Charles Spurgeon:
“Sometimes our heart condemns us, but, in doing so, it gives a wrong verdict, and then we have the satisfaction of being able to take the case into a higher court, for ‘God is greater than our heart, and knoweth all things.’"
This inspired today's image of looking up, above even the highest court of our land, to the one who KNOWS me inside and out and KNOWS all things from beginning to end!
I close with a beautiful verse that if you are a follower of Jesus Christ, you should have this one memorized for sure:
Romans 8:1 --- There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit.
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