What is the meaning of 1 John 3:23? And this is His commandment: - John zeroes in on God’s single, unified directive. Unlike human laws that multiply endlessly, the Lord distills His will into one cohesive command. - Earlier verses (1 John 3:21-22) remind us that God answers prayer when we “keep His commandments and do what is pleasing in His sight,” showing that obedience flows from relationship, not ritual. - Echoes of Deuteronomy 6:4-5 point to God’s timeless pattern: one God, one heart, one command that governs all of life. that we should believe in the name of His Son, Jesus Christ, - “Believe” is not mere mental assent; it is wholehearted trust, staking life and eternity on Jesus alone (John 1:12; Acts 16:31). - “Name” points to the full authority and character of the Son. To believe in His name is to rely on His finished work, confess His deity, and embrace His lordship (John 20:31). - The singular focus—“His Son, Jesus Christ”—guards us from drifting into generic spirituality. Salvation is found in no one else (Acts 4:12). - Faith here is present and continuous, just as Jesus said in John 6:29: “This is the work of God: to believe in the One He has sent.” and we should love one another - Faith in Jesus produces family resemblance. Children of God practice the same self-giving love that the Son displayed (1 John 3:16-18). - Love is concrete: open hands, open hearts, meeting needs (James 2:15-17). - This love is the litmus test of genuine conversion—“By this everyone will know that you are My disciples” (John 13:35). - It is reciprocal: “one another” calls every believer to give and receive, creating a community where no one is disposable (Romans 12:10). just as He commanded us. - Jesus framed love as a direct order, not a suggestion (John 13:34; John 15:12). - The phrase “just as” sets Christ’s love as the measure and model: sacrificial, initiating, steadfast. - Obedience validates faith (1 John 2:3-6). True believers do not cherry-pick commands; they yield to the whole counsel of Christ. - Walking in His commandments brings assurance (1 John 3:24) and the abiding presence of the Spirit. summary 1 John 3:23 gathers the entire Christian life into one diamond: trust in Jesus and love for His people. Believe in the Son—resting fully in His name—and let that faith pour out in practical, sacrificial love. This is God’s settled will, Christ’s direct charge, and the Spirit’s ongoing work in everyone born of God. |
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