1 John 3:19-22 And hereby we know that we are of the truth, and shall assure our hearts before him.… I. SHOW THAT IF OUR HEART DOES NOT CONDEMN US, WE HAVE AND CANNOT BUT HAVE CONFIDENCE TOWARD GOD THAT HE ACCEPT US. If our heart really does not condemn us, it is because we are conscious of being conformed to all the light we have, and of doing the whole will of God as far as we know it. While in this state it is impossible that, with right views of God's character, we should conceive of Him as condemning us. He is a Father, and He cannot but smile on His obedient and trusting children. We cannot conceive of Him as being otherwise than pleased; for, if He were displeased with a state of sincere and full obedience, He would act contrary to His own character; He would cease to be benevolent, holy, and just. Again, let it be noted that in this state with an approving conscience, we should have no self-righteousness. A man in this state would at this very moment ascribe all his obedience to the grace of God. The apostle Paul when in this state of conscious uprightness most heartily ascribes all to grace. "I laboured," says he, "more abundantly than they all, yet not I, but the grace of God that is in me." But observe that while the apostle was in that state, it was impossible that he should conceive of God as displeased with his state. Again, when a man prays disinterestedly, and with a heart in full and deep sympathy with God, he may and should have confidence that God hears him. Indeed no one, having right views of God's character, can come to Him in prayer in a disinterested state of mind, and feel otherwise than that God accepts such a state of mind. Again, when we are conscious of sympathising with God Himself, we may know that God will answer our prayers. The soul, being in sympathy with God, feels as God feels; so that for God to deny its prayers is to deny His own feelings, and refuse to do the very thing He Himself desires. Since God cannot do this, He cannot fail of hearing the prayer that is in sympathy with His own heart. In the state we are now considering the Christian is conscious of praying in the Spirit, and therefore must know that his prayer is accepted before God. I say he is conscious of this fact. And this deep praying of the heart goes on while the Christian is still pursuing the common vocations of life. The team he is driving or the book he professes to study is by no means so vividly a matter of conscious recognition to him as is his communion of soul with his God. In this state the soul is fully conscious of being perfectly submissive to God. "Not my will, O Lord, but Thine be done." Hence he knows that God will grant the blessing he asks. II. We are next to consider this position, namely, THAT IF OUR HEART DOES NOT CONDEMN US, WE MAY HAVE CONFIDENCE THAT WE SHALL RECEIVE THE THINGS WE ASK. 1. This must be so, because it is His Spirit working in us that excites these prayers. 2. It is a remarkable fact that all real prayer seems to be summed up in the Lord's Prayer, and especially in those two most comprehensive petitions: "Thy kingdom come; Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven." Now let it be observed that God desires this result infinitely more than we do. 3. Yet let it be noted here that God may not answer every prayer according to its letter; but He surely will according to its spirit. III. WHY WILL GOD CERTAINLY ANSWER SUCH A PRAYER, AND HOW CAN WE KNOW THAT HE WILL? 1. The text affirms that "whatsoever we ask, we receive of Him, because we keep His commandments and do those things that are pleasing in His sight." The fundamental reason always of God's bestowing blessings is His goodness — His love. All good flows down from the great fountain of infinite goodness. Our obedience is only the condition of God's bestowing it — never the fundamental reason or ground of its bestowment. Obedience takes away the obstacle; then the mighty gushings of Divine love break forth. Obedience removes the obstacles; never merits or draws down the blessing. 2. If God were to give blessings upon any other condition, it would deceive multitudes, either respecting ourselves or Himself. If He were to answer our prayers, we being in a wrong state of mind, it would deceive others very probably; for if they did not know us well, they would presume that we were in a right state, and might be led to consider those things in us right which are in fact wrong. Or, if they knew that we were wrong, and yet knew that God answered our prayers, what must they think of God? They could not avoid the conclusion that He patronises wrong doing. 3. God is well pleased when we remove the obstacles out of the way of His benevolence, He is infinitely good, and lives to do good. Now, if it is His delight and His life to do good, how greatly must He rejoice when we remove all obstacles out of the way! Suppose the bottom of the vast Pacific should heave and pour its ocean tides over all the continents of the earth. This might illustrate the vast overflowings of the love of God; how grace and love are mounting up far and infinitely above all the mountains of your sins. How it would force its way and pour out its gushing floods wherever the least channel might be opened! And you would not need to fear that your little wants would drain it dry!Remarks: 1. Many persons, being told that God answers prayer for Christ's sake, overlook the condition of obedience. They have so loose an idea of prayer, and of our relations to God in it, and of His relations to us and to His moral government, that they think they may be disobedient and yet prevail through Christ. How little do they understand the whole subject! "He that turneth away his ear from hearing the law, even his prayer shall be an abomination." "The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination to the Lord." "If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me." When men come before God with their idols set up in their hearts, and the stumbling block of their iniquity before their face, the Lord says, "Should I be inquired of at all by them (Ezekiel 14:3-5)?" 2. Persons never need hesitate, because of their past sins, to approach God with the fullest confidence. 3. Many continue the forms of prayer when they are living in sin, and do not try to reform, and even have no sincere desire to reform. All such persons should know that they grievously provoke the Lord to answer their prayers with fearful judgments. 4. It is only those that live and walk with God whose prayers are of any avail to them selves, to the Church, or to the world. 5. Sinner, if you will come back to the Lord, you may not only prevail for yourself, but for your associates and friends. Christian hearer, is it not a dreadful thing for you to be in a state in which you cannot prevail with God? Let us look around; how is it with you? Can you prevail with God? (C. G. Finney.) Parallel Verses 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, |
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