Each week throughout 2021, I will share a Bible study blog post taking us through the letter of 1 John. Only five chapters long, this brief book is worthy of our consideration. Whether you drop in for one post or many, I pray that you enjoy them. Access all posts here.
1 John 3:21 Beloved, if our heart does not condemn us, we have confidence before God; 22 and whatever we ask we receive from Him, because we keep His commandments and do what pleases Him.
Last week we spent some time thinking about how to deal with a condemned heart. And now John moves on to recount some of the results of a heart free of condemnation. Here, he assumes we've gone through the work of getting our hearts set on God. So, now, our heart does not condemn us (21).
What does this person look like?
1. Freedom Before God
First, this person has freedom before God. John says: we have confidence before God (21). The Message translation says it this way:
"And friends, once that's taken care of, and we're no longer accusing or condemning ourselves, we're bold and free before God!" (1 John 3:21, The Message).
Now, as we've already seen, this isn't works-based confidence before God, but grace-based confidence from God. None of us stands before Him in assurance because of our amazing performance. We long for fruit, yes, and we hope our fruitfulness is evidence of His grace in our lives, but we stand confidently before Him because of the blood of Jesus.
Later, John will write:
"I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life." (1 John 5:13, ESV).
And this assurance leads us to great freedom and confidence before God. Though He is the ultimate lawgiver and our Father in heaven, we feel we are under His love and grace. We are His, and He is ours.
I see this at play with so many of your children. It is clear they know where they stand with you. They are loved. On the church patio, they tug on your leg and ask for donuts. They ask you to pick them up (when they're younger) and for money (when they're older). They joke with you and laugh with you (or at you). They feel free.
So the first thing John shows us that an uncondemned heart has is freedom before God. This freedom leads to another result.
2. Full Prayer Life
Second, this person can have a full prayer life. Our freedom or confidence or assurance before God should lead to prayer. And John says: Whatever we ask we receive from Him (22).
Now, I don't like giving qualifications to statements like these, because they are worthy of celebration. But the flesh wants what the flesh wants, and it's easy to see how promises of God's faithfulness in prayer could be misunderstood as a license to selfishness.
Later, John will qualify this promise about prayer by saying:
"If we ask anything according to His will He hears us." (1 John 5:14, ESV).
But when you are walking in the light and asking according to God's will, He is moved by your prayers. Whatever you ask you receive from Him when your prayers are in line with His will.
This is not another way of saying God is going to do whatever God wants to do, that there's no point in prayer. No! It's a way of saying God has a desire, a will, a longing for this world. And He is looking for people who will pray in line with His will. For them, He will move!
Jesus taught us our first prayer, our main prayer, should be: hallowed be Your name (Matthew 6:9). Or, Your name be honored as holy (HCSB). And when this desire colors our prayers, God will move on our behalf.
But the condemned heart won't ask, thinking itself unworthy to go to God with any petitions. So once we deal with the heart, and realize we are only able to go to God because of His grace, we become free to pray.
To this end, I thought I would briefly give you a handful of aids to your prayer life.
- First, Be honest with God. The Psalms model prayers of all kinds. Most praise God, at least eventually, but a few remain dark and discouraged. This helps us understand how much God wants to hear our cry, even when it's not well put together.
- Second, make time for prayer. Jesus arose in the morning to get into prayer and often went into the wilderness to be alone with His Father. In the hectic pace and scattered attention of modern life, we must fight for time to pray. I recently heard one father describe the season his house was full of babies, toddlers, dirty diapers, and sleepless nights. For him, his prayer closet consisted of five minutes alone in the bathroom.
- Lastly, ask for kingdom stuff. Yes, ask for provision. Yes, ask for strength. Yes, ask for spiritual cleansing. But don't forget to pray for the advancement of the kingdom here on earth. Pray for the church. Pray for missions. Pray for your pastors. Pray for those you know are without Christ. Pray for the kingdom to expand.
3. Holy Living
But John tells us one more thing about a heart free of condemnation. It is not only free before God and full of prayer, but a person without condemnation lives a holy life. John said: We keep His commandments and do what pleases Him (22).
Make no mistake. This is not the cause of the free heart or full prayers. We don't pray boldly because we've been so obedient. Instead, because God is greater than our hearts and has shown us such grace, we then seek to live holy lives that glorify and honor Him. Our holiness flows from His favor and grace.
We see this principle, that holiness follows grace, exemplified in many environments, but I will point out two important ones: the home and the workplace.
In the home, we know our children do better when loved well. When a child is confident in their parent's love, they become better behaved. Since they are secure in their mother and father's care, they can more readily receive correction. They don't need to act out to get their parent's attention or find someone else's love. They are already loved.
And in the workplace, it has become common practice to at least believe a positive and encouraging environment leads to a better workforce. Rather than toil under threats and condescension, workers who are praised and honored tend to put forth their best work. They feel safe, so they take risks that end up benefiting their organizations.
And God's love and favor lead His people to respond with holy lives. Paul said:
"For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people, training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age." (Titus 2:11–12, ESV).
The results of the heart being set free from condemnation are good. Confidence before God, a thriving prayer life, and personal holiness all flow once we stand before God as we truly are, uncondemned in Christ.
And once there, life takes on a specific look. Next week we will study John's basic description of the uncondemned life.
