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1 John 3:19-22

19. And hereby we know that we are of the truth, and shall assure our
hearts before him.

19. Et in hoc cognoscimus quod ex veritate sumus, et coram ipso
persuadebimus corda nostra.

20. For if our heart condemn us, God is greater than our heart, and
knoweth all things.

20. Quod si accuset nos cor nostrum, certe major est Deus corde nostro
et novit omnia.

21. Beloved, if our heart condemn us not, then have we confidence
toward God.

21. Dilecti, si cor nostrum non accuset, fiduciam habemus erga Deum:

22. And whatsoever we ask, we receive of him, because we keep his
commandments, and do those things that are pleasing in his sight.

22. Et siquid petierimus, accipimus ab eo, quia praecepta ejus
servamus, et quæ coram co placent facimus.


19 And hereby we know, or, by this we know. The word truth, he takes
now in a different sense; but there is a striking similarity in the
words, -- If we, in truth, love our neighbors, we have an evidence that
we are born of God, who is truth, or that the truth of God dwells in
us. But we must ever remember, that we have not from love the knowledge
which the Apostle mentions, as though we were to seek from it the
certainty of salvation. And doubtless we know not otherwise that we are
the children of God, than as he seals his free adoption on our hearts
by his own Spirit., and as we receive by faith the sure pledge of it
offered in Christ. Then love is accessory or an inferior aid, a prop to
our faith, not a foundation on which it rests.

Why then does the Apostle say, We shall assure our hearts before God?
He reminds us by these words, that faith does not exist without a good
conscience; not that assurance arises from it or depends on it, but
that then only we are really and not falsely assured of our union with
God, when by the efficacy of his Holy Spirit he manifests himself in
our love. For it is ever meet and proper to consider what the Apostle
handles; for as he condemns feigned and false profession of faith, he
says that a genuine assurance before God we cannot have, except his
Spirit produces in us the fruit of love. Nevertheless, though a good
conscience cannot be separated from faith, yet no one should hence
conclude that we must look to our works in order that our assurance may
be certain.

20. For if our heart condemn us He proves, on the other hand, that they
in vain possess the name and appearance of Christians, who have not the
testimony of a good conscience. For if any one is conscious of guilt,
and is condemned by his own heart, much less can he escape the judgment
of God. It hence follows, that faith is subverted by the disquiet of an
evil conscience.

He says, that God is greater than our heart, with reference to
judgment, that is, because he sees much more keenly than we do, and
searches more minutely and judges more severely. For this reason, Paul
says, that though he was not conscious of wrong himself, yet he was not
therefore justified, (1 Corinthians 4:4) for he knew that however
carefully attentive he was to his office, he erred in many things, and
through inadvertence was ignorant of mistakes which God perceived. What
then the Apostle means is, that he who is harassed and condemned by his
own conscience, cannot escape the judgment of God.

To the same purpose is what immediately follows, that God knoweth or
seeth all things For how can those things be hid from him which we, who
in comparison with him are dull and blind, are constrained to see? Then
take this explanation, "Since God sees all things, he is far superior
to our hearts." For to render a copulative as a causal particle is no
new thing. The meaning is now clear, that since the knowledge of God
penetrates deeper than the perceptions of our conscience, no one can
stand before him except the integrity of his conscience sustains him.

But here a question may be raised. It is certain that the reprobate are
sometimes sunk by Satan into such stupor, that they are no longer
conscious of their own evils, and. without alarm or fear, as Paul says,
rush headlong into perdition; it is also certain, that hypocrites
usually flatter themselves, and proudly disregard the judgment of God,
for, being inebriated by a false conceit as to their own righteousness,
they feel no convictions of sin. The answer to these things is not
difficult; hypocrites are deceived because they shun the light; and the
reprobate feel nothing, because they have departed from God; and,
indeed there is no security for an evil conscience but in
hiding-places.

But the Apostle speaks here of consciences which God draws forth to the
light, forces to his tribunal, and fills with an apprehension of his
judgment. Yet; it is at the same time generally true, that we cannot
have a calm peace except that which God's Spirit gives to purified
hearts; for those who, as we have said, are stupefied, often feel
secret compunctions, and torment themselves in their lethargy.

21 If our heart condemns not I have already explained that this refers
not to hypocrites nor to the gross despisers of God. For how muchsoever
the reprobate may approve of their own lives, yet the Lord, as Solomon
says, weigheth their hearts. (Proverbs 16:2.) This balance of God, by
which he tries men, is such, that no one can boast that he has a clean
heart. The meaning, then, of the Apostle's words is, that then only we
come in calm confidence into God's presence, when we bring with us the
testimony of a heart conscious of what is right and honest. That saying
of Paul is indeed true, that by faith, which relies on the grace of
Christ, an access to God with confidence is opened to us, (Ephesians
3:12) and also, that peace is given us by faith, that our consciences
may stand peaceably before God. (Romans 5:1.) But there is not much
difference between these sentences; for Paul shews the cause of
confidence, but John mentions only an inseparable addition, which
necessarily adheres to it, though it be not the cause.

Here, however, arises a greater difficulty, which seems to leave no
confidence in the whole world; for who can be found whose heart
reproves him in nothing? To this I answer, that the godly are thus
reproved, that they may at the same time be absolved. For it is indeed
necessary that they should be seriously troubled inwardly for their
sins, that terror may lead them to humility and to a hatred of
themselves; but they presently flee to the sacrifice of Christ, where
they have sure peace. Yet the Apostle says, in another sense, that they
are not condemned, because however deficient they may confess
themselves to be in many things, they are still relieved by this
testimony of conscience, that they truly and from the heart fear God
and desire to submit to his righteousness. All who possess this godly
feeling, and at the same time know that all their endeavors, how
muchsoever they come short of perfection, yet please God, are justly
said to have a calm or a peaceful heart, because there is no inward
compunction to disturb their calm cheerfulness.

22 And whatsoever we ask These two things are connected, confidence and
prayer. As before he shewed that an evil conscience is inconsistent
with confidence, so now he declares that none can really pray to God
but those who with a pure heart, fear and rightly worship him. The
latter follows from the former. It is a general truth taught in
Scripture, that the ungodly are not heard by God, but that on the
contrary, their sacrifices and prayers are an abomination to him. Hence
the door is here closed up against hypocrites, lest they should in
contempt of him rush into his presence.

He does not yet mean that a good conscience must be brought, as though
it obtained favor to our prayers. Woe to us if we look on works, which
have nothing in them but what is a cause of fear and trembling. The
faithful, then, cannot otherwise come to God's tribunal than by relying
on Christ the Mediator. But as the love of God is ever connected with
faith, the Apostle, in order that he might the more severely reprove
hypocrites, deprives them of that singular privilege with which God
favors his own children; that is, lest they should think that their
prayers have an access to God.

By saying, because we keep his commandments, he means not that
confidence in prayer is founded on our works; but he teaches this only,
that true religion and the sincere worship of God cannot be separated
from faith. Nor ought it to appear strange that he uses a causal
particle, though he does not speak of a cause; for an inseparable
addition is sometimes mentioned as a cause as when one says, Because
the sun shines over us at midday, there is more heat; but it does not
follow that heat comes from light.