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1 John 3:16-24 NKJV

[16] By this we know love, because He laid down His life for us. And
we also ought to lay down our lives for the brethren. [17] But whoever
has this world's goods, and sees his brother in need, and shuts up his
heart from him, how does the love of God abide in him?
[18] My little children, let us not love in word or in tongue, but in deed
and in truth. [19] And by this we know that we are of the truth, and
shall assure our hearts before Him. [20] For if our heart condemns us,
God is greater than our heart, and knows all things.
[21] Beloved, if our heart does not condemn us, we have confidence
toward God. [22] And whatever we ask we receive from Him, because
we keep His commandments and do those things that are pleasing in
His sight. [23] And this is His commandment: that we should believe on
the name of His Son Jesus Christ and love one another, as He gave us
commandment. [24] Now he who keeps His commandments abides in
Him, and He in him. And by this we know that He abides in us, by the
Spirit whom He has given us.

Notes:
1 John 3:16-24 NKJV
[16] By this we know love, because He laid down His life for us. And we
also ought to lay down our lives for the brethren. [17] But whoever has
this world's goods, and sees his brother in need, and shuts up his heart
from him, how does the love of God abide in him?

What is the most we can do for one another?

What is the least we can do for one another?

Our Lord Jesus gave us the ultimate example of love when He laid
down His life for us. He gives us love in its highest expression. In
the cross of Calvary we see the love that is love indeed.

John draws the lesson from this that we also ought to lay down
our lives for the brethren. This means that our lives should be a
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continual giving-out on behalf of other believers, and that we should be

ready to die for them also if necessary.

Most of us will never be required to die on behalf of others, but every

one of us can manifest brotherly love by sharing our material things
with those in need. That is what is emphasized in verse 17.

Real love leads to action, not just feelings. It produces selfless, sacrificial
giving. The greatest act of love is giving oneself for others. How can we
“give up our lives”? By serving others with no thought of receiving
anything in return. To say we’ll die for others can be easier than truly
living for them. Doing so involves putting their desires first. Jesus taught
this same principle of love in John 15:13. (Life Application)

John 15:13
“Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his
friends.”

[17] But whoever has this world's goods, and sees his brother in need,
and shuts up his heart from him, how does the love of God abide in
him?

3:17 If verse 16 suggests the most we can do for our brethren, verse 17
suggests the least. John distinctly says that a man is not a Christian who
sees his brother in need and yet withholds from him what is
necessary to satisfy that need.

This does not justify indiscriminate giving to everyone, because it is

possible to harm a man by giving him money with which to buy what
would not be good for him. However, the verse does raise very
disturbing questions concerning the accumulation of wealth by
Christians.
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3:17-18 These verses give an example of how to “give up our lives” for
others—helping those in need. This is strikingly similar to James’s
teaching (James 2:14-17). Both James and John witnessed Jesus
practicing this throughout his ministry and in his sacrifice on the cross
for all who trust in him.

How clearly do your actions say you really love others? Are you as
generous as God wants you to be with your money, possessions, and
time? (Life Application)

[18] My little children, let us not love in word or in tongue, but in deed
and in truth.

We should not love in word or in tongue, but rather in deed

and in truth. In other words, it should not be a matter of affectionate
terms only; but it should be manifested in actual deeds of kindness and
should be genuine instead of false.

[19] And by this we know that we are of the truth, and shall assure our
hearts before Him.

By the exercise of this real and active love to our brethren, we shall
know that we are of the truth, and this will assure our hearts
as we come before Him in prayer.

[20] For if our heart condemns us, God is greater than our heart, and
knows all things.

The subject here is the attitude with which we come before God in
prayer.

If our heart condemns us, God is greater than our heart in

the sense that He is greater in compassion.
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How many times have we failed in this area. Loving only in words or in
tongue. How many times have we told a person, we will pray for her
and then forgot about it, paying only lip service. Later, we read the
person thanking those who prayed for him or her, and then we
remember, we forgot to pray! Worse is we would even say, you’re
welcome!

While we may have intense feelings of unworthiness, yet God knows

that basically we love Him and we love His people. He knows that we
are His in spite of all our failures and sins. So what we do is simply to
come to Him in confession and repentance. He is faithful to forgive us
of our sins.

[21] Beloved, if our heart does not condemn us, we have confidence
toward God. [22] And whatever we ask we receive from Him, because
we keep His commandments and do those things that are pleasing in
His sight.

3:21-22 If your conscience is clear, you can come to God without fear,
confident that he will hear your requests. John reaffirms Jesus’ promise
that whatever we ask for will be given to us (Matthew 7:7; also see
Matthew 21:22; John 9:31; 15:7).You will receive what you ask for if you
obey and do what pleases God because you will be asking in line with
his will. He will help you desire only what he wants. Of course this does
not mean that you can have anything you want, like instant riches. If you
are truly seeking God’s will, there are some requests you will not make.

[23] And this is His commandment: that we should believe on the name
of His Son Jesus Christ and love one another, as He gave us
commandment.

This seems to summarize all the commandments of the NT. It speaks of

our duty to God and to our fellow Christians. Our first duty is to trust
in the Lord Jesus Christ. Then because true faith is expressed in right
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conduct, we should love one another. This is an evidence of saving

faith.

In biblical times, a person’s name often stood for his or her character. It
represented who that person really was. We are to believe not only in
Jesus’ words but also in his essential nature and who he is as the Son of
God. Moreover, to believe “in the name” means to pattern your life after
Christ’s, to become more like him by uniting with him in his love for
everyone. As we live like Christ, we will love one another.

[24] Now he who keeps His commandments abides in Him, and He in

him. And by this we know that He abides in us, by the Spirit whom He
has given us.

3:24a The first part of verse 24 ends the section on love as a test of the
children of God: Now he who keeps His commandments
abides in Him, and He in him. To obey Him is to abide in Him,
and those who abide in Him are assured of His abiding presence also.

3:24b And by this we know that He abides in us, by the

Spirit whom He has given us. The subject of confidence is
introduced by the statement that assurance of God’s abiding in us
comes by the Holy Spirit. All believers have the Holy Spirit. He is the
one who guides them into all truth and empowers believers to live our
lives as His witnesses…witnesses of His love and grace.