1 John 3:22 Commentary

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1 John 3:22

Comments

John strongly links assurance and prayer in this verse. Assurance here is not a technical confidence that our souls are safe, but a confidence before the living God when we come before him with our urgent petitions. It implies that coming to him in prayer involves being scrutinized by him, and that what he finds in us will affect how he answers us. Prayer is not like a postal service in which we do not meet the recipient. The Spirit looks for that child-like confidence which is consistent with true faith, and we have this not because we have come up to the mark and therefore qualify for his favour, but because we are not secret rebels and we know he will not deny us his grace.

Application

The believer measures every motion of his soul by this test: ‘Is it pleasing in his sight?’, for we do not live to ourselves alone but to God.

God is persuadable. This is a mystery, but our earnest prayers play a part in his eternal purposes and must not be left out. Even though God’s plan is fixed from before the foundation of the world, we may say this was brought about through my prayers.

Questions

Is it safe for Scripture to promise us that whatever we ask, we will receive from God? Yes, because those who live to please God will desire things that are consistent with his will. This promise gives us the freedom to let our desires range across all the good things that we might ask God for, and to ask with expectation that he will hear us. This is the freedom of beloved children.

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1 John 3:22 Commentary and Bible Study