1 John 3:23
Verse
Context
Love One Another
22and we will receive from Him whatever we ask, because we keep His commandments and do what is pleasing in His sight.23And this is His commandment: that we should believe in the name of His Son, Jesus Christ, and we should love one another just as He commanded us.24Whoever keeps His commandments remains in God, and God in him. And by this we know that He remains in us: by the Spirit He has given us.
Sermons







Summary
Commentary
- Adam Clarke
- Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
- John Gill
- Matthew Henry
- Tyndale
Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
That we should believe on the name of his Son - We are commanded to believe on Christ, that for the sake of his passion and death we may be justified from all things from which we could not be justified by the law of Moses; and being through him redeemed from the guilt of sin, restored to the Divine favor, and made partakers of the Holy Ghost, we are enabled to love one another as he gave us commandment; for without a renewal of the heart, love to God and man is impossible, and this renewal comes by Christ Jesus.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
Summing up of God's commandments under the Gospel dispensation in one commandment. this is his commandment--singular: for faith and love are not separate commandments, but are indissolubly united. We cannot truly love one another without faith in Christ, nor can we truly believe in Him without love. believe--once for all; Greek aorist. on the name of his Son--on all that is revealed in the Gospel concerning Him, and on Himself in respect to His person, offices, and atoning work. as he--as Jesus gave us commandment.
John Gill Bible Commentary
And he that keepeth his commandments,.... Attends to those instructions and declarations concerning faith in Christ, and love to the brethren, and acts according to them: dwelleth in him, and he in them; that is, he dwells in Christ, and Christ dwells in him; the same is said of believing in Christ under the figurative expressions of eating his flesh, and drinking his blood; see Gill on Joh 6:56; and hereby we know that he abideth in us; or dwelleth in us, as before, by the Spirit which he hath given us; which if understood of private Christians, as the preceding verses incline to, the sense is, that union to Christ, and the continuance of it, or his indwelling as a fruit of union, and the permanency of that, are evidenced by the Spirit of God; who is given in consequence of union and relation to Christ, as a spirit of regeneration and sanctification, of faith and love, of adoption, and as the earnest of the heavenly inheritance; but if of the apostles and ministers of the word, it may regard the gifts of the Holy Spirit bestowed on them, fitting them for their work and office, and who is a spirit of truth, and not of error; and by having and enjoying these, they knew that Christ abode in them, and had reason to believe, according to his promise, that he would be with them, and with his ministering: servants in succession, to the end of the world; and this sense seems to be encouraged by the former part of the following chapter. Next: 1 John Chapter 4
Matthew Henry Bible Commentary
The apostle, having mentioned keeping the commandments, and pleasing God, as the qualification of effectual petitioners in and with Heaven, here suitably proceeds, I. To represent to us what those commandments primarily and summarily are; they are comprehended in this double one: 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, Jo1 3:23. To believe on the name of his Son Jesus Christ is, 1. To discern what he is, according to his name, to have an intellectual view of his person and office, as the Son of God, and the anointed Saviour of the world. That every one that seeth the Son, and believeth on him, may have everlasting life, Joh 6:40. 2. To approve him in judgment and conscience, in conviction and consciousness of our case, as one wisely and wonderfully prepared and adapted for the whole work of eternal salvation. 3. To consent to him, and acquiesce in him, as our Redeemer and recoverer unto God. 4. To trust to him, and rely upon him, for the full and final discharge of his saving office. Those that know thy name will put their trust in thee, Psa 9:10. I know whom I have believed, and I am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day, Ti2 1:12. This faith is a needful requisite to those who would be prevalent petitioners with God, because it is by the Son that we must come to the Father; through his grace and righteousness our persons must be accepted or ingratiated with the Father (Eph 1:6), through his purchase all our desired blessings must come, and through his intercession our prayers must be heard and answered. This is the first part of the commandment that must be observed by acceptable worshippers; the second is that we love one another, as he gave us commandment, Jo1 3:23. The command of Christ should be continually before our eyes. Christian love must possess our soul when we go to God in prayer. To this end we must remember that our Lord obliges us, (1.) To forgive those who offend us (Mat 6:14), and, (2.) To reconcile ourselves to those whom we have offended, Mat 5:23, Mat 5:24. As good-will to men was proclaimed from heaven, so good-will to men, and particularly to the brethren, must be carried in the hearts of those who go to God and heaven. II. To represent to us the blessedness of obedience to these commands. The obedient enjoy communion with God: And he that keepeth his commandments, and particularly those of faith and love, dwelleth in him, and he in him, Jo1 3:24. We dwell in God by a happy relation to him, and spiritual union with him, through his Son, and by a holy converse with him; and God dwells in us by his word, and our faith fixed on him, and by the operations of his Spirit. Then there occurs the trial of his divine inhabitation: And hereby we know that he abideth in us, by the Spirit which he hath given us (Jo1 3:24), by the sacred disposition and frame of soul that he hath conferred upon us, which being a spirit of faith in God and Christ, and of love to God and man, appears to be of God.
Tyndale Open Study Notes
3:23-24 John here gives a new criterion for discerning who has the Spirit. The Spirit is not the possession of an elite who are enlightened without their lives being changed. Instead, the Spirit comes to all believers and stimulates obedient discipleship (Gal 5:22-23).
1 John 3:23
Love One Another
22and we will receive from Him whatever we ask, because we keep His commandments and do what is pleasing in His sight.23And this is His commandment: that we should believe in the name of His Son, Jesus Christ, and we should love one another just as He commanded us.24Whoever keeps His commandments remains in God, and God in him. And by this we know that He remains in us: by the Spirit He has given us.
- Scripture
- Sermons
- Commentary
Others
By Denny Kenaston3.5K59:55Loving OthersROM 12:10ROM 15:7GAL 5:13EPH 4:2EPH 5:21COL 3:161TH 5:11HEB 10:24JAS 5:161PE 3:81PE 4:91JN 1:71JN 3:161JN 3:181JN 3:23In this sermon, the speaker reflects on his experience of preaching to children on a bus route and how it changed his life. He emphasizes the importance of using simple illustrations to hold the attention of young listeners and share the message of Jesus. The speaker also mentions the impact of sending young people on missions trips, hoping they will become addicted to serving others and make it a guiding principle in their lives. The sermon concludes with a reflection on the profound words spoken by Jesus on the cross, specifically his plea for forgiveness for those who crucified him.
(Through the Bible) 1 John 5
By Chuck Smith2.2K50:33Through The BibleJHN 3:23JHN 3:361JN 1:31JN 3:231JN 5:21JN 5:61JN 5:11In this sermon, the preacher emphasizes the importance of believing in the witness of God. He compares it to our legal system, which relies on the testimony of witnesses. The preacher explains that faith in God is developed by knowing Him through studying the Bible. He highlights that eternal life is only possible through Jesus Christ, and it is not just about the duration of time but also the quality of life. The sermon concludes with a prayer for the listeners to have a loving and impactful year, sharing God's love with the world.
Through the Bible - 2 John, 3 John, Jude
By Zac Poonen2.1K53:08Through The BibleGEN 5:22ROM 8:131JN 3:231JN 4:2JUD 1:5In this sermon, the preacher emphasizes the importance of discernment in understanding the truth. He compares the process of finding the right answer in multiple-choice questions to discerning the truth in matters of science, history, and spirituality. The preacher highlights three key points that are crucial for believers: obeying God's commandments, loving one another, and acknowledging that Jesus came in the flesh. He emphasizes that these three points are interconnected and essential for living a righteous life. The preacher also explains that God allows deception to sharpen our discernment and help us mature in our faith.
This Is the Message
By T. Austin-Sparks1.7K54:56MessageMAT 6:33JHN 20:301JN 1:51JN 2:251JN 3:231JN 5:9In this sermon, the speaker focuses on the importance of life in relation to the teachings and works of Jesus Christ. The speaker emphasizes that the purpose of Jesus' actions and teachings was to bring about life, and that this is the crucial test of our own relationship with Him. The speaker references the Gospel of John, particularly chapter 20, where John sums up his writings by emphasizing the issue of life. The speaker also highlights that true Christianity involves a battle, as believers are engaged in a conflict when they enter into a living and enlightened relationship with Jesus.
The Nature of the Father - Part 2
By Gayle Erwin62642:01Character Of GodEXO 34:62CO 3:16COL 3:17HEB 6:101JN 3:23REV 2:13In this sermon, the speaker explores the nature of God as revealed through Jesus and the Old Testament. They highlight passages such as Exodus 34:6, which describe God as compassionate, gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in mercy and faithfulness. The speaker also reflects on their own journey of arrogance and the realization of their need for God's mercy. They emphasize the importance of turning to the Lord and seeking His glory, which leads to transformation and being conformed to His likeness. The sermon encourages immediate surrender to God and a reliance on His mercy and grace.
Do Men Have Choice of Accepting or Rejecting Christ?
By Rolfe Barnard4457:32Sovereignty Of GodSalvationChristMAT 3:2MAT 4:17MAT 27:22JHN 6:37JHN 17:2ACT 17:30ROM 10:13EPH 2:8HEB 5:91JN 3:23Rolfe Barnard addresses the question of whether men have the choice to accept or reject Christ, emphasizing that salvation is not a matter of chance but a command from God. He argues that the popular belief that God owes salvation to everyone is blasphemous, as it undermines the grace of God and the purpose of Christ's sacrifice. Barnard insists that men are not given a choice but are commanded to repent and believe the gospel, highlighting the necessity of divine intervention for true repentance. He warns against the perversion of the gospel that suggests individuals can save themselves, asserting that salvation is solely a work of God's grace. Ultimately, he calls for a return to the biblical truth that emphasizes God's sovereignty in salvation and the responsibility of individuals to respond to His command.
Serving Jesus Without Fear
By David Wilkerson0FearlessnessLove for OthersLUK 1:68LUK 1:741JN 3:231JN 4:111JN 4:18David Wilkerson emphasizes that through God's promise of redemption, we are enabled to serve Him without fear, living in holiness and righteousness. This promise was fulfilled in Jesus, who triumphed over darkness at the cross, allowing us to experience a life free from fear through perfect love. Wilkerson explains that perfect love, which drives out fear, begins with unconditional love for one another, as commanded by God. He highlights that loving others involves more than forgiveness; it requires fellowship, esteem, and availability in times of need. Ultimately, aligning our love with God's Word is essential for living fearlessly.
1 John 5:3
By John Gill0ObedienceLove for GodPSA 119:47MAT 11:30JHN 14:15ROM 7:222CO 5:14GAL 5:22PHP 4:131JN 3:231JN 4:191JN 5:3John Gill emphasizes that true love for God is demonstrated through obedience to His commandments, which should not be seen as burdensome but rather as a joyful expression of faith. He explains that love is not merely a verbal profession but is shown in actions and truth, reflecting a deep sense of God's love in our lives. Gill reassures believers that, despite the challenges of the moral law, those who are in Christ find delight in following His commands, experiencing peace and communion with God.
1 John 4:21
By John Gill0Love for OthersLove for GodMAT 22:37JHN 13:34ROM 13:10GAL 5:14EPH 4:32COL 3:141PE 4:81JN 3:231JN 4:71JN 4:20John Gill emphasizes the commandment from God that requires believers to love both Him and their brothers, highlighting that love for God and love for others are inseparable. He points out that this command is not only a directive from God but also a new commandment given by Christ, reinforcing the importance of mutual love among believers. Gill stresses that failing to love one aspect means failing in the other, urging the congregation to recognize the holistic nature of God's command to love.
The Sum of Saving Knowledge - Warrants and Motives to Believe.
By David Dickson0ISA 55:1JHN 3:362CO 5:141JN 3:23David Dickson preaches about the four Warrants and special Motives to believe in Christ, emphasizing God's hearty invitation to all sinners, the open offer of Christ's grace, the solid satisfaction found in Christ, and the assurance of life given to those who believe. He also highlights the earnest request for reconciliation with God, the strait and awful command to believe in Christ, and the certification of destruction for those who disobey. Dickson encourages believers to strengthen their faith by reasoning from the grounds of God's love, the promise of everlasting life, and the consequences of rejecting Christ.
Divine Enlargement and Spiritual Obedience
By J.C. Philpot01SA 2:1PSA 18:36PSA 147:18PRO 16:23ISA 1:18JER 17:9LUK 24:45JHN 13:342TH 1:31JN 3:23Joseph Philpot preaches on the connection between God's precepts and promises, emphasizing the need for divine assistance to fulfill God's commands. He explains the significance of an enlarged heart in spiritually fulfilling God's precepts, contrasting it with a contracted heart that hinders obedience. Philpot delves into the various factors that can contract the heart, such as guilt, unbelief, darkness of mind, and deadness of feeling towards God. He highlights that only through the special work of God the Spirit can the heart be enlarged, leading to an expansion of understanding, conscience, affections, and every grace and fruit of the Spirit.
Starts Discussion on the Love of God With the Whole Heart ...
By Martin Luther0JHN 6:29ROM 3:28ROM 14:23EPH 2:81JN 3:23Martin Luther preaches about the importance of faith in Christ as the highest good work, emphasizing that all good works must flow from faith in God's commandments. He highlights that faith alone makes all other works good and acceptable, as it trusts God's love and mercy. Luther explains that true good works are those done in faith, where all distinctions between works fall away, and all works become equal in God's sight. He urges believers to trust in God's grace and favor, knowing that faith is the chief work that pleases God.
1 John 3:23
By John Gill0Love for One AnotherFaith in ChristJHN 13:34EPH 2:81JN 3:23John Gill emphasizes the dual commandment of faith in Jesus Christ and love for one another as central to the Christian life. He explains that true faith involves not just belief in Christ's identity and works, but also an active trust and reliance on Him for salvation. This commandment is not merely a law but a divine instruction rooted in grace, highlighting the inseparable nature of faith and love. Gill points out that loving one another is a direct command from Christ, reflecting the essence of His teachings. Ultimately, the sermon calls believers to embody both faith and love as foundational aspects of their relationship with God and each other.
1 John 2:7
By John Gill0Commandments of GodLoveMAT 22:371JN 3:23John Gill emphasizes that the commandment of love is not new but rather an ancient directive rooted in God's eternal nature and will. He explains that this commandment has been known since the beginning, being part of the divine law and taught by Christ and the apostles. The essence of this commandment is to love one another, which reflects the image of God and is foundational to the Christian faith. Gill highlights that this love is reinforced by the teachings of the Gospel, which remind believers of their redemption and the call to love God and each other. Thus, the commandment of love is both timeless and essential for the Christian community.
The Holy Spirit's Testimony
By Bishop W. F. Mallalieu0ROM 8:9ROM 8:142CO 1:212CO 5:5GAL 4:6EPH 1:131JN 3:231JN 4:13Bishop W. F. Mallalieu preaches about the assurance of salvation through the testimony of the Holy Spirit, emphasizing the direct communication between the Spirit of God and the human soul to confirm adoption into God's family. He discusses the importance of trusting in God's timing and method of communication, highlighting that the Spirit's witness may come in various forms, such as a quiet assurance or a still small voice. Mallalieu stresses the need to let God have His way and patiently wait for His promises to be fulfilled, as the Spirit's testimony includes repentance, faith, justification, regeneration, and sanctification.
On Christian Obedience
By Thomas Reade0PSA 119:105JHN 14:15JHN 15:12ACT 17:30ROM 12:2EPH 5:20PHP 4:111TH 4:31TH 5:181JN 3:23Thomas Reade preaches on the importance of Christian obedience, emphasizing the need to honor God by keeping His commandments and following the example of Jesus in perfect holiness and obedience. He highlights the blessings of aligning our will with God's will, finding happiness in believing prayer, and valuing the Word of God as a lamp to guide our path. Reade also discusses the requirements of God, including repentance, faith in Jesus, love for one another, loving our enemies, sanctification, and giving thanks in all circumstances.
- Adam Clarke
- Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
- John Gill
- Matthew Henry
- Tyndale
Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
That we should believe on the name of his Son - We are commanded to believe on Christ, that for the sake of his passion and death we may be justified from all things from which we could not be justified by the law of Moses; and being through him redeemed from the guilt of sin, restored to the Divine favor, and made partakers of the Holy Ghost, we are enabled to love one another as he gave us commandment; for without a renewal of the heart, love to God and man is impossible, and this renewal comes by Christ Jesus.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
Summing up of God's commandments under the Gospel dispensation in one commandment. this is his commandment--singular: for faith and love are not separate commandments, but are indissolubly united. We cannot truly love one another without faith in Christ, nor can we truly believe in Him without love. believe--once for all; Greek aorist. on the name of his Son--on all that is revealed in the Gospel concerning Him, and on Himself in respect to His person, offices, and atoning work. as he--as Jesus gave us commandment.
John Gill Bible Commentary
And he that keepeth his commandments,.... Attends to those instructions and declarations concerning faith in Christ, and love to the brethren, and acts according to them: dwelleth in him, and he in them; that is, he dwells in Christ, and Christ dwells in him; the same is said of believing in Christ under the figurative expressions of eating his flesh, and drinking his blood; see Gill on Joh 6:56; and hereby we know that he abideth in us; or dwelleth in us, as before, by the Spirit which he hath given us; which if understood of private Christians, as the preceding verses incline to, the sense is, that union to Christ, and the continuance of it, or his indwelling as a fruit of union, and the permanency of that, are evidenced by the Spirit of God; who is given in consequence of union and relation to Christ, as a spirit of regeneration and sanctification, of faith and love, of adoption, and as the earnest of the heavenly inheritance; but if of the apostles and ministers of the word, it may regard the gifts of the Holy Spirit bestowed on them, fitting them for their work and office, and who is a spirit of truth, and not of error; and by having and enjoying these, they knew that Christ abode in them, and had reason to believe, according to his promise, that he would be with them, and with his ministering: servants in succession, to the end of the world; and this sense seems to be encouraged by the former part of the following chapter. Next: 1 John Chapter 4
Matthew Henry Bible Commentary
The apostle, having mentioned keeping the commandments, and pleasing God, as the qualification of effectual petitioners in and with Heaven, here suitably proceeds, I. To represent to us what those commandments primarily and summarily are; they are comprehended in this double one: 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, Jo1 3:23. To believe on the name of his Son Jesus Christ is, 1. To discern what he is, according to his name, to have an intellectual view of his person and office, as the Son of God, and the anointed Saviour of the world. That every one that seeth the Son, and believeth on him, may have everlasting life, Joh 6:40. 2. To approve him in judgment and conscience, in conviction and consciousness of our case, as one wisely and wonderfully prepared and adapted for the whole work of eternal salvation. 3. To consent to him, and acquiesce in him, as our Redeemer and recoverer unto God. 4. To trust to him, and rely upon him, for the full and final discharge of his saving office. Those that know thy name will put their trust in thee, Psa 9:10. I know whom I have believed, and I am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day, Ti2 1:12. This faith is a needful requisite to those who would be prevalent petitioners with God, because it is by the Son that we must come to the Father; through his grace and righteousness our persons must be accepted or ingratiated with the Father (Eph 1:6), through his purchase all our desired blessings must come, and through his intercession our prayers must be heard and answered. This is the first part of the commandment that must be observed by acceptable worshippers; the second is that we love one another, as he gave us commandment, Jo1 3:23. The command of Christ should be continually before our eyes. Christian love must possess our soul when we go to God in prayer. To this end we must remember that our Lord obliges us, (1.) To forgive those who offend us (Mat 6:14), and, (2.) To reconcile ourselves to those whom we have offended, Mat 5:23, Mat 5:24. As good-will to men was proclaimed from heaven, so good-will to men, and particularly to the brethren, must be carried in the hearts of those who go to God and heaven. II. To represent to us the blessedness of obedience to these commands. The obedient enjoy communion with God: And he that keepeth his commandments, and particularly those of faith and love, dwelleth in him, and he in him, Jo1 3:24. We dwell in God by a happy relation to him, and spiritual union with him, through his Son, and by a holy converse with him; and God dwells in us by his word, and our faith fixed on him, and by the operations of his Spirit. Then there occurs the trial of his divine inhabitation: And hereby we know that he abideth in us, by the Spirit which he hath given us (Jo1 3:24), by the sacred disposition and frame of soul that he hath conferred upon us, which being a spirit of faith in God and Christ, and of love to God and man, appears to be of God.
Tyndale Open Study Notes
3:23-24 John here gives a new criterion for discerning who has the Spirit. The Spirit is not the possession of an elite who are enlightened without their lives being changed. Instead, the Spirit comes to all believers and stimulates obedient discipleship (Gal 5:22-23).