Metropolitan Tabernacle Pulpit · Sermon No. 1855
“Beloved, if our heart condemns us not, then have we confidence toward God.” 1 John 3:21.
CAREFULLY observe that this text is spoken to the people of God. It speaks to those who are called, “beloved.” These are the people who are especially loved of God and of His people. It is a very sweet and endearing title, but it evidently, in this case, belongs only to those who are of the family of Grace—these, alone, can remain uncondemned of their hearts and live in confidence towards God. I want you to observe this because there are different ways of addressing different people and these ways are instructive. To those who are not yet numbered among the beloved, we preach the Gospel of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. It is a Gospel intended for the sinful and it talks to them of pardon bought with blood—it is a Gospel intended for the ungodly and it speaks to them of the work of the Holy Spirit, whereby their ungodly hearts may be renewed. Its tale is altogether of Grace and free favor and the passing by of transgression, iniquity and sin to all those who cast themselves believingly at Jesus’ feet. That is the voice of Scripture to those who, as yet, are not beloved. The hope is that the Lord will call them beloved who were not beloved—and that in the place where it was said, “They are not My people,” they shall be called the people of the living God!
But when we come to speak to those who are saved, to those who are the beloved of God, we deal not with the pardon of criminals, but with the conduct of children. They are saved in the Lord with an everlasting salvation and, therefore, we do not so much urge them to saving faith as to the higher degree of boldness which grows out of faith—to that confidence towards God which is the right and privilege of the heirs of salvation! We want them not only to know that they have believed, but to be assured of it and to enjoy that holy familiarity with God, that blessed boldness towards God, that sweet joy and restfulness of spirit which are their privilege as the beloved of the Lord. These enjoyments may be had by them if they will be obedient to the directions of the Spirit of God which are laid down by the beloved Apostle in this Epistle.
As soon as we become children, we are freed from the condemning power of the Law. We are not under the principle and motive of the Law of Works, but yet we are not without Law unto Christ. We come under those sacred regulations which rule the household of God. We are dealt with not as mere subjects are ruled by a king, but as children are governed by a father. We come from under that Law which was promulgated with thunder and lightning and the sound of a trumpet waxing exceedingly loud and long, and we listen to the gentle voice of the Man, Christ Jesus. We come from under that Law which did not permit even a beast to touch the mountain, but kept all Israel at a distance by boundaries set about the mountain, and we draw near with glad hearts unto the Lord. We come, I say, from under the Law and we feel the sway of love. “You are not under the Law, but under Grace” and, therefore, sin shall not have dominion over you. We have come into the family of God—and in that family there is a rule and discipline devised by love and carried out with infinite compassion. Upon our obedience to that discipline, our peace and prosperity depend. If we so live that our hearts condemn us not, then have we confidence towards God.
It appears from the text that this child-like confidence towards God originally arises out of a certain solemn trial of our case. There is to be a trial within the heart, or conscience—a trial in which every power of the inner nature is to take its part as prosecutor, witness, jury, or judge. Out of this trial comes the non-condemnation which gives birth to “confidence toward God.” At this time I shall bring before you, first, the trial in the inward court of the heart. Secondly, the acquittal pronounced by this court, “If our heart condemn us not.” And thirdly, the result, the confidence which comes of this
acquittal. “If our heart condemn us not, then have we confidence toward God.” May the Holy Spirit teach us while we think on these things!
I. I want you to think of THE TRIAL HELD IN THE INNER COURT OF MAN’S NATURE, within his heart. It is a sort of petty session, not the Great Assize. Conscience sits within us, as judges sometimes sit in chambers, hearing cases, as they say, in camera. If we are righteously acquitted in this first court, then the matter is ended and we have confidence toward God. But if our heart condemn us; if in this preliminary trial we are condemned, it is an evil omen, for the probability is that the great all-knowing Judge will more than confirm the sentence. Condemnation by our own conscience is a bad sign, though there is a court of appeal. If our heart condemns us, God is greater than our heart and knows all things.