THE ADOPTION TO THE FATHER St. Paul is addressing the issue of our adoption to God: us the adoption.v. 1, 2 as children of God purityv. 3 g sinv. 4, 5 C. Resembling Him in doing good deeds and acts of love.v. 6 -12 1. GOD’S LOVE GRANTED US THE ADOPTION Since St. John ended the previous chapter by saying, “Everyone who practices righteousness is born of Him,” now he talks about our position toward God, knowing between two spiritual families in the world, one belongs to God and the other belongs to Satan. We, as believers, were baptized in His name and became members in His Mysterious Body, thus we were transferred to the adoption of God. St. Paul said, “For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus. For as many of you were baptized into Christ have put on Christ.” (Gal. 3:26,27) This privilege is for us, regardless of our condition. Nevertheless, if we live not befitting our Heavenly Father, then we are not abiding in our Father. In this situation, the adoption is not denied but rather becomes a great judgment on us. A son may hurt his father and he may not get the inheritance and may be rejected from the presence of his father, however, his relationship to his father continuously bothers his conscience. Let us walk worthy of being children to such a Great Father. See how He lowered Himself to become our Father! We have our Father in heaven, so let us heed to abide worthy of such an adoption so we may get the inheritance. St. Augustine “Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called children of God!” (v. 1) What an honor for us to become children of the Creator! This free gift granted to us is indescribable. Let us work hard to become worthy of that name. “For the world knows us not, as it knew Him not.” He means by the world those who live a worldly life in pleasures St. Clement of Alexandria How do those who are called children benefit, while the adoption is not working in them? Many are called physicians but do not know how to treat people! Many are called watchful, but in fact they are asleep the whole night! Many are called Christians by name, but they are not Christians in their life, in their conduct, in their faith, in their hope nor in their love! Anyone who abides in righteousness and despises the evil in the world, and does not accept to become drunk nor to defile himself is mocked by those who commit such defilement. “Therefore, the world does not know us, because it did not know Him.” (v. 1) Who is for the world? He means those who love the world and are attached to it. “Because it did not know Him.” The Lord Jesus Christ, in the flesh, stayed in the world, but He was not known. Why? Because He rebuked the people for their transgression, for their desire for lust made them not know Him, and made them sick and they hurt the Physician. St. Augustine This is what the Evangelist said in John 1:10, and what the Lord emphasized saying, “O Righteous Father, the world does not know You.” (John 17:25) Those who love the world have another father beside God, who occupies their hearts. The Lord said to the wicked Jews, “If God were your Father, you would love Me, for I proceeded forth and came from God; nor have I come of Myself, but He sent Me. Why do you not understand My speech? Because you are not able to listen to My word. You are of your father the devil, and the desires of your father you want to do.” (John 8: 42-44) Since the wicked people cannot know God, then how can they know His children? But this does not scare God’s people, for though they were deprived of the love of the wicked, yet they found themselves the center of attention of God’s love and all His saints. Therefore, the apostle calls them “Beloved.” This hatred from the wicked people does not occupy the minds of God’s children. The “world” means those who live in pleasure. St. Clement of Alexandria “Beloved, now we are children of God; and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is.” (v.2) The minds of God’s children are occupied with a serious matter, which is the eternal life where they meet their Father and become like Him and they see Him face to face. They will see His face and His name shall be on their foreheads (Rev. 22:4) “Who will transform our lowly body that it may be conformed to His glorious body…” (Phil. 3:21) It is not appropriate, as the bride of Christ and His child, to be occupied with earthly matters nor with the annoyances of the wicked people, as long as we direct our attention toward the beauty of the Lord, saying “As for me, I will see Your face in righteousness; I shall be satisfied when I awake in Your likeness.” (Ps. 17:15) By writing these things John is exhorting his reader to recognize what it means to be born again of God. He tells them that they are worthy to be loved as children of God, even in this world, and that the adoption of sons is reality here and now. For since we now know in part and have the first fruits of the Spirit, we already have something of the adoption of sons and can see what the fullness of it will be like when it arrives. St. Didymus The Blind We shall still have no natural equivalence with him. For the created nature must always be less than the Creator. St. Augustine We live as children of God even in this present life, sanctifying ourselves by virtue and striving toward the likeness of something even better. Encouraged by this, we shall be fashioned according to the brightness of the resurrection, when we shall see him, insofar as that is possible. St. Severus of Antioch “Beloved,” says he, “now are we the sons of God,” not by natural affection, but because we have God as our Father. For it is the greater love that, seeing we have no relationship to God, He nevertheless loves us and calls us His sons. “And it has not yet appeared what we shall be;” that is, to what kind of glory we shall attain. “For if He shall be manifested,” that is, if we are made perfect, “we shall be like Him,” as reposing and justified, pure in virtue, “so that we may see Him” (His countenance) “as He is,” by comprehension. St. Clement of Alexandria 2. OUR RESPONSIBILITIES AS CHILDREN OF GOD A. We resemble God in purity: We were reconciled with God through Jesus Christ and we were granted adoption to God, through baptism. When our eyes are elevated to heavenly matters, then, through hope, we live as befitting to the children of the Holy God, and then we live a holy life. “And everyone who has this hope in Him purifies himself just as He is pure.” (v. 3) His sayings, “purifies himself” emphasizes our participation in the behavior. Since we cannot be purified except by the Holy God, but we will not be purified unless we accept that and respond to God’s work, struggling and persevering. We shall see Him as He is because we shall be like Him. This is our hope for the future, our love in the present and our faith in both the past and the present. Hilary of Arles B. We resemble God our Father being sinless “Whoever commits sin also commits lawlessness, and sin is lawlessness.” (v.4) Lawlessness means rebellions, so one commits sins with rebellion. This is not appropriate for the children, for the Lord Jesus came to abolish the dominion of sin. John says that sin and iniquity are the same thing , though there were heretics who denied many thing. According to some of them , iniquity was a crime deliberately committed, but sin was a fact of nature and therefore not a crime. Hilary of Arles “And you know that He was manifested to take away our sins, and in Him there is no sin.” (v. 5) He came to remove the thorn of sin and to declare that He is without sin, so we may follow His footsteps and abide in Him and we, too, become without sin. But this does not mean that we are sinless! C. God’s children practices righteousness and are loving “Whoever abides in Him does not sin. Whoever sins has neither seen Him nor known Him. Little children, let no one deceive you. He who practices righteousness is righteous, just as He is righteous. He who sins is of the devil, for the devil has sinned from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that He might destroy the works of the devil. Whoever has been born of God does not sin, for His seed remains in him; and he cannot sin, because he has been born of God.” (6-9) We can summarize these verses as follows: 1. Whoever abides in the light cannot sin. 2. Whoever is born of God cannot sin. 3. Whoever is born of God keeps himself and the devil cannot touch him. (1 John 5:18) 4. Whoever sins does not know God nor has seen Him. Just as the person who dwells in virtue and true doctrine does not sin and is not ignorant, so the one who remains in Christ, who is his righteousness and sanctification, does not sin. For how can someone act unrighteous when he is in the company of righteousness, and how can he be content to place corruption alongside holiness? Therefore anyone who sins is outside Christ has no part or fellowship in him. St. Didymus The Blind 5. Whoever commits sin is from the devil. Since the devil was first and foremost sent into the world in order to lead people astray, that is where his name, seducer, comes from. Thus anyone who sins can be called a devil. Sin is not inherited in the human race, since if it were it could not have been eradicated by a sinless human being. But this is exactly what happened when the Son of God appeared in human flesh, and so sin must be regarded as accidental to human nature, not as intrinsic to human nature. St. Didymus The Blind If we read those verses away from the rest of the Scriptures, we may fall in despair, because these verses imply that anyone who commits any sin (for whoever stumbles in one has transgressed the whole Law) is not a son of God, but becomes a son of the devil. Interpreting those verses away from the rest of the Scripture drove some people to heresy by saying that there are two kinds of baptism: one is baptism by water, and the one who is dipped in it is susceptible to sin and does not enjoy salvation. The second is baptism by the Spirit, and the one who enjoys that cannot sin and does not fall into temptation. They justify that by saying that if through the baptism by water, one is born a new birth, then why does those who are baptized commit sin, although God’s children do not sin? They think that they need the baptism of the Spirit. However, we question why didn’t the Lord Jesus, in His talk with Nicodemus, say that after someone is baptized by water, he is not born by the Spirit, but He said, “Whoever is born of the water and of the spirit,” without separating them. The spirit never mentioned it in the Holy Bible nor in the history of the church nor with the apostles nor their successors that they used to baptize by water and then baptize. If this saying were true, does this mean that whoever commits sin needs to be baptized by the spirit? Do the following verses mean that the spirit did not baptize St. Paul? : “If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves,” and “For I know that in me (that is in my flesh) nothing good dwells.” (Rom. 7:18) Why did the Lord Jesus not request from the bishops or angels of the seven churches to be baptized by the spirit? He only asked them to repent. Do all these numerous warnings that the Bible is directing to all believers mean that the spirit does not baptize them? The holy baptism is a perfect act and grants us perfection; nevertheless, it does not perfect a man who is negligent in fulfilling the commandments. St. Mark the Recluse One has a free will to do whatever he wants, even after he is baptized, for baptism does not deprive us from our freedom. When the Holy Scriptures say, “The kingdom of heaven suffers violence,” (Matt. 11:12), this pertains to the private will of every individual, so that each one, after baptism, abides in the good and moves away from evil. The Lord commands the believers, who received power to fulfill the commandments, to keep struggling so they do not drift away. Through baptism, you have put on Christ (Gal. 3:27), and cast down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God. (2 Cor. 10:5) Since you have received that power to conquer and you have not used it to conquer all the evil arguments, then it is obvious that you love lust and have no faith. When we are persuaded by the devil to sin, we receive his seed. But when we go on to complete the work, which he urged, then he has begotten us, for through sin we are born to him as children. Origen “He that does unrighteousness is of the devil,” that is, of the devil as his father, following and choosing the same things. “The devil sins from the beginning,” he says. From the beginning from which he began to sin, incorrigibly persevering in sinning. He says, “Whosoever is born of God does not commit sin, for His seed remains in him;” that is, His word in him who is born again through faith. St. Clement of Alexandria What is the interpretation of the previous verses? 1. St. Augustine’s opinion: [St. John said: “Whoever has been born of God does not sin.” (1Jn. 3:9), and in the same time he says, “ If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar, and His word is not in us.” (1Jn. 1:10) Is there a contradiction between these two verses? If one says that he is a sinner, he is afraid lest others may think that he is not born of God. And if one says that he does not sin, we make God a liar. St. John means a specific sin which God’s son cannot commit. When one commits that sin, he is guilty of all, that is, of breaking all the commandments. But what is the commandment? A new commandment I give to you that you love one another.” (John 13:34)] Hence, St. Augustine sees that it is impossible for one not to love his brothers. If one does not love his brothers, then he has wandered from love. Fr. Sheremon asked those who are baptized to resemble God by showing inner love toward good and bad people. 2. The opinion of Pope Athanasius the Apostolic: St. Athanasius said: [The Word put on flesh, healing every bite of the serpent, removing every evil which stems from the emotions of the flesh, abolishing death which accompanies sin. As St. John wrote, “The Son of God was manifested to abolish the deeds of Satan.”] This is the capability granted to us as children of God, so we can conquer the deeds of Satan by the power of the Lord Jesus, according to our will, that is if we abide in Him. 3. The opinion of Tertullian: [St. John confirms that we do not sin. He tackled that, in details, so we may not heed to sin, clarifying that the Lord Jesus has overcome sin so we may abide in the light. Nevertheless, there are some daily sins which man commit, and we all submit to them. If God does not forgive us those sins, salvation would be impossible for everyone.] 4. The Opinion of St. Jerome Jovinanius’ reasoning was that since man was baptized, Satan cannot make him fall.” But he added: “When one is tempted, then he is baptized by water and not by the spirit, as with the case of Simon the magician. St. John wrote, “Whoever has been born of God does not sin, for His seed remains in him; and he cannot sin, because he has been born of God. In this the children of God and the children of the devil are manifest…” (1 John 3:9,10) At the end he said, “We know that whoever is born of God does not sin; but he who has been born of God keeps himself, and the wicked one does not touch him.” (1 John 5:18) This would have been difficult if St John did not continue, “Little children, keep yourselves from idols.” (1 John 5:21) If the one born of God cannot sin and the devil cannot touch him, how come St. John is warning them to keep themselves from temptations?! In the same Epistle, we also read, “If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar, and His word is not in us.” (1 John 1:8-10) I assume that St. John was baptized and that he is writing to baptize people. I assume that every sin is from the devil; St. John confesses that he is a sinner and hopes for forgiveness after his baptism. What do I say, my brother Jovinanius? Does the apostle contradict himself? Never! But he clarifies himself by saying, “My little children, these things I write to you so that you may not sin. And if anyone sins, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the Righteous. He who says he abides in Him ought himself also to walk just as He walked.” (1 John 2: 1, 6) The reason for my writing to you that “whoever is born of God does not sin” is that you do not sin, so that you may know that as long as you sin, that you are not dwelling in the new birth that He has granted you. Truly, those who abide in that birth do not sin, for “what communion has light with darkness? And what accord has Christ with Belial?” (2 Cor. 6:14,15) As light is completely different from darkness, so righteousness from evil, sin from good deeds, and Christ from antichrist. If we let Christ dwell in our hearts, then we expel the devil out. If we sin and the devil enters from the door of sin, then Christ, immediately, leaves. David the Prophet said, “Restore unto me the joy of your salvation.” (Ps. 51:12), that is, restore unto me the joy, which I have lost due to sin. He also said, “He who says, ‘I know Him,’ and does not keep His commandments, is a liar and the truth is not in him.” (1 John 2:4) Christ is called the Truth (John 14:6), so in vain you glory in the One whom you do not keep His commandments. It is not a great matter to know the One God, for even the devils believe and fear. But “He who says he abides in Him ought himself also to walk just as He walked.” (1 John 2:6) Jovinanius has to choose between two matters: Is he abiding in Christ or no? If he abides in Christ, then he has to walk just as He walked. But, if he neglects the virtues of our Lord Jesus Christ, then he is not abiding in Him, because he is not walking just as Christ walked. “Who committed no sin, nor was deceit found in His mouth, who when he was reviled, did not revile in return…” (1 Pet. 2:22,23) “The ruler of this world is coming and he has nothing in Me.” (John 14:30) Let us reflect at what was written in the Epistle St. James, “For we all stumble in many things.” (James 3:2) No one is pure even if his life on earth is just one day. (Job 14:4,5) Lest we fall in despair and think that if we sin after baptism, we will not be saved, he said, “And if anyone sins, we have an Advocate (Lawyer) with the Father…” (1 John 2:1) St. John directed this saying to those who are baptized. He is promising them a Lawyer to defend them. He does not say, “You have an Advocate…,” but “We have an Advocate…,” so that no one may think that this saying is directed to only those who are baptized but have no true faith. It is vain to have an advocate if it is impossible for us to commit sin. In the Lord’s Prayer, we say, “Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us. Lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil.” If after baptism, we do not sin, then we wouldn’t ask for forgiveness for sins which were erased in baptism! Why, then, do we pray for not entering into temptation but to be delivered from evil, if the devil does not tempt us? St. Paul, the chosen vessel, subdues his flesh lest after he preaches to others, he may be a castaway. (1 Cor. 9:27) Also, he was given a thorn in the flesh lest he should be exalted above measure (2 Cor. 12:7). He also writes to the Corinthians, “But I fear, lest somehow, as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, so your minds may be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ.” (2 Cor. 11:3) In another verse, he writes, “Lest Satan should take advantage of us, for we are not ignorant of his devices.” (2 Cor. 2:11) Also, “Therefore, let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall.” (1 Cor. 10:12) He also wrote to the married people, “… so that Satan does not tempt you because of your lack of self- control.” (1 Cor. 7:5) He also writes to the Ephesians, “For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.” (Eph. 6:12) After all these warnings, does any one think that we are safe and can sleep and relax, after we are baptized? He also said in his Epistle to the Hebrews, “For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened and have tasted the heavenly gift, and have become partakers of the Holy Spirit, and have tasted the good word of God and the powers of the age to come, if they fall away, to renew them again to repentance, since they crucify again for themselves the Son of God, and put Him to an open shame.” (Heb. 6:4-6) We cannot deny that those who are enlightened are those who are baptized, so how can the baptized not sin, since St. Paul writes, “if they fall away”? Vontenyanos and Novatios smile at this saying that it is impossible to renew (mentally) once more, through repentance, those who have crucified the Lord and put Him to shame. To correct this misunderstanding, it was written, “But beloved, we are confident of better things concerning you, yes, things that accompany salvation, though we speak in this manner. For God is not unjust to forget your work and labor of love which you have shown toward His name, in that you have ministered to the saints, and do minister.” (Heb. 6:9,10) If God punishes for sin and does not reward for good deeds, then we would have said that God is unjust. But the apostle is telling them that he wants them to be more cautious, lest they despair. It is not just that God will forget their good deeds, for they truly have ministered to the saints, and only remember their sins. St. James teaches that those who are baptized can be tempted and fall in sin, by their own free will. He said, “Blessed is the man who endures temptation; for when he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him.” (James 1:12) Lest we think we are tempted by God, as it was written about Abraham in the book of Genesis, St. James added, “Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am tempted by God,” for God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does He Himself tempt anyone. But each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed. Then when desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin, and sin, when it is full grown, brings forth death.” (James 1:13-15) God has created you with a free will, so you are free to choose whether virtue or vice, and you are not forced to choose one over the other, or else there would be no crown.] Conclusion: We conclude that St. John is directing our attention to baptism, reminding us of the adoption and the capabilities of following the footsteps of the Lord. Sin has no more dominion over us, as St. Paul wrote, “Inasmuch then as the children have partaken of flesh and blood, He Himself, likewise, shared in the same, that through death He might destroy him who had the power of death, that is, the devil, and release those who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage.” (Heb. 2:14,15) Hence, we can all love and do not accept except love. Sin has no more dominion over us (Rom. 6:14), for the new man can crush sin and its thorn, and we can live by the Lord Jesus abiding in the Spirit. This capability is by our own choice as children of God who do not sin as long as we are abiding in the Lord. The moment we sin, we deviate from our true position as children, yet in spite of that, the road for tears is open. True love is the dividing line between God’s children abiding as children and between the devil’s children abiding in sin and hatred. That is why St. John wrote, John did not say this with respect to the existence of sin in our lives, as if our nature were cover with implausibility. Rather he means that insofar as someone who is born of God retains the grace of his new birth he cannot sin in the way he behaves. And the reason for this is that God’s seed dwell in him. What is this seed of God, which dwells in believers? What else but the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, by which we have been born again? These presences never leave us. St. Severus of Antioch “In this the children of God and the children of the devil are manifest. Whoever does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor is he who does not love his brother.” (v. 10) Love is the trait of the cross of the Lord Jesus Christ, whereby we grow as long as we abide in the Lord. However, whoever does not love is deviated toward the road of the devil, rejecting the adoption of God and accepting the adoption of the devil. Let us train ourselves to love the brothers. If you love your brother, you will see God, for through your love to your brother, you will see God. By loving your brother, you will see love in which God abides. St. Augustine Since a person who walks in righteousness is born of God, it follows that someone who is so born will love his brothers. Someone who lacks righteousness because he does not practice it, but instead hates his brother, is not born of God. St. Didymus The Blind “Thus we know the children of God, as likewise the children of the devil,” who choose things like the devil; for so also they are said to be of the wicked ones. St. Clement of Alexandria “For this is the message that you heard from the beginning, that we should love one another, not as Cain who was of the wicked one and murdered his brother. And why did he murder him? Because his works were evil and his brother’s righteous.” (v. 11, 12) Cain did not know love. However, the offerings of Abel were accepted because of love. Both have presented offerings, one presented the fruits of the ground while the other presented the firstborn of his flock. Do you think that God hates the fruits of the ground and loves the flock? Of course not! God does not look at the hands, which carry the offering, but at the heart. The Lord accepts the one who presents the offering from a loving heart, but rejects the one who presents the offering from an envious heart. St. John means the works of Abel were righteous because they were deeds of love, but the works of Cain were evil because they were works of hatred to his brother. He did not only envy him and hate him but also killed him. So Cain was the son of the devil and Abel was the son of God. St. Augustine God’s children are characterized by love, while the devil’s children are characterized by hatred. “Do not marvel, my brethren, if the world hates you.” (v.13) Those who are attached to the world, that is the evil, have no true love and cannot tolerate God nor His children. If we have passed from death to life by passing from unbelief to faith, let us not be surprised if the world hates us. For no one who has failed to pass from death to life, but has remained in death, can someone love those who have left the darkened house of death. Origen It is not to be wondered as if evil people, who are here called the “world,” hate those who live godly lives according to the commands of Christ. It would be much more surprising if such people loved us instead! St. Didymus The Blind “We know that we have passed from death to life, because we love the brethren.” (v. 14) We who abide in the Lord Jesus, the source of our life, love the brothers, and hence we enjoy life and are transferred from death, which is burial in sin and surrendering to it. Whoever loves his brothers in God’s way has passed from death to life, but whoever does not have this love remains in death. In the same way the widow who enjoyed herself was dead, even if technically she was alive (1Tim.5:6). For anyone who lives like that has obviously forgotten God. St. Didymus The Blind “Whoever hates his brother is a murderer.” (v. 15) Murder stems from hatred, therefore, he who hates, even if he does not kill his prey, is considered a murderer. St. Jerome Thus, his heart remains in death. If this is an act of love and this is the end of hatred, how, then, can we act lovingly? You may not have prepared any poison or committed a crime. You have only hated, and in doing so, you have killed yourself first of all. St. Augustine “Every one who hates his brother is a murderer.” For in him through unbelief Christ dies. Rightly, therefore, he continues, “And you know that no murderer and unbeliever has eternal life abiding in him.” For the living Christ abides in the believing soul. St. Clement of Alexandria “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.” (v. 16) The Lord loved the servants to the point of death, so that the servants may follow the footsteps of their Master, and they love their colleagues, the other servants. The Lord Jesus said, “This is My commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends.” (John 15:12, 13) St. John, wanting to train us for the practical love, asked us to start by giving. He said: We have been given the privilege of being able to lay down our lives for our brothers. But are you prepared to die for Christ? St. Augustine “For He Himself laid down His life for us;” that is, for those who believe. If then He laid down His life for the apostles, he means His apostles themselves: us if he said, We, I say, the apostles, for whom He laid down His life, “ought to lay down our lives for the brethren;” for the salvation of their neighbors was the glory of the apostles. St. Clement of Alexandria “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?” (v. 17) When we taste love, through our material giving, then we enjoy giving and realize the inner satisfaction, and we can love our brothers and God to the point of death. God does not require giving for the sake of feeding the poor, but to present to Him the offering of our sweet love so He may accept it. As St. Paul wrote, “Not that I seek the gift, but I seek the fruit that abounds to your account.” (Phil. 4:17) The second reason is what St. John Chrysostom wrote: [It teaches you how to resemble God, and this is the source of all goodness.] The third reason is that we share in the sufferings of the other members of the body of Christ. If alms given to the least are given to Christ, there is no reason for anyone to prefer earthly things to heavenly ones or to place human things before divine ones. St. Cyprian “My little children let us not love in word or in tongue, but in deed and in truth.” (v. 18) If we love our brothers, in deed and in truth, that is in Christ Jesus, and not in vain glory, then we know that we are abiding in Christ “The Truth,” and our hearts are confident before God who examines the hearts. In loving our brothers, we do not ask for the praise of men and their testimony, for they do not know our inner motives, but we ask for God’s testimony, “But our boasting is this: the testimony of our conscience…” (2 Cor. 1:12), that is, our inner private glory which no one knows except God and us. It is not enough to have good intentions. You must also put them into effect with genuine willingness and a happy heart. St. John Chrysostom Actions speak louder than words. Hilary of Arles “For if our heart condemns us, God is greater than our heart, and knows all things.” (v. 20) If through our inner life, we realize that our motives in doing good deeds are not correct, then let us bow to the Lord and confess our weaknesses, in spite of the praise of men to us, for He is greater than our hearts and able to correct our motives. He says, “For God is greater than our heart;” that is, God’s power is greater than the consciences that belong to the soul, because God’s love knows everything. St. Clement of Alexandria “Beloved, if our heart does not condemn us, we have confidence toward God.” (v. 21) If our hearts testify that we truly love God, then we have confidence, not only toward men, but toward God also. Our conscience gives us a true answer, which we love and that genuine love is in us, not affected but sincereness, seeking our brother’s salvation and expecting nothing from him except his salvation. St. Augustine As long as you are in this life, do not ignore or reject the warning of your conscience. For if you do so, when you have run your course, your conscience will rise up against you and accuse you before your Judge, and thrust you in front of the judge’s sentence and turn you to eternal punishment. You will not have to endure this if along the way you show yourself kindness toward this adversary and accept his well-intended which rebukes with gratitude. St. Cyril of Alexandria D. Our Trust in God our Father: “And whatever we ask we receive from Him, because we keep His commandments and do those things that are pleasing in His sight.” (v. 22) When we love God, we keep His commandments. He is pleased with us, and does not make us in need of anything, but trusts us with everything, since we are faithful in our love to our brothers. What are the things that are pleasing in His sight? 1.To believe in the name of His Son Jesus Christ, that is, to accept Him as a Savior and Redeemer, as a propitiation for our sins. “And this is His commandment that we should believe on the name of His Son Jesus Christ.…” (v. 23) 2.To love our brothers so we may enjoy God’s love to us. “And love one another as He gave us commandment.” (v. 23) By keeping this commandment, that is, by believing in His Son Jesus Christ and loving the brothers, we abide in Him and He in us, for he said, “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.” (v. 24) Our abiding in Him is not mere words or imagination, but requires our keeping His commandments, which focus on love. Who can love except by the Holy Spirit whom He has given us. By this Holy Spirit, we are cleansed and nourished. This is the Sprit of God which all the heretics have rejected by their disobedience to the church; they became straw not wheat, in spite of their existence among her. St. Augustine “And hereby we know that He dwells in us by His Spirit, which He has given us;” that is, by superintendence and foresight of future events. St. Clement of Alexandria
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