1 John 3:24

And he that keepeth his commandments dwelleth in him, and he in him. And hereby we know that he abideth in us, by the Spirit which he hath given us. DWELLETH IN HIM. The Believer dwelleth in Christ. AND HE IN HIM - Christ in the believer. Reciprocity. 'The key-note of the letter, abide in Him, with which the former part concluded' () (Alford). HEREBY - `herein we (believers) know that He abideth in us, namely, from (the presence in us of) the Spirit.' This prepares, by mention of the true Spirit, for the transition to false "spirits," 1 John 4:1; after which he returns again to love....

24_And he that keepeth his commandments _He confirms what I have already stated, that the union we have with God is evident when we entertain mutual love: not that our union begins thereby, but that it cannot be fruitless or without effect whenever it begins to exist. And he proves this by adding a reason, because God does not abide in us, except his Spirit dwells in us. But wherever the Spirit is, he necessarily manifests his power and efficiency. We hence readily conclude, that none abide in God and are united to him, but those who keep his commandments. When, therefore, he says, _and by this we know_, the copulative, _and_, as a reason is here given, is to be rendered, “for,” or, “because.” But the character of the present reason ought to be considered; for though the sentence in words agrees with that of Paul, when he says that the Spirit testifies to our hearts that we are the child...

22-24 When believers had confidence towards God, through the Spirit of adoption, and by faith in the great High Priest, they might ask what they would of their reconciled Father. They would receive it, if good for them. And as good-will to men was proclaimed from heaven, so good-will to men, particularly to the brethren, must be in the hearts of those who go to God and heaven. He who thus follows Christ, dwells in Him as his ark, refuge, and rest, and in the Father through him. This union between Christ and the souls of believers, is by the Spirit he has given them. A man may believe that God is gracious before he knows it; yet when faith has laid hold on the promises, it sets reason to work. This Spirit of God works a change; in all true Christians it changes from the power of Satan to the power of God. Consider, believer, how it changes thy heart. Dost not thou long for peace with God...

Verse 1 John 3:24. _DWELLETH IN HIM_] i.e. in God; _and he_-God, _in_ _him_-the believer. _AND HEREBY WE KNOW_] We know by the Spirit which he hath given us that we dwell in God, and God in us. It was not by _conjecture_ or _inference_ that Christians of old knew they were in the favour of God, it was by the testimony of God's own Spirit in their hearts; and this testimony was not given in a _transient_ manner, but was _constant_ and _abiding_ while they continued under the influence of that faith that worketh by love. Every good man is a temple of the Holy Ghost, and wherever he is, he is both _light_ and _power_. By his _power_ he _works_; by his _light_ he makes both himself and his work _known_. Peace of conscience and joy in the Holy Ghost must proceed from the indwelling of that Ho

AND HE THAT KEEPETH HIS COMMANDMENTS ... - See the notes at John 14:23. AND HEREBY WE KNOW THAT HE ABIDETH IN US - That is, this is another certain evidence that we are true Christians. The Saviour had promised John 14:23 that he would come and take up his abode with his people. John says that we have proof that he does this by the Spirit which he has given us. That is, the Holy Spirit is imparted to his people to enlighten their minds; to elevate their affections; to sustain them in times of trial; to quicken them in the performance of duty; and to imbue them with the temper and spirit of the Lord Jesus. When these effects exist, we may be certain that the Spirit of God is with us; for these are the “fruits” of that Spirit, or these are the

EXPOSITION 1 JOHN 3:1 TO 1 JOHN 5:12 3. SECOND MAIN DIVISION. _God is Love._ 1 JOHN 3:1 (1) The _evidence of sonship. _Righteousness. 1 JOHN 3:1 The Divine birth is the outcome of the Divine love. 1 JOHN 3:1 BEHOLD WHAT MANNER OF LOVE! Ποταπός;_ _literally, "of what country," in the New Testament always implies amazement; but,

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, John 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

1 John 3:1. _Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God:_ Behold it, wonder at it, and never cease to admire it. Is it not one of the greatest marvels that even God himself has ever wrought that we should be called the sons of God? 1 John 3:1. _Therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not._ It does not know the Father, then how should it know the children? It did not know the elder Brother, the firstborn among many brethren, and as it did not know him, how should it know us? 1 John 3:2. Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we

V. HEREBY WE KNOW Chapter S 3:19-5:13 _ 1. Hereby we know that we are of the truth (1 John 3:19)_ 2. Hereby know ye the Spirit of God (1 John 4:1) 3. Hereby know we the Spirit of truth and of error (1 John 4:5) 4. The Love manifested toward us (1 John 4:7) 5. The final tests as to the possession of eternal life (1 John 4:20; 1 John 5:1) 1 John 3:19 .

The hatred of the world is to be expected, but within the Christian brotherhood there must be love, manifesting itself in deeds of self-sacrifice in imitation of Christ's love. If we possess this spirit we shall be able to silence inward misgivings as to our standing before God, because we obey Him in that we believe in Christ and love one another. Such obedience ensures His indwelling, attested by the gift of His Spirit. 1 JOHN 3:14. The teaching is the same as in 1 John 2:9 f., except that the metaphor has been changed, and the soul's lack of correspondence with its spiritual environment is described as death. 1 John 3:15_ a_. An echo of...