Albert Barnes Commentary 1 John 3

CHAPTER III

ANALYSIS OF THE CHAPTER.

This chapter embraces the following subjects:

1. The fact that Christians are now the sons of God (1 John 3:1–3).
   1. We are the sons of God, and this will explain the reason why the world does not appreciate our character, or understand the reasons of our conduct (1 John 3:1).
   2. The consequences of sustaining that relation to God, or of being regarded as His sons.
      1. We shall be like Him when He appears (1 John 3:2).
      2. We shall purify ourselves under the influence of this hope (1 John 3:3).
2. The fact that he who is an adopted child of God does not commit sin (1 John 3:4–10).
   1. All sin is the transgression of the law (1 John 3:4).
   2. Christ was manifested to take away our sins (1 John 3:5).
   3. He that commits sin is of the devil (1 John 3:8).
   4. As a matter of fact, he who is of God does not commit sin (1 John 3:7, 9, 10).
3. True religion will be manifested by love to the Christian brotherhood (1 John 3:10–18).
   1. As a man who is not righteous cannot be a true Christian, neither can he who does not love his brother (1 John 3:10).
   2. It is the solemn command of the Saviour that His followers should love one another (1 John 3:11).
   3. The importance of this is seen by the opposite conduct of Cain (1 John 3:12).
   4. Love to the brethren furnishes the most certain evidence that we have passed from death to life (1 John 3:14).
   5. A man who hates another is in fact a murderer, and, of course, cannot be a true child of God (1 John 3:15).
   6. We should be stimulated to the love of the brethren by the example of the Saviour, who laid down His life for us (1 John 3:16).
   7. If we see a brother in want, and have the means of aiding him, and do not do it, we cannot have the love of God dwelling in us (1 John 3:17–18).
4. We may have evidence that we love God by the consciousness of our feelings towards Him, as well as by outward acts towards His friends (1 John 3:19–21).
5. If we keep His commandments our prayers will be answered (1 John 3:22–23).
   1. There is an assurance that we shall receive what we need if we ask it, and keep His commandments (1 John 3:22).
   2. The particular commandments on which the efficacy of prayer so much depends, are:
      1. that we believe on the name of the Saviour, and
      2. that we love the Christian brotherhood (1 John 3:23).
6. We may know that we abide in God by the spirit which He has given us, as well as by keeping His commandments (1 John 3:24).

This chapter, therefore, is occupied mainly with stating what are the evidences of true piety; and, in order to determine this question, there is perhaps no part of the Bible that may be studied with more profit than this portion of the writings of John.

Behold, what manner of love. What love, in kind and in degree. In kind the most tender and the most ennobling, in adopting us into His family, and in permitting us to address Him as our Father; in degree the most exalted, since there is no higher love that can be shown than in adopting a poor and friendless orphan, and giving him a parent and a home.

Even God could bestow upon us no more valuable token of affection than that we should be adopted into His family, and permitted to regard Him as our Father. When we remember how insignificant we are as creatures, and how ungrateful, rebellious, and vile we have been as sinners, we may well be amazed at the love which would adopt us into the holy family of God, so that we may be regarded and treated as the children of the Most High.

A prince could manifest no higher love for a wandering, ragged, vicious orphan boy, found in the streets, than by adopting him into his own family, and admitting him to the same privileges and honors as his own sons; and yet this would be a trifle compared with the honor which God has bestowed on us.

The Father has bestowed upon us. God, regarded as a Father, or as at the head of the universe considered as one family. That we should be called the sons of God. That is, that we should be the sons of God—the word called being often used in the sense of to be. On the nature and privileges of adoption, see Barnes on Romans 8:15 and following, and 2 Corinthians 6:18; and for practical remarks on that chapter, see his comments on 1 Corinthians 6:19 and 1 Corinthians 6:20.

Therefore the world knows us not. It does not understand our principles, the reasons of our conduct, or the sources of our comforts and joys.

The people of the world regard us as fanatics or enthusiasts. They see us as foolish for abandoning the pleasures and pursuits in which they engage, as renouncing certain happiness for that which is uncertain. They view us as cherishing false and delusive hopes for the future, and as practicing needless austerities with nothing to compensate for the pleasures that are abandoned.

There is nothing that the gay, the ambitious, and the selfish understand less than the elements that constitute the Christian's character, and the nature and source of the Christian's joys.

Because it knew him not. The world did not know the Lord Jesus Christ. That is, the world had no right views of the real character of the Lord Jesus when He was on earth. They mistook Him for an enthusiast or an impostor; and it is no wonder that, having wholly mistaken His character, they should mistake ours. On the fact that the world did not know Him, see Barnes on 1 Corinthians 2:8 and Acts 3:17.

Compare John 17:25. On the fact that Christians may be expected to be regarded and treated as their Saviour was, see Barnes on John 15:18 and John 15:19; and on John 15:20.

Compare Matthew 10:24-25.

Beloved, now are we the sons of God. We now, in fact, sustain this rank and dignity, and we may reflect on that with pleasure and gratitude. It is in itself an exalted honor and may be contemplated as such, whatever may be true concerning what is to come. In the dignity and privileges we now enjoy, we may find a subject for grateful reflection and a cause for thankfulness, even if we should look to nothing beyond, or when we contemplate the fact by itself.

And it doth not yet appear what we shall be. It is not fully revealed what we shall be in the future; what will be the full result of being regarded as the children of God. There are, indeed, certain things that may be inferred as following from this. There is enough to animate us with hope and to sustain us in the trials of life. There is one thing that is clear: we shall be like the Son of God; but what is fully involved in this is not made known.

1. Perhaps it could not be revealed in such a way that we could understand it, because that state may be so unlike the present that no words could fully convey the conception to our minds.
2. Perhaps it may be necessary for our condition here, as on probation, that no more light should be provided concerning the future than what is needed to stimulate us to make efforts to reach a world where all is light. For an illustration of the sentiment expressed here by the apostle, see Barnes' notes on 2 Peter 1:4.

But we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him. It is revealed to us that we shall be made like Christ; that is, in the bodies with which we shall be raised up, in character, in happiness, in glory. (See Barnes' notes on Philippians 3:21; see also his notes on 2 Corinthians 3:18.)

This is enough to satisfy the Christian in his prospects for the future world. To be like Christ is the object of his supreme aim. For that he lives, and all his aspirations concerning the coming world may be summed up in this—that he wishes to be like the glorified Son of God and to share his honors and his joys. (See Barnes' notes on Philippians 3:10.)

For we shall see him as he is. It is clearly implied here that there will be an influence in beholding the Savior as He is, which will tend to make us like Him, or to transform us into His likeness. See the nature of this influence explained in Barnes' notes on 2 Corinthians 3:18.

Regarding the phrase "see him," refer to Job 19:26; Psalms 17:15; Matthew 5:8; 1 Corinthians 13:12.

And every man that hath this hope in him. This hope of seeing the Saviour, and of being made like him; that is, every true Christian. On the nature and influence of hope, see Barnes on Romans 8:24 and Romans 8:25.

Purifieth himself. Makes himself holy. That is, under the influence of this hope of being like the Saviour, he puts forth those efforts in struggling against sin, and in overcoming his evil propensities, which are necessary to make him pure. The apostle would not deny that for the success of these efforts we are dependent on Divine aid; but he brings into view, as is often done in the sacred writings, the agency of man himself as essentially connected with success. . The particular thought here is, that the hope of being like Christ, and of being permitted to dwell with him, will lead a man to earnest efforts to become holy, and will be actually followed by such a result.

Even as he is pure. The same kind of purity here, the same degree hereafter. That is, the tendency of such a hope is to make him holy now, though he may be imperfect; the effect will be to make him perfectly holy in the world to come. It cannot be shown from this passage that the apostle meant to teach that anyone actually becomes as pure in the present life as the Saviour is—that is, becomes perfectly holy—for all that is fairly implied in it is that those who have this hope in them aim at the same purity and will ultimately obtain it.

But the apostle does not say that it is attained in this world. If the passage did teach this, it would teach it respecting everyone who has this hope, and then the doctrine would be that no one can be a Christian who does not become absolutely perfect on earth; that is, not that some Christians may become perfect here, but that all actually do.

But none, it is presumed, will hold this to be a true doctrine. A true Christian does not, indeed, habitually and willfully sin; but no one can pretend that all Christians attain to a state of sinless perfection on earth, or are, in fact, as pure as the Saviour was. But unless the passage proves that every Christian becomes absolutely perfect in the present life, it does not prove that in fact any do. It proves:

1. that the tendency, or the fair influence of this hope, is to make the Christian pure;

2. that all who cherish it will, in fact, aim to become as holy as the Saviour was; and

3. that this object will, at some future period, be accomplished. There is a world where all who are redeemed shall be perfectly holy.

Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law (1 John 3:4). This refers to the law of God given to humanity as a rule of life. The apostle's object here is to inspire them to holiness and to deter them from committing sin, perhaps in view of the fact stated in 1 John 3:3, that everyone who has the hope of heaven will aim to be holy like the Savior.

To confirm this, he shows them that, as a matter of fact, those who are born of God do lead lives of obedience (1 John 3:5–10). He introduces this by showing the nature of sin in the verse we are considering. The considerations by which he would deter them from indulging in sin are the following:

• All sin is a violation of the law of God (1 John 3:4).
• The very object of the coming of Christ was to deliver people from sin (1 John 3:5).
• Those who are true Christians do not habitually sin (1 John 3:6).
• Those who sin cannot be true Christians but are of the devil (1 John 3:8).
• He who is born of God has a germ or principle of true piety in him and cannot sin (1 John 3:9).

It seems evident that the apostle is here combating an opinion which then existed that people might sin and yet be true Christians (1 John 3:7). He feared that there was a danger that this opinion would become prevalent.

On what ground this opinion was held is unknown. Perhaps it was held that all that was necessary to constitute religion was to embrace the doctrines of Christianity or to be orthodox in the faith; perhaps that it was not expected that people would become holy in this life, and therefore they might indulge in acts of sin; perhaps that Christ came to modify and relax the law, and that the freedom which He procured for them was freedom to indulge in whatever they chose; perhaps that, since Christians were heirs of all things, they had a right to enjoy all things; perhaps that human passions were so strong that they could not be restrained, and that therefore it was not wrong to give indulgence to the propensities with which our Creator has formed us.

All these opinions have been held under various forms of Antinomianism, and it is not at all improbable that some or all of them prevailed in the time of John. The argument which he urges would be applicable to any of them. The consideration which he here states is that all sin is a transgression of law, and that he who commits it, under whatever pretense, is to be held as a transgressor of the law.

The literal rendering of this passage is, "He who does sin (amartian) does also transgression (anomian)." Sin is the generic term embracing all that would be wrong. The word transgression (anomia) is a specific term, showing where the wrong lay, namely, in violating the law.

For sin is the transgression of the law (1 John 3:4). That is, all sin involves this as a consequence: that it is a violation of the law. The apostle's object is not so much to define sin as to deter from its commission by stating what is its essential nature—though he has in fact given the best definition of it that could be given.

The essential idea is that God has given a law to humanity to regulate their conduct, and that whatever is a departure from that law in any way is held to be sin. The law measures our duty and therefore measures the degree of guilt when it is not obeyed.

The law determines what is right in all cases and, of course, what is wrong when it is not complied with. The law is the expression of God's will as to what we shall do; and when that is not done, there is sin. The law determines what we shall love or not love; when our passions and appetites shall be bounded and restrained, and to what extent they may be indulged; what shall be our motives and aims in living; how we shall act toward God and toward other people; and whenever, in any of these respects, its requirements are not complied with, there is sin.

This will include everything in relation to which the law is given and will embrace what we omit to do when the law has commanded a thing to be done, as well as a positive act of transgression where the law has forbidden a thing. This idea is properly found in the original word rendered "transgression of the law"—anomia.

This word occurs in the New Testament only in the following places: Matthew 7:23; 13:41; 23:28; 24:12; Romans 4:7; 6:19; 2 Thessalonians 2:7; Titus 2:14; Hebrews 1:9; 8:12; 10:17, in all which places it is rendered "iniquity" and "iniquities"; in 2 Corinthians 6:14, where it is rendered "unrighteousness"; and in this verse twice.

It properly means lawlessness, in the sense that the requirements of the law are not conformed to or complied with; that is, either by not obeying it or by positively violating it. When a parent commands a child to do a thing, and the child does not do it, he is as truly guilty of violating the law as when he does a thing which is positively forbidden. This important verse, therefore, may be considered in two aspects: as a definition of the nature of sin, and as an argument against indulgence in it or against committing it.

I. As a definition of the nature of sin. It teaches the following:

• That there is a rule of law by which the conduct of humankind is to be regulated and governed, and to which it is to be conformed.
• That there is sin in all cases where that law is not complied with, and that all who do not comply with it are guilty before God.
• That the particular thing which determines the guilt of sin, and which measures it, is that it is a departure from law, and consequently that there is no sin where there is no departure from law.

The essential thing is that the law has not been respected and obeyed, and sin derives its character and aggravation from that fact.

No one can reasonably doubt the accuracy of this definition of sin. It is founded on the fact that:

• God has an absolute right to prescribe what we may and may not do.
• It is to be presumed that what He prescribes will be in accordance with what is right.
• Nothing else in fact constitutes sin.

Sin can consist in nothing else.

It does not consist of a particular height of stature or a particular complexion; of a feeble intellect, or an intellect made feeble as the result of any former apostasy; of any constitutional propensity, or any disposition founded in our nature as creatures.

For none of these things do our consciences condemn us; and however we may lament them, we have no consciousness of wrong.

II. As an argument against the commission of sin. This argument may be considered as consisting of two things: the wrong that is done by the violation of law, and the exposure to the penalty.

1. The wrong itself. This wrong, as an argument to deter from sin, arises mainly from two things:
   • Because sin is a violation of the will of God, and it is in itself wrong to disregard that will.
   • Because it is to be presumed that when God has given law there is a good reason why He has done it.
2. The fact that the law has a penalty is an argument for not violating the law. All law has a penalty; that is, there is some suffering, disadvantage, forfeit of privileges, etc., which the violation of law brings with it, and which is to be regarded as an expression of the sense which the lawgiver entertains of the value of his law and of the evil of disobeying it. Many of these penalties of the violation of the Divine law are seen in this life, and all will be certain to occur sooner or later, in this world or in the world to come.

With such views of the law and of sin—of his obligations, and of the evils of disobedience—a Christian should not, and will not, deliberately and habitually violate the law of God.

And you know that he was manifested. The Lord Jesus, the Son of God. "You know that he became incarnate, or appeared among men, for the very purpose of putting an end to sin" (Matthew 1:21). (Compare to 1 Timothy 3:16).

This is the second argument in this paragraph (1 John 3:4–10), by which the apostle would deter us from sin. The argument is a clear one, and is perhaps the strongest that can be made to bear on the mind of a true Christian—that the Lord Jesus saw sin to be so great an evil, that he came into our world, and gave himself to the bitter sorrows of death on the cross, to redeem us from it.

To take away our sins. The essential argument here is that the whole work of Christ was designed to deliver us from the dominion of sin, not to furnish us the means of indulgence in it; and that, therefore, we should be deterred from it by all that Christ has done and suffered for us. He perverts the whole design of the coming of the Savior who supposes that his work was in any degree designed to procure for his followers the indulgences of sin, or who so interprets the methods of his grace as to suppose that it is now lawful for him to indulge his guilty passions. The argument essentially is this:

1. That we profess to be the followers of Christ, and should carry out his ends and views in coming into the world;
2. That the great and leading purpose of his coming was to set us free from the bondage of transgression;
3. That in doing this he gave himself up to a life of poverty, and shame, and sorrow, and to a most bitter death on the cross; and,
4. That we should not indulge in that from which he came to deliver us, and which cost him so much toil and such a death. How could we indulge in that which has brought heavy calamity on the head of a father, or which has pierced a sister's heart with many sorrows? Still more, how can we be so ungrateful and hardhearted as to indulge in that which crushed our Redeemer in death?

And in him is no sin. An additional consideration to show that we should be holy. As he was perfectly pure and spotless, so should all his followers aim to be; and none can truly pretend to be his who do not desire and design to become like him. On the personal holiness of the Lord Jesus, see Hebrews 7:26 and 1 Peter 2:23.