Expositor's Bible Commentary Commentary 1 John 3:17

"But whoso hath the world`s goods, and beholdeth his brother in need, and shutteth up his compassion from him, how doth the love of God abide in him?" — 1 John 3:17 (ASV)

Again John’s penchant for providing practical “tests” of the validity of one’s faith comes to the fore. How can we know whether we would sacrifice our life for a fellow believer? We can know by being compassionate toward such a one in his or her present need. If we are unable or unwilling to sacrifice material advantage for the sake of our fellow believers, we know that the love of God is not in us. What are the conditions for our involvement? If we are in a position to see with our own eyes someone’s need (as, for example, the good Samaritan did) and can offer help, then we cannot do otherwise than act. To withhold help in such a situation is to shut off compassionate action and to deny the presence of God’s love in our own heart.