Sermon B: 5th S Easter: I John 3:22

In preparation for Sunday, May 14, we examine the three readings for this 5th Sunday of Easter including Acts 8:26-40 (Ethiopian eunuch); I John 3:18-24 (love in deed and truth) and John 15:1-8 (I am the Vine). The verse chosen to preach on is I John 3:22 which reads, “And whatever we ask we receive from Him, because we keep His commandments and do those things that are pleasing in His sight.”

Is there a verse other than this one which appears to be so contrary to the Christian faith which faith teaches that we are saved not by works but by grace through faith? Instead, this passage gives the impression that God gives us what we request because we obey His commandments and the things we do are pleasing in His sight! Once more we find a verse that can create much confusion without making the proper distinction between Law and Gospel.

As we have already noted, the theological difference to keep in mind is not only that between God’s use of the Law and His use of the Gospel. The other difference to keep in mind is the two ways in which the concept of Law/Gospel is understood. For example, those who live under the Law imagine that the Law is given to us by God to follow in order to please Him. Then the Gospel good news is that once God is pleased with you, He rewards you by making you a member of His family.

So different is the view of those who live under the Gospel. The law from God is now understood to be used to show people their sins and make them aware of their lost condition. The Gospel is then understood as the gracious gift from God Himself to provide salvation by becoming a human being, suffer and die on the cross as our Substitute.

So you can imagine the confusion when our relationship appears to be dependent on our keeping His commandments and do those things that are pleasing in His sight (I John 3:22). But we realize that even as a Christian we are unable to do perfect, sinless works and thus always fall short of pleasing God entirely. How then can be ever hope that He will give us what we request if we fail to obey the Ten Commandments?

That is precisely our problem by imagining that to “keep His commandments” means that we obey the Ten Commandments. That may be true under the old covenant established in Exodus 24 in which the people promise to obey Him. However, under the new covenant, to “keep His commandments” cannot mean to obey His Law perfectly for no one would be saved. Then what does it mean to “keep His commandment”?

We need go no further than the next verse 23 which reads, “And this is His commandment: that we should BELIEVE on the name of His Son Jesus Christ and love one another, as He gave us commandment.” Note the huge difference between an obedience that is established by perfect behavior in contrast to an obedience that is established through faith on the name of Jesus Christ.

My plan for this Sunday is to pretend that verse 22 is interpreted to mean that Christians better be sinless in their works or else God won’t provide them with what they want. Once the hearers realize that the burden is too great, then verse 23 would be quoted to reveal that salvation is not by our works but through faith in the works of Jesus Christ. Once more the distinction between Law and Gospel clarifies that which at first appears confusing but is soon understood to be in agreement with the rest of God’s holy, inerrant Word.