20 For if our heart condemn us, God is greater than our heart, and knoweth all things. 21 Beloved, if our heart condemn us not, then have we confidence toward God. 22 And whatsoever we ask, we receive of him, because we keep his commandments, and do those things that are pleasing in his sight. (1 John 3:20-22 KJV)
Our hearts and God
The apostle, having suggested that believers may possess the privilege of assurance or a sound persuasion of heart toward God, proceeds to establish the court of conscience and assert its authority: “For, if our heart condemns us, God is greater than our heart, and knows all things” (1 John 3:20). Our heart here refers to our self-reflecting judicial power—the noble ability by which we can examine ourselves, our spirits, dispositions, and actions, and then pass judgment on our condition before God. This is the same as conscience, or the power of moral self-awareness.
This power acts as a witness, judge, and executioner of judgment—it either accuses or excuses, condemns or justifies. It is placed in this role by God himself: “The spirit of man is the lamp of the Lord, searching all the inward parts of the belly” (Proverbs 20:27), that is, examining the hidden thoughts and deeds of the inner person. Conscience serves as God’s representative, calling the court in his name and acting for him: “The answer of a good conscience toward God” (1 Peter 3:21). God is the chief Judge of this court. “If our heart condemns us, God is greater than our heart, and knows all things” (1 John 3:20). God is a greater witness than our conscience and knows more against us than it does; he is also a greater Judge—his judgment is supreme, and it will ultimately stand and be executed.
This seems to be the design of another apostle when he says: “For I know nothing by myself” (that is, in the case in which I am criticized by others). “I am not conscious of any deceit or deliberate unfaithfulness in my stewardship and ministry. Yet I am not justified by this; my conscience does not ultimately decide my case. The justifying sentence of my conscience does not settle the matter between you and me. As you do not appeal to its decision, neither do I rest on it; but he who judges me—and finally judges me—is the Lord” (1 Corinthians 4:4).
On the other hand, if our conscience acquits us, God does so too: “Beloved, if our heart does not condemn us, then we have confidence toward God” (1 John 3:21). Then we have assurance that he accepts us now and will acquit us in the final day of judgment. However, some presumptuous soul might say, “I’m glad of this; my heart doesn’t condemn me, and therefore I may conclude God doesn’t.” Likewise, a pious and trembling soul may cry out, “God forbid! My heart condemns me, and must I then expect God’s condemnation?”
Let such individuals understand that errors of the witness are not the acts of the court. Ignorance, error, prejudice, partiality, and presumption may be attributed to faults in the mind, will, appetite, passion, sensual tendencies, or mental disorder—not to the judge itself. Conscience, or suneidēsis, properly means self-awareness. Acts of ignorance and error are not acts of self-awareness but of some mistaken faculty. The court of conscience is described here in its process as originally constituted by God, where what is bound in conscience is bound in heaven. Therefore, let conscience be heard, well-informed, and diligently attended to.
The apostle also points out the privilege of those who have a good conscience toward God. They have access to heaven’s court, and their petitions are heard there: “And whatever we ask we receive from him” (1 John 3:22). It is assumed that such petitioners do not ask for anything contrary to God’s glory or their own spiritual good, and they may therefore expect to receive the good things they request. This assumption is justified by their qualifications and conduct: “Because we keep his commandments and do those things that are pleasing in his sight” (1 John 3:22). Obedient souls are prepared for blessings and are promised a hearing; those who persist in actions displeasing to God cannot expect him to please them by hearing and answering their prayers (Psalm 66:18; Proverbs 28:9).