And whatsoever we ask, we receive of him, because we keep his commandments, and do those things that are pleasing in his sight.
All Commentaries on 1 John 3:22 Go To 1 John 3
Augustine of Hippo
AD 430
Therefore, not in the sight of men, but where God Himself sees, in the heart— we have confidence, then, towards God: and whatsoever we ask, we shall receive of Him: howbeit, because we keep His commandments. What are His commandments? Must we be always repeating? A new commandment give I unto you, that you love one another. John 13:34 It is charity itself that he speaks of, it is this that he enforces. Whoso then shall have brotherly charity, and have it before God, where God sees, and his heart being interrogated under righteous examination make him none other answer than that the genuine root of charity is there for good fruits to come from; that man has confidence with God, and whatsoever he shall ask, he shall receive of Him, because he keeps His commandments.
Here a question meets us: for it is not this or that man, or you or I that come in question—for if I have asked any thing of God and receive it not, any person may easily say of me, He has not charity: and of any man soever of this present time, this may easily be said; and let any think what he will, a man of man:— not we, but those come more in question, those men of whom it is on all hands known that they were saints when they wrote, and that they are now with God. Where is the man that has charity, if Paul had it not, who said, Our mouth is open unto you, O you Corinthians, our heart is enlarged; you are not straitened in us: who said, I will myself be spent for your souls: and so great grace was in him, that it was manifested that he had charity. And yet we find that he asked and did not receive. What say we, brethren? It is a question: look attentively to God: it is a great question, this also. Just as, where it was said of sin, He that is born of God sins not: we found this sin to be the violating of charity, and that this was the thing strictly intended in that place: so too we ask now what it is that he would say. For if you look but to the words, it seems plain: if you take the examples into the account, it is obscure. Than the words here nothing can be plainer. And whatsoever we ask, we shall receive of Him, because we keep His commandments, and do those things that are pleasing in His sight. Whatsoever we ask, says he, we shall receive of Him. He has put us sorely to straits. In the other place also he would put us to straits, if he meant all sin: but then we found room to expound it in this, that he meant it of a certain sin, not of all sin; howbeit of a sin which whosoever is born of God commits not: and we found that this same sin is none other than the violation of charity. We have also a manifest example from the Gospel, when the Lord says, If I had not come, they had not had sin. John 15:22 How? Were the Jews innocent when He came to them, because He so speaks? Then if He had not come, would they have had no sin? Then did the Physician's presence make one sick, not take away the fever? What madman even would say this? He came not but to cure and heal the sick. Therefore when He said, If I had not come, they had not had sin, what would He have to be understood, but a certain sin in particular? For there was a sin which the Jews would not have had. What sin? That they believed not on Him, that when he had come they despised Him. As then He there said sin, and it does not follow that we are to understand all sin, but a certain sin: so here also not all sin, lest it be contrary to that place where he says, If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us: 1 John 1:8 but a certain sin in particular, that is, the violation of charity. But in this place he has bound us more tightly: If we shall ask, he has said, if our heart accuse us not, and tell us in answer, in the sight of God, that true love is in us; Whatsoever we ask, we shall receive of Him.
Well now: I have already told you, my, beloved brethren, let no man turn toward us. For what are we? Or what are you? What, but the Church of God which is known to all? And, if it please Him, in that Church are we; and those of us who by love abide in it, there let us persevere, if we would show the love we have. But then the apostle Paul, what evil are we to think of him? He not love the brethren! He not have within himself the testimony of his conscience in the sight of God! Paul not have within him that root of charity whence all good fruits proceeded! What madman would say this? Well then: where find we that the apostle asked and did not receive? He says himself: Lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the revelations, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, an angel of Satan to buffet me. For which thing I besought the Lord thrice, that He would take it from me. And He said unto me, My grace is sufficient for you: for strength is made perfect in weakness. 2 Corinthians 12:7-9 Lo, he was not heard in his prayer that the angel of Satan should be taken from him. But wherefore? Because it was not good for him. He was heard, then, for salvation, when he was not heard according to his wish. Know, my beloved, a great mystery: which we urge upon your consideration on purpose that it may not slip from you in your temptations. The saints are in all things heard unto salvation: they are always heard in that which respects their eternal salvation; it is this that they desire: because in regard of this, their prayers are always heard.
But let us distinguish God's different ways of hearing prayer. For we find some not heard for their wish, heard for salvation: and again some we find heard for their wish, not heard for salvation. Mark this difference, hold fast this example of a man not heard for his wish but heard for salvation. Hear the apostle Paul; for what is the hearing of prayer unto salvation, God Himself showed him: Sufficient for you, says He, is my grace; for strength is perfected in weakness. You have besought, hast cried, hast thrice cried: the very cry you raised once for all I heard, I turned not away my ears from you; I know what I should do: you would have it taken away, the healing thing by which you are burned; I know the infirmity by which you are burdened. Well then: here is a man who was heard for salvation, while as to his will he was not heard. Where find we persons heard for their will, not heard for salvation? Do we find, think we, some wicked, some impious man, heard of God for his will, not heard for salvation? If I put to you the instance of some man, perchance you will say to me, It is you that callest him wicked, for he was righteous; had he not been righteous, his prayer would not have been heard by God. The instance I am about to allege is of one, of whose iniquity and impiety none can doubt. The devil himself: he asked for Job, and received. Job 1:11-12 Have ye not here also heard concerning the devil, that he that commits sin is of the devil? Not that the devil created, but that the sinner imitates. Is it not said of him, He stood not in the truth? John 8:44 Is not even he that old serpent, who, through the woman pledged the first man in the drink of poison? Genesis 3:1-6 Who even in the case of Job, kept for him his wife, that by her the husband might be, not comforted, but tempted? The devil asked for a holy man, to tempt him; and he received: the apostle asked that the thorn in the flesh might be taken from him, and he received not. But the apostle was more heard than the devil. For the apostle was heard for salvation, though not for his wish: the devil was heard for his wish, but for damnation. For that Job was yielded up to him to be tempted, was in order that by his standing the proof the devil should be tormented. But this, my brethren, we find not only in the Old Testament books, but also in the Gospel. The demons besought the Lord, when He expelled them from the man, that they might be permitted to go into the swine. Should the Lord not have power to tell them not to approach even those creatures? For, had it not been His will to permit this, they were not about to rebel against the King of heaven and earth. But with a view to a certain mystery, with a certain ulterior meaning, He let the demons go into the swine: to show that the devil has dominion in them that lead the life of swine. Demons then were heard in their request; was the apostle not heard? Or rather (what is truer) shall we say, The apostle was heard, the demons not heard? Their will was effected; his good was perfected.
Agreeably with this, we ought to understand that God, though He give not to our will, does give for our salvation. For sup pose the thing you have asked be to your hurt, and the Physician knows that it is to your hurt; what then? It is not to be said that the physician does not give ear to you, when, perhaps, you ask for cold water, and if it is good for you, he gives it immediately, if not good, he gives it not. Had he no ears for your request, or rather, did he give ear for your good, even when he gainsaid your will? Then let there be in you charity, my brethren; let it be in you, and then set your minds at rest: even when the thing ye ask for is not given you, your prayer is granted, only, you know it not. Many have been given into their own hands, to their own hurt: of whom the apostle says, God gave them up to their own hearts' lusts. Romans 1:24 Some man has asked for a great sum of money; he has received, to his hurt. When he had it not, he had little to fear; no sooner did he come to have it, than he became a prey to the more powerful. Was not that man's request granted to his own hurt, who would needs have that for which he should be sought after by the robber, whereas, being poor, none sought after him? Learn to beseech God that you may commit it to the Physician to do what He knows best. Confess the disease, let Him apply the means of healing. Only hold fast charity. For He will needs cut, will needs burn; what if you cry out, and art not spared for your crying under the cutting, under the burning and the tribulation, yet He knows how far the rottenness reaches. You would have Him even now take off His hands, and He considers only the deepness of the sore; He knows how far to go. He does not attend to you for your will, but he does attend to you for your healing. Be sure, then, my brethren, that what the apostle says is true: For we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered: for He makes intercession for the saints. Romans 8:26-27 How is it said, The Spirit itself intercedes for the saints, but as meaning the charity which is wrought in you by the Spirit? For therefore says the same apostle: The charity of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Spirit which is given unto us. Romans 5:5 It is charity that groans, it is charity that prays: against it He who gave it cannot shut His ears. Set your minds at rest: let charity ask, and the ears of God are there. Not that which you wish is done, but that is done which is advantageous. Therefore, whatever we ask, says he, we shall receive of Him, I have already said, If you understand it to mean, for salvation, there is no question: if not for salvation, there is a question, and a great one, a question that makes you an accuser of the apostle Paul. Whatever we ask, we receive of Him, because we keep His commandments, and do these things that are pleasing in His sight: within, where He sees.
