Little children, let no man deceive you: he that does righteousness is righteous, even as he is righteous.
All Commentaries on 1 John 3:7 Go To 1 John 3
Cornelius a Lapide
AD 1637
Little children, let no man deceive you. Neither Simon nor the Gnostics, who teach that a man is justified by faith only, and that good works are not required in order to his justification, and that if a man retains faith he can love as he pleases. S. Peter, James , and John , all of them opposed this heresy.
He that doeth righteousness is righteous. Not merely some works of righteousness, but perfect and entire righteousness. For no one can completely fulfil the law of God, unless by grace and love, which the righteous alone has. See James 2:10.
(2.) S. John here contrasts the children of God, and the children of the devil. See above ii29. He here speaks of righteousness, in a general sense, as the aggregate of all virtues.
(3.) He who doeth righteousness is righteous, because his Acts , which flow from a habit of righteousness, prove him to be righteous; and they also gain for him an increase of righteousness. And also because he should ever exercise himself in works of righteousness, if he wishes to preserve it. The Apostle speaks not of the infusion, but of the exercise of righteousness, says Thomas Anglicus.
Morally. S. John teaches us that the righteous man should ever be advancing in righteousness, like the Bride in Song of Solomon 6:10, and Proverbs 4:15. S. Augustine says, "That the whole life of a good Christian is a holy longing." See Philippians 3:14; Ezekiel 1:12, of the four living creatures; S. Gregory, Hom. iii.; S. Bernard, Ep. ccliv.; S. Basil, Hexaem. Hom. xi.; and S. Jerome, ad Celantium.
Even as He is righteous. See Psalm 15:10, Psalm 111:7, Psalm 145:13.
The word "as" does not signify equality, but resemblance. No creature can equal the righteousness and holiness of the Creator, but he can imitate it. Just "as a mirror represents the image of a Prayer of Manasseh , not the man himself," says Bede. Hear S. Augustine. "He is pure from eternity, we from faith. We are righteous, even as He is righteous. But He is so in His perpetual unchangeableness, we are righteous by believing in Him we see not, in order that we may see Him hereafter. But not even when our righteousness is perfected, and when we become equal to the angels, shall we become equal to Him. How far then is our righteousness from His now, when even then it will not be equal to His?"
