I John 3:20 “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.”
Those who are not Children of God, who have NOT been “born again” (John 3:1-8) by the Holy spirit, have no condemnation in the “heart”; for, they do not have a loving and caring “heart” that is troubled by their sin. Children of God can feel a deep and painful sense of condemnation because God has given them “an heart to know” Him in a loving and worshipful way. This passage is given to comfort us; for, “all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23), and our sin certainly does shamefully “condemn us”. But to console the broken hearted sinners, John assures us that “God is greater than our heart, and knoweth all things”; that is, while we confess our sins to Him and cry out in repentance to Him, He already knows all about our sins and He is “greater than our heart”. Because He is “greater than our heart”, He lovingly and tenderly overcomes the condemnation in our hearts, assuring us that He is a forgiving God and that, not even sin, can interrupt His “great love” for us (Romans 8:39; Ephesians 2:4). To make sure that we understand, John says it another way: “Beloved, if our heart condemn us not, then have we confidence toward God.”; that is, when our Heavenly Father gives us peace (concerning our sin), we are relieved of the painful condemnation and are assured of God’s love for us. This is not a license to sin; for, sin’s condemnation is exceedingly painful to the Children of God and is a strong deterrent to sin. It would be devastating to be left in this state of condemnation; but, our merciful and gracious God “is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (I John 1:9). Now, as Jeremiah joyfully proclaimed, “This I recall to my mind, therefore have I hope. 22 It is of the LORD’S mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not. 23 They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness. 24 The LORD is my portion, saith my soul; therefore will I hope in him.” (Lamentations 3:21-24)!