“By this is love perfected with us, so that we may have confidence for the day of judgment, because as he is so also are we in this world. There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. For fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not been perfected in love. We love because he first loved us.” (1 John 4:17-19 ESV)
Fear is one of the strongest emotions humans feel. From childhood fears of the dark or of broccoli to adult fears like the failure to achieve, there is always something that frightens us. There are countless remedies proposed to overcome these fears, from medication to meditation, but many people find them insufficient to deal with the root of the issue.
Perhaps the greatest fear that abides in the heart of mankind is the fear of being unloved. People fear being unloved not just in the sense of being romantically uninvolved but finding themselves without anyone who truly cares for them. To be no more than a passerby or a name on an address label is a deeply terrifying thought—and appropriately so. Yet an even more fearful prospect is being unloved for eternity, as sinners separated from God.
All the man-made religions of the world ultimately seek to offer their adherents certainty of a joyful existence in the life to come, with that joy rooted in peace and love. Of course, none of them can deliver on their promises, and the enduring ache left by the absence of real fellowship with others cannot be removed by the world’s solutions. But, praise be to God, there is an answer to the problem: communion with God, for which we were created.
As John continues his discourse on God’s love, he directly connects it to the eternal existence that is to come. He says, “By this is love perfected with us, so that we may have confidence for the day of judgment.” When he says, “By this,” he is referring to his previous statement, “whoever abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him.” The love of God is perfected in us when we abide in God and his love, which then flows outward into love for one another. When John says it is “perfected,” he does not mean that we are made perfect in this life, but that God’s love is complete and producing its intended result.
When that love bears fruit in us, it gives “confidence for the day of judgment.” It does so because it clearly displays the union we have with Christ as our Savior because, “as he is so also are we in this world.” When our experience of God’s love causes us to abide in that love and love one another, we behave as Christ in the world. This assured evidence of our spiritual union with him is the basis for our justification and glorification.
It is also noteworthy that John says, “in this world.” He is again drawing the attention of his readers to the reality that true faith is lived out. The love of God poured into our hearts is intended to be made manifest to all who see us.
Martin Luther said, “It is the duty of every Christian to be Christ to his neighbor.” By that, he meant that the church, as the hands and feet of Christ on earth, is to be a witness to him. The way we exemplify and communicate his love represents Christ himself.
John continues, “There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear.” This love that is being brought to completion in us is the only real antidote to the deep-seated fear we experience. Perhaps even more fundamental is that the perfect love of God for us casts out our fear of condemnation. The fear of eternal separation from God and from his people is undone by the proactive, eternal, lost-sheep-seeking love of God for those who trust in Christ.
The love we show to one another as we abide in Christ only exists because we were first loved by him. That love then bears fruit in our own hearts, which then manifests further into love for one another and for the world. The love of God is the never-ending fountainhead of our experience and expression of love.In a world dominated by all manner of fears, only the love of God, which takes root and bears fruit in us, satisfies our deepest desires and relieves our deepest fears.
Prayer:
Heavenly Father,
You have made us for communion with you. Our sin has separated us from you, yet you sent Christ to die for us that we might be redeemed. Teach us to abide in your love and to love one another, that our fears may subside as we await the return of Christ.
In his name, amen.
Prayer Requests:
- Tuesday: Pray for missionaries serving in camp ministry with Goroka Baptist Bible College as they minister to approximately 500 teenagers each year.
- Wednesday: Pray for the Seigu Medical Clinic in Papua New Guinea.
- Thursday: Pray for medical missionaries working with International Healthcare Ministries.
- Friday: Pray for missionaries in East Asia serving with Kerusso Media as they provide free resources for the local church and Bible institute.
- Saturday: Pray for the Center for Youth Ministry in Ukraine.
- Sunday: Pray for missionaries in the Mediterranean and Middle East.
- Monday: Pray for missionaries serving in women’s ministry.
Featured Opportunity to Serve:
Doane Rest Assistant Manager
Location: Philippines
We are looking for someone gifted in hospitality to manage and coordinate operations of the Doane Rest Center.
