Each week throughout 2021, I will share a Bible study blog post taking us through the letter of 1 John. Only five chapters long, this brief book is worthy of our consideration. Whether you drop in for one post or many, I pray that you enjoy them. Access all posts here.
In this section of 1 John, we are learning to let God's love have its perfect work in us (1 John 4:13-21). Last week we considered the importance of growing in an understanding of God's love (4:13-16). Today, John will explain to us how God's love is perfected in us (4:17-18).
With Confidence
17 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.
For far too many Christians, the love of God is a past-tense experience. They saw the love of God in the cross of Christ, became born-again, but proceeded to live in paranoia and skittishness around God. Their basic feeling about and around God is nervousness.
But John tells us it's possible to be confident around God, so much so that may have confidence for the day of judgment (17).
Now, talk about the day of judgment doesn't usually set a Christian at ease (17). You know, you probably wouldn't encourage someone who is doubting God's love for them by saying, "Don't worry, just remember the day of judgment."
Now, I should pause for a moment to remind you that the day of judgment isn't one of life or death for Christians. In Christ, we will not partake in a judgment where our final destiny is in the balance. Jesus said,
"Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life. He does not come into judgment, but has passed from death to life." (John 5:24, ESV)
Instead, the Bible teaches a believer's life will be assessed at the judgment seat of Christ (1 Corinthians 3:12-15, 2 Corinthians 5:10). Did we live for eternity or the temporal? Did we live for God or for the self? But our eternal destiny has already been secured by Jesus.
But John seems to think that if God's love is perfected in us, we will have such confidence before God that even the day of judgment, that day our lives are assessed, isn't a feared event. Now that's confidence!
Know Who You Are
How does one acquire such boldness? John says, because as He is so also are we in this world (17). What does John mean?
Well, part of God's love being perfected in us is that we begin to love like Jesus. The ingestion of God's love changes us.
This is not hard to imagine. Think of someone who has only ever eaten the perfect balance of protein, carbs, and fats in proper portions for the last ten years. They've never overeaten. Sugar is a foreign substance (don't they bother you!). Well, in your imagination, I'm sure that person looks rather fit. What they consumed affected the way they looked.
Perhaps that is the concept John alludes to here. If we consume God's love, we will look like Jesus, and that will give us confidence before God.
But there seems to be more to what John is saying. We aren't actually like Jesus all the time, but the Bible teaches we always have the same position before the Father Jesus did.
"But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved— and raised us up with Him and seated us with Him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus..." (Ephesians 2:4–6, ESV)
And knowing who you are -- so secure it's as if you are already seated with Christ in the heavenly places -- can give you radical confidence before the Lord.
Think of it this way. In elementary school, I ran for some type of class office. For the life of me, I can't remember what it was. But I do remember I had to campaign and make a speech in front of the whole school. And I also remember losing. The run-up to the election, the campaigning, and the nerves as they tallied the ballots were all such an unsettling experience.
Fast forward to my high school years. I decided to run for Athletic Commissioner. And, in our small little school, no one else decided to run. It was such a different campaign experience. It was a lock. So when I gave my speech or awaited the results, I exuded quite a bit of confidence.
In Christ, we are a lock. Our position in Him is secure. As He is so also we are in this world (17). As a result, confidence is ours.
Without Fear
18 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.
Here, John tells us that when love has its perfect work in us when we know who we are in Christ, there is no fear (18). God's perfect love casts out fear (18). Because fear has to do with punishment, someone who still fears punishment has not been perfected in love (18).
For the student of Scripture, this brings up an inevitable question. Doesn't the Bible tell us the fear of the Lord is good? For example, the oft-repeated phrase:
"The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.." (Proverbs 9:10, ESV)
John tells us perfect love gets rid of fear. Proverbs (and other passages) tell us the fear of God is the place wisdom and knowledge start. How do we reconcile the two concepts?
The answer is simple. Proverbs is talking about respect, reverence, and awe. John is talking about paranoia, fright, and apprehension.
When one draws closer to God, because He is love, their paranoia, fright, and apprehension should vanish. And because He is majestic and holy, their respect, reverence, and awe should grow.
Not Perfected in Love
So John tells us the person who still fears punishment -- someone who fears in that paranoid, frightful, nervous way -- has not been perfected in love (18). This is part of the reason we often respond joyfully to teaching about the love of God. It sets us at ease. It helps us become bold because once we know God is for us, we feel strengthened for everything which is against us.
A good example of the growth John envisions comes from the Old Testament life of Gideon. During his day, the people of Israel were oppressed by the Midianite people who would steal their crops and keep them in poverty. Israel cried out to God. God decided to use Gideon to give them the victory, so the Angel of the Lord appeared to him, recruiting him into God's service.
Immediately, Gideon feared. First, he thought he would die as a result of seeing the Angel of the Lord. Second, he obeyed God's command to tear down the altar to Baal, but only under cover of night so he would remain unseen by others. Third, he asked God for miraculous confirmation about his calling, even though he'd already seen the Angel of the Lord. And finally, after God sent him a supporting army, God invited him -- if he was still afraid to head out to war -- to go down into the camp of the Midianites for a final confirmation God was with him. God said:
"But if you are afraid to go down, go down to the camp with your servant. And you shall hear what they say, and afterward your hands shall be strengthened."" (Judges 7:10–11, ESV)
Gideon was still afraid, so he went down and overheard the Midianites telling of dreams they had of barley bread rolling down the hill and overturning their tents. They were so terrified of Gideon they came to the conclusion that the dream was about him, a man who would tumble into their camp and destroy them!
All this was God's way of developing Gideon's confidence in Him. He patiently perfected Gideon in love. And God wills to do the same for you.
"For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, "Abba! Father!"" (Romans 8:15, ESV)
This is the Spirit we have received. We must let God's love have its perfect work in us. But there is one more step John will offer -- we must agree with God about how love works. Tune in next week.
