No Fear in Love

As we come to the close of our series from , we come to a profound and powerful conclusion. John has laid a foundation of love, which is demonstrated by God for His people to learn and imitate. Now John tells us the logical conclusion of love that reaches for the heights of God – .

1 John 4:7–21 ESV

Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God. Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love. In this the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent his only Son into the world, so that we might live through him. In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins. Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. No one has ever seen God; if we love one another, God abides in us and his love is perfected in us. By this we know that we abide in him and he in us, because he has given us of his Spirit. And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent his Son to be the Savior of the world. Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him, and he in God. So we have come to know and to believe the love that God has for us. God is love, and whoever abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him. 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. If anyone says, “I love God,” and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen cannot love God whom he has not seen. And this commandment we have from him: whoever loves God must also love his brother.

Ephesians 3:17–19 ESV

so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith—that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.

I) Love is perfected with us

Previous statement speaks of the mutual abiding of God and us –

1 John 4:16 ESV

So we have come to know and to believe the love that God has for us. God is love, and whoever abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him.

That abiding of God is the method by which love is perfected (made complete) – no other means can bring about a perfect love

This is the third time John addresses being made perfect – – in obedience – – in loving one another

1 John 2:5 ESV

but whoever keeps his word, in him truly the love of God is perfected. By this we may know that we are in him:

1 John 4:12 ESV

No one has ever seen God; if we love one another, God abides in us and his love is perfected in us.

With us seems to be best understood as concerning us – ie. having to do with us

II) We may have confidence in the day of judgment

John contrasts confidence with shame – ; ;

1 John 2:28 ESV

And now, little children, abide in him, so that when he appears we may have confidence and not shrink from him in shame at his coming.

Romans 1:16 ESV

For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.

Mark 8:38 ESV

For whoever is ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him will the Son of Man also be ashamed when he comes in the glory of his Father with the holy angels.”

It is also the polar opposite of fear

By referring to the day of judgment, John declares that the root purpose of love is eternal, even though it is practiced in the present

III) As He is, so are we

The He appears to be God, since that is the antecedent noun, meaning as God loves – – we love in our place –

1 John 4:8 ESV

Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love.

Matthew 5:43–48 ESV

“You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven. For he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? And if you greet only your brothers, what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same? You therefore must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.

Our confidence is based on being God-like in our love, which is enabled by God dwelling with us (and us with God)

The power is God’s, the choice is ours

IV) No fear in love

John uses the extreme to declare the outcome of this love – not less, but no fear - the true achievement of love is fearlessness

This is not in the form of a command, but a promise, because love will cast out our fear –

1 John 3:19–21 ESV

By this we shall know that we are of the truth and reassure our heart before him; for whenever our heart condemns us, God is greater than our heart, and he knows everything. Beloved, if our heart does not condemn us, we have confidence before God;

Fear is of punishment, so the one who fears thinks of punishment, instead of perfect love

Concl: What a profound and powerful promise from God. If we dwell with God and allow Him to dwell with us, we have the absolute confidence in judgment. This is not self-confidence, but God confidence – faith.