1 John
1Jo 4:17-18 - Perfect Love - No Fear
by Joe Holder
Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment: because as he is, so are we in this world. There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love. (1Jo 4:17-18)
How do we perfect God's love? The sense here seems more to refer to completion, to a logical conclusion, than to removing a flaw and making God's love better. Since God's love must share the perfection of its owner, we need not concern ourselves with imperfections or flaws in God's love. But God's love in us, particularly in the sense already outlined in the context of this chapter, implores a lifestyle, a worldview, which proves its legitimacy in us. If God's love equates with conduct that mirrors His motivating love, we must logically conclude that we only prove our love to Him by similar conduct. How could empty words that profess love for God, short of companion actions, complete God's love-action? It can't.
That we may have boldness in the day of judgment. Perhaps John here refers to a timely season of judgment and chastening in the Christian life. I reject the idea that the saved will face final judgment in the same way as the wicked. I equally reject that the saved will be judged in the end and receive rewards and punishments that impose an eternal stereotype on their status in heaven. This idea questions the equal and effective death of Christ for all the sins of all God's family. However, historic faith and Scripture allows, if it doesn't require, consideration for a brief time of manifestation of our conduct during our transition from resurrection to ultimate glory. During our lifetime we may allow pride or compromised appetites toward sinful habits to interfere with our full confession and repentance of certain sins. Despite adequate and compelling Scriptures that fully instruct us, we may not fully implement Scripture equally in every area of our conduct. An anecdotal story tells of an ancient Jewish student who, after only a short time studying under a leading rabbi, went to his master and reported, "Sir, I have gone through the entire Torah seven times already." Not wanting to discourage his student, but designing to remind the youth of the gravity of God's word, the wise rabbi replied, "Good, but how much of the Torah has gone through you?" We correctly value and encourage Bible reading. But behind our urgent exhortation to its study lies the deeper reality we seek. We pray and hope as people read the Bible through that the Bible will go through them and transform their lives. Only if they interfere with its natural and powerful course will it not transform them.
This reference in 1John may refer to a season of chastening and trial later in life, but it may also refer to a final season of manifestation. If we played the hypocrite and covered up our deep lack of actual service to God while frequently and vigorously asserting our love for Him, we must realize that our deceptive game will not succeed in the face of God's judgment, whenever it occurs. We may deceive ourselves. We may deceive others. But we will never deceive God! How would you like to live so as to literally think of the day of judgment, however you view that day, with boldness and joy? Nothing you ever did or even thought would bring shame or embarrassment on you or on your testimony of faith in God. John teaches the possibility of such a holy boldness! We grow in our godliness toward such faithful courage through actions that fill out in conduct the love of God we profess.
As He is so are we in the world. Even when we make strong points of the surrounding ideas, we often generalize over this truth. First of all, John not only refers to Christ's presence in the world during the first advent, but also His presence now; "As He is...." John takes us one baby step at a time down a path that will enable us to face the idea of ultimate judgment and manifestation of our deepest secret with holy boldness, a state most of us, if honest with ourselves, have not yet comfortably attained. Consider these different ways in which Christ is in the world.
He faithfully and constantly witnesses to the Father's character. Both in the incarnation and now through the Holy Spirit, Jesus holds the title "Faithful Witness." (Re 1:5) How faithful and constant is our witness? Are we a faithful witness too?
He always does the things that please His Father. (Joh 8:29) Do we please the Father or ourselves?
He views His purpose in the world as a servant. "I am among you as he that serveth." (Lu 22:27) Do we serve or work to obtain service from others?
Perhaps you can find several other parallels to go with these. Make this a matter of your Bible study and daily devotion. See how many parallels you can find in the New Testament. The point for us becomes both challenging and simple. Simple in that gaining boldness in the day of judgment does not grow out of a secret or mystical list or a vague code of conduct. It becomes a simple matter of truly practicing Christ-likeness in our daily activities. Obviously the high mark set by Christ as our actual example challenges every fiber of our moral and ethical makeup. Once many years ago I was counseling with a man who at the time had allowed anger to control his life. I started to remind him of Christ as our example and he quickly cut me off with "Don't start reminding me of what Jesus did!" His conduct soon proved that He wasn't following Christ's example! What is the point? Why claim to be a Christian when you openly reject Christ's life and conduct as your model?
There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. Whatever we make of the judgment in this context remains the governing factor. Love, fear or torment, how do we view that solemn moment between God and us alone? When every thought we ever thought, every motive that ever prompted us to action, will be openly declared. God and we will know the reality of them all! And their true nature will stand in clear view for all to see. God does not look the other way and ignore sin, even in His beloved children. Remember Solomon's wise counsel. "Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man. For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil." (Ec 12:13-14) If we believe this direct statement of Scripture, we must conclude that God will indeed bring every deed or thought we ever practiced to see the light of His holy judgment. While Christ's death certainly erases all eternal implications related to our sins, nothing in Scripture implies that God ignores our sins in other ways. We must especially face the Judge for continuing sins that repeat themselves throughout our lives. That seems to be the point of Heb 10:26-31, the frightening point. The person who claims standing as a believer and fails to grasp the frightening severity of facing God in judgment has missed a major and important Bible truth.
Some might protest that this teaching is new to our culture and sounds too much like the teaching of those who use fear to motivate people, like those who teach that salvation occurs through human effort. But this is not the case at all. If you have access to The Primitive Preacher by Greg Thompson, son of Wilson Thompson, take the time to read the sermons contained in that book. Seldom indeed did these faithful men whom we claim in our heritage, and a not-so-distant heritage at that, ever conclude a sermon without a warning to the careless among the congregation. Divine judgment for children of God was an accepted Bible truth to these men, and it should be for us! We have nearly lost its sobering truth and with it the sacred reality of godly fear. According to the passages we reviewed here and many others, believe it or not, we each will face our holy God at some time or another in personal judgment for sins committed. (2Co 5:10-11) This passage in particular concludes with these words, "Knowing therefore the terror of the Lord, we persuade men; but we are made manifest unto God; and I trust also are made manifest in your consciences." If we have become so complacent with sin in self or in others, that we no longer understand Paul's words or deem it necessary as part of the gospel to persuade men because of divine terror against sin, we have lost a vital part of the New Testament gospel!
He that feareth is not made perfect in love. If we face the literal reality of looking directly in the face of God and seeing our sins openly before Him in fear because we stubbornly and in pride refused to repent of them, we have not yet perfected God's love in godly conduct. His love remains in us incomplete and unfulfilled. But if we begin to grow in grace and manifest that growth in transformed lives, fear fades and love grows. May it be so with each of us.
1Jo 4:19-21 - First Love and its Implications