I know of no text in all the Bible that is more astounding, more profound, or more comforting than I John 4:17. Carefully study these three statements made by the apostle John as he was directed by God the Holy Spirit and worship God.
"HEREIN IS OUR LOVE MADE PERFECT" - The text cannot be talking about our love to God, or to one another, because our love is not made perfect here. John is talking about God's love to us. The marginal translation is more accurate, "Herein is love with us made perfect." We are informed by Gill that the Syriac version reads, "Herein is his love with us made perfect," and the Latin Vulgate translates John's words, "Herein is God's love with us made perfect." God's love toward us, which is shed abroad in our hearts by the knowledge of Christ, is made perfect in us when we are made to see the fulness, completion, and perfection of our salvation in Christ.
"THAT WE MAY HAVE BOLDNESS IN THE DAY OF JUDGMENT" - There is a day appointed in which God will judge the world in righteousness and strict justice. In that day, though the wicked and unbelieving tremble and fear, the saints of God will have confidence, joy, and boldness.
In that great day, God's elect will stand fearless, without the least dread, while the wicked cry for the rocks and me mountains to fall upon them to hide them from the wrath of God and of the Lamb. We will speak to him who sits upon the throne freely, without fear, ascribing all praise, honor, and glory to Christ alone as our Savior, and expressing our love, adoration, and deep gratitude to the Lord our God.
"BECAUSE AS HE IS, SO ARE WE IN THIS WORLD" - The source and cause of our boldness in the day of judgment is not to be found in us, in our works, or in our dispositions, but in Christ, in our union and identification with him, "because as he is, so are we in this world." What an astounding statement! Are you a believer? Are you a child of God? Have you just now, for the first time in your life, begun to trust Christ? This text is talking about you! "As he is so are YOU in this world!"
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