TOPIC: GOD IS PERFECT LOVE
Bible Reading: 2 Chronicles 20-22; John 16:1-15
“And they shall teach no more every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the Lord: for they shall all know me, from the least of them unto the greatest of them, saith the Lord: for I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more” Jeremiah 31:34 (KJV)
At the core of the gospel is the fact that God in Christ Jesus has forgiven us because His life has been freely given for us. Ultimately forgiveness is the true strength of love because the love that cannot forgive is weak and impotent. Our Father is all powerful, all knowing and He is everywhere, yet the Bible calls Him Love. 1 John 4:8 says, “He who does not love does not know God, for God is love.” The Father is LOVE and the test of His character is that He forgives us perfectly without reservation and keeps no record of any wrong done.
1 John 4:18 gives us insight into what love is and the power of forgiveness that it holds. The Passion Translation renders 1 John 4:18 this way, “Love never brings fear, for fear is always related to punishment. But Love’s perfection drives the fear of punishment far from our hearts. Whoever walks constantly afraid of punishment has not reached love’s perfection.”
Since God is love then we can say thus, “…. Whoever walks constantly afraid of punishment has not reached God’s perfection.” God will never bring fear to you. He is never going to punish you again because, in Christ Jesus, He has forgiven you all of your sins.
God is perfect because by ‘character’ He defines and embodies whatever could be said to be love and perfect love forgives completely without scars and restores whatever was lost. God’s forgiveness is His strength. No wonder it is said that to forgive is divine.
Our text says that the way we will know God for ourselves is that regardless of our spiritual position – whether we feel like the least or the greatest – God has forgiven us completely. He doesn’t remember our sins so we are not afraid of judgment. We live free and forgiven.
Prayer: Thank You, Father, because I can lift my hands in praise without fear. Thank you for Your forgiveness.
Pastor Alfred Samuel