TOPIC: NO FEAR IN PERFECT LOVE
Bible Reading: Exodus 29-30; Matthew 22:1-22
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” – 1 John 4:18 (KJV)
At the core of the gospel is the truth that God has forgiven us and His life has been freely given to us. If you’ve been a Christian for a while that might seem familiar and you might tend to say, ‘Yep, I know that!’ but that’s the attitude that keeps you from walking in the fullness and beauty of salvation.
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 omnipresent, 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 because He keeps no record of any wrong done.
The Passion Translation of today’s text in 1 John 4:18 gives us insight into what love is and the power of forgiveness that it carries. It says, “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.”
Because God is love, He 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. Ephesians 4:32 says “And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you.” When you don’t know and receive the love of God, you struggle to forgive others and even yourself.
The word translated as ‘perfect’ in 1 John 4:18 means ‘mature.’ It means maturity in terms of the CHARACTER of a person and not just the AGE of the person. God isn’t ‘Perfect Love’ because He is the ‘ancient’ of days, He is perfect because He defines and embodies whatever love is. This is why it is inappropriate to liken the love of God to that of a father/mother for a child.
Perfect love forgives completely without scars and restores whatever was lost. Colossians 2:13 says, “And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses;”
Notice that God is NOT going to forgive you all trespasses, wrongs, and mistakes, rather He HAS forgiven you all sins! The perfect consciousness of this truth is what removes any form of fear from our lives in Jesus name!
Prayer: Thank You Father because you have forgiven me of all my sins and now I can lift my hands in praise without fear.
Pastor Alfred Samuel