In review of 1 John 4:16, 18 it says, “We know the love that God has for us, and we trust that love …. because God’s perfect love drives out fear” (NCV).
Today’s verses come from 1 John 4:10-19. In it John tells me what real love is, not that I loved God, but that he loved me and sent his Son as a sacrifice to take away my sins. Since God loved me this much, I surely ought to love others the same way. While we have never not seen God, if I love others in this manner, God lives in me, and his love is brought to full expression and display in me. God has given me his Spirit as proof that I live in him and he in me. God has sent his Son to be the Savior of the world. All who declare that Jesus is the Son of God have God living in them, and they live in God. I know how much God loves me, and I have put my trust in his love. God is love, and all who live in love live in God, and God lives in them. As I live in God, my love grows more perfect. So I will have no reason to be afraid on the day of judgment, I can face him with with confidence because I live like Jesus here in this world.
Such love has no fear, because perfect love expels all fear. If I’m afraid, it is for fear of punishment, and this shows that I have not fully experienced his perfect love. I love others because he love me first.
Nothing sinful or evil can exist in God's presence. He is absolute goodness. He cannot overlook, condone, or excuse sin as though it never happened. He loves me, but his love does not make him morally lax. If I trust in Christ, however, I will not have to bear the penalty for my sins. I will be acquitted by his atoning sacrifice.
When I love others, the invisible God reveals himself to others through me, and his love is made complete. As an introvert, I don't need to become an extrovert in order to love others. John isn't telling me how many people to love, but how much to love the people I already know. My job is to love faithfully the people God has given me to love, whether there are two or two hundred. If God sees that we are ready to love others, he will bring them to me. No matter how shy I am, I don't need to be afraid of the love commandment. God provides me the strength to do what he asks.
When I become a Christian, I received the Holy Spirit. God's presence in my life is proof that I really belong to him. He also gives me the power to love. So I can rely on that power as I reach out to others. As I do, I believe I will gain confidence.
God's love is the source of all human love, and it spreads like fire. In loving his children, God kindles a flame in their hearts. In turn, they love others, who are warmed by God's love through them.
There are a lot of people in this world who don’t know and don’t fully trust God. Usually it’s one of three things: People are afraid that if they give their lives fully to God, they’ll lose their freedom, they’ll lose their fun, and God will turn them into some kind of religious fanatic. None of that sounds inviting.
The bottom line is, people are afraid. Yet God has an answer for our fear of trusting him. The Bible says, “We know the love that God has for us, and we trust that love …. because God’s perfect love drives out fear” (1 John 4:16, 18 NCV).
God loves me. I was created as an act of God’s love. Over and over in the Bible, God makes this clear. God created me to love me and to let me love him. The greatest expression of God’s love is Jesus. God came to Earth in the form of a human being to show all of us what he is really like. He then showed us how much he loved us by dying on the cross.
The cross tells us once and for all that we can fully trust God. We can trust him with our lives because he gave his Son’s life for us.
If God is telling the truth in his Word that he loves me, I know he won’t take away my freedom or your fun or turn you into a fanatic.
God isn’t a cosmic killjoy. He’s my heavenly Father.
The more I know God, the more I can trust him — and the less I’ll be afraid of him.
Bottom Line:
Know that God loves us and trust in the love. God’s perfect love will drive out any fear.
What this means to me:
I know that love that God has for me, and I can trust in the love, because God’s perfect love will drive out fear about my future.
This morning Father I pray that you help me to love others in the way that you love me. Let who you are be displayed by me. Help guide me in the projects I have and help me communicate to my team to encourage them. Help me to respond rightly with others. In Jesus name I pray, Amen!
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