WHAT MAKES OUR LOVE COMPLETE?
God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in him. Love is made complete among us so that we will have confidence on the day of judgment, because in this world we are like him. 1 John 4:16, 17, N.I.V.
There is a progression that takes place as a believer first finds forgiveness, then newness of life and a growing relationship with the Father. To begin with, the most important thing for me, a sinner, to experience is God's unconditional love and forgiveness. When I learn that He fully accepts me, I become secure enough to welcome His counsel in making major adjustments in my outlook and lifestyle. In the process, I become increasingly appreciative of who He is--His wisdom is so good, His ways so appropriate, and His plans for me so exciting. I am drawn into communion with Him, for His own sake, because He is altogether lovely. Is there something more?
Our text says: "God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in him. Love is made complete among us so that we will have confidence on the day of judgment, because in this world we are like him." What immediately grabs your attention when you read this passage? If you are still concerned about your standing on the day of judgement, you probably felt a surge of desire to have the confidence spoken of here. However, if you are confident that God loves and accepts you, you may have felt affirmed in your faith.
Actually, the apostle John is describing the relationship between God and His friends, the back-and-forthness of living His love. We come to know we are totally secure in the Father, who is the personification of love. He is our confidence on the day of judgment. But there is something more: "Love is made complete among us...because in this world we are like him." Now, this is very exciting! Our shared love with the Father is made complete as we interact with others in this world. Our friendship with God is reflected in all our earthly associations. Not only does this give unbelievers an opportunity to come to know God, but we also experience in a tangible way the validity of all that we have learned concerning Him. We are just like Him because we savor everything we know about Him.
And so our love is made complete.
God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in him. Love is made complete among us so that we will have confidence on the day of judgment, because in this world we are like him. 1 John 4:16, 17, N.I.V.
There is a progression that takes place as a believer first finds forgiveness, then newness of life and a growing relationship with the Father. To begin with, the most important thing for me, a sinner, to experience is God's unconditional love and forgiveness. When I learn that He fully accepts me, I become secure enough to welcome His counsel in making major adjustments in my outlook and lifestyle. In the process, I become increasingly appreciative of who He is--His wisdom is so good, His ways so appropriate, and His plans for me so exciting. I am drawn into communion with Him, for His own sake, because He is altogether lovely. Is there something more?
Our text says: "God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in him. Love is made complete among us so that we will have confidence on the day of judgment, because in this world we are like him." What immediately grabs your attention when you read this passage? If you are still concerned about your standing on the day of judgement, you probably felt a surge of desire to have the confidence spoken of here. However, if you are confident that God loves and accepts you, you may have felt affirmed in your faith.
Actually, the apostle John is describing the relationship between God and His friends, the back-and-forthness of living His love. We come to know we are totally secure in the Father, who is the personification of love. He is our confidence on the day of judgment. But there is something more: "Love is made complete among us...because in this world we are like him." Now, this is very exciting! Our shared love with the Father is made complete as we interact with others in this world. Our friendship with God is reflected in all our earthly associations. Not only does this give unbelievers an opportunity to come to know God, but we also experience in a tangible way the validity of all that we have learned concerning Him. We are just like Him because we savor everything we know about Him.
And so our love is made complete.
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