Confidence in the love of God
Furthermore, we have seen with our own eyes and now testify that the Father 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. We know how much God loves us, and we have put our trust in his love. God is love, and all who live in love live in God, and God lives in them. And as we live in God, our love grows more perfect. So we will not be afraid on the day of judgment, but we can face him with confidence because we live like Jesus here in this world. Such love has no fear, because perfect love expels all fear. If we are afraid, it is for fear of punishment, and this shows that we have not fully experienced his perfect love. 1 John 4:14-18
From the text, John claimed that he had seen the Lord Jesus Christ in the flesh. His fellow apostles also made the claim as well for they have been with Jesus when He was still here on earth. Then John declared that “Jesus is the Son of God” and that those that placed their faith in Him “have God living in them, and they live in God.” But not everyone who saw Jesus in the flesh in John’s time declared their faith in Him but instead they shouted “crucify Him.” Faith then is not about seeing God and then believing Him. Faith is declaring and confessing that Jesus is the Son of God; that means that He is God, He is the Lord, and the Master of life based on the revelation written on His word. Once this relationship with God is manifested on how we live our life, we then show that God's life is in us and wherever His life is manifested there will His love also. The love of God always follows the life of God. God’s foundational character is rooted in love. Being assured of this love from God, as John declared, “Expels all fear” (v. 17). We cannot turn fear by just shear will power, but only through God’s grace. Instead of being overcome by circumstances, we now can turn to God who loves us and cares for us. As David declared, “The Lord is close to all who call on him, yes, to all who call on him in truth. He grants the desires of those who fear him; he hears their cries for help and rescues them (Psalm 145:18-19). Establish your heart in the truth as revealed in His word and realize that you can come to God with every circumstance you are facing and know that you can trust Him. “Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand” (Philippians 4:6-7).
Blessings,
Noel De Guzman
www.my-wbc.com
