God’s love expels all fear
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 4:17-18 NLT
God wants us to grow loving Him for His love to us is perfect. Since His love is perfect, God wants our love to grow “perfect.” The term “perfect” referring to our love for God carries the idea of maturity. We are not only to grow in the grace and knowledge of God (see 2 Peter 3:18), but He expects us to grow loving the Father. God wants that the love that He had shown to us through the sacrifice of our Lord Jesus Christ should also be shown to how we love the Father. “I have revealed you to them, and I will continue to do so. Then your love for me will be in them, and I will be in them” (John 17:26). When we grow into maturity loving God, every area of our Christian walk will be affected. No longer we will just be concerned with victory over sin, or with witnessing, or living in godliness, or persistent praying, but all these can happen for they are the by-product of keeping ourselves growing in our love for God. This is the need of the hour: Christians who are growing and maturing in their love for God. If we are not growing in our love for God, we can be overcome with fear. God gave us confidence through the love He had shown to us so we will not be insecure because of our past, not to be intimidated by the present circumstances, and to be assured of the future for He promised that there will be no judgment for those who belong to God. His love in us is being perfected as we daily live our lives in reliance upon His presence. A person who is unsure of his or her future for fear of judgment will fear living their lives today for their future is not secured. Such attitude is not from God for those who are in Him will fully experience His perfect love. And God’s “perfect love expels all fear” (1 John 4:18). When we grow in confidence that God’s presence is with us no matter what we are facing in life, this shows that our love for God is maturing.
Blessings,
