Daily Writing

Wednesday, 27 May 2020

And this commandment we have from Him: that he who loves God must love his brother also. 1 John 4:21

John has just expressed the idea that when someone says, “I love God,” and yet he hates his brother, there is no truth in that person; he is a liar. In coming to Christ, we are brought into the state where our love is perfected. We can see what true love is because we have seen what Christ was willing to do in order to save us. He loved us when we did not love Him. In expressing the love of God in this way, He then relayed that those who follow Him must act accordingly. And so, John says, “And this commandment we have from Him.”

A commandment has been given. As this is so, it is our obligation to do what He has commanded. Christ is the Lord, He is the Head of the church, and He is the executor of the New Covenant in His blood. It is this act which reveals the length God was willing to go through to express His love to us. Therefore, John next restates the command he has heard. It is “that he who loves God must love his brother also.”

As already seen, the command was given in John 13. But the surrounding verses will help clarify the full intent of what Jesus commands –

“Now the Son of Man is glorified, and God is glorified in Him. ³² If God is glorified in Him, God will also glorify Him in Himself, and glorify Him immediately. ³³ Little children, I shall be with you a little while longer. You will seek Me; and as I said to the Jews, ‘Where I am going, you cannot come,’ so now I say to you. ³⁴ A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another. ³⁵ By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.” John 13:31-35

Jesus not only gave the commandment, but He did so in relation to His going away. In His absence, it is the responsibility of the believer to act as He did. The reason for this becomes obvious. In expressing His love, those who saw it could then understand His nature. Those who follow Him, in expressing that same state, will then continue to reveal His nature. In loving one’s brother, we are indirectly reflecting Him and loving Him at the same time.

This is why at Paul’s vision of Christ, Jesus said, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?” Paul was persecuting Christ’s followers. Thus, he was indirectly persecuting Christ. Logically, in demonstrating love to the brethren, we are then loving in Christ’s stead, and we are loving Christ as well. To not do so shows a defect in our love. But John has already been shown that “love has been perfected in us” (1 John 4:12).

Therefore, the commandment is set forth to remind us of our state, and to continue to live in that state at all times. The definition of love, given by Paul in 1 Corinthians 13, shows us how to be loving, and how to know if we are complying with the commandment which has been given.

Life application: The Old Covenant relayed a similar truth to what the commandment of the New Covenant relays –

And behold, a certain lawyer stood up and tested Him, saying, “Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?”
²⁶ He said to him, “What is written in the law? What is your reading of it?”
²⁷ So he answered and said, “‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength, and with all your mind,’ and ‘your neighbor as yourself.’” Luke 10:25-27

Jesus says in Matthew 22:40 that on these hang all the Law and the Prophets. If all of the Law and the Prophets hang on these two things, and if in Christ, then we have inherited eternal life, then our love has been perfected because of our being in Christ. Therefore, we can claim we love God, and we understand that love is more than emotion. It is a state which says, “Without Christ, this person stands condemned. It is my obligation to love him, even as Christ loves him, so that he can enter into God’s love as well.”

For those in Christ, it says, “This person is in Christ. He is a member of Christ, and therefore it is my obligation to love him, just as I love Christ.”

Therefore, we are to act upon the love that has been perfected in us, demonstrating that it is a part of who we are.

Heavenly Father, You loved us before we loved You. There was a divide between us that could not be crossed by us, and so You sent Christ to make the bridge possible once again. Help us to act in a like manner toward those who have yet to find out the truth of what You have done, loving them in the same manner in which You first loved us. It is a hard path for us in these fallen lives of ours, but through Christ we can do it. May it be so, and may it be to Your glory. Amen.

Tuesday, 26 May 2020

If someone says, “I love God,” and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen, how can he love God whom he has not seen? 1 John 4:20

John now builds upon his previous words, which said, “We love Him because He first loved us.” It is a statement of fact based on our position as believers. Therefore, what he now says must be taken from that perspective, and it must be thought through with care. The premise is that of unconditional love. God loved us at a point in time when we were His enemies. The fact that Christ came to redeem us means that we needed to be redeemed. No person is redeemed apart from Christ. Therefore, the love John writes of is an unconditional love.

Now he begins with, “If someone says, ‘I love God.’” He has already said that we love God. This is because we understand that God has loved us, and He has done for us what was, therefore, a true act of love. As believers who have realized this, the proposition he now sets forth cannot be speaking of believers. The fact that we love God has been settled. Therefore, he is referring to someone who has not been perfected in love; he is not a believer. If this person says, “I love God,” and yet he “hates his brother, he is a liar.”

The two are mutually exclusive, and John will explain why this is so in a moment. But are there believers who do not love their brothers or their fellow man? The answer is pretty much unanimously, “Yes.” We have warring feelings that come over us, we have disagreements, and because of these things, real animosity arises in us. Does this mean that we are liars about loving God? No, as noted, that proposition has already been settled.

Therefore, this is not (it cannot be) speaking on the same level as the human-based emotional love that we feel. Rather, it is the understanding that those people around us are people that Christ died for too. Even in their possibly completely depraved state, we were in the same condition as they were – enemies of God and destined for condemnation. Our love for those people is to be displayed in an earnest desire for them to glorify God, be saved through Christ, and not be cast into hell. To desire for them to go to hell, while we – who were in the same position as they were – is contrary to understanding our position in Christ.

How much more for those who are not saved. They claim they love God, but they hate others who are in the same fallen state that they are in. They cannot love God, because they do not understand what God has done for them in Christ. If they did, they would come to God through Christ and be saved. They would also desire for those who are in the same position as they are to also be saved.

This is then supported by John’s next words. He says, “for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen, how can he love God whom he has not seen?” The proposition is obvious on the surface. He cannot. A person who sees his brother in a fallen, unsaved state, and who hates that person, is only demonstrating that he hates himself as well. They are in the same state.

John is writing about the perfected love of God. It is the love that has come to the understanding of what God has done, and thus who God is – God is love.

If God is love, it means that God loves – unconditionally. Those who have not understood this love remain in darkness, and they cannot love God. Hating their brother, who they can see, reveals that they do not love whom they cannot see. The unseen God is the perfecter of love. In not having accepted His love in Christ, their love has not been perfected.

Life application: What we see today is a more aggressive repetition of a lesson John has already stated in 1 John 3:17 –

“But whoever has this world’s goods, and sees his brother in need, and shuts up his heart from him, how does the love of God abide in him?”

As John has built his logical case for truth and sound doctrine, he has inserted obvious questions for us to consider. Today’s question is painfully blunt and demands an answer that is rather unpleasant when the mirror is on us. Too many people hold up their hands and say, “Yes, count me with the ‘God’ family…I really love Him!”

However, after their proclamation, they show complete disregard and even contempt (hates his brother) for the brethren. John says that we don’t need to wonder about this person’s motivations or sincerity concerning God – he is a liar. There is no love of God in him.

When we as humans have contempt for our brother who we can see, how can we have love for God whom we can’t see? Contempt for our brother and love of God are mutually exclusive. As you evaluate yourself and others, ensure you use the biblical model. If your evaluation is based on doctrine, truth, and love, you will be able to identify the truth of the person. As Jesus said to His disciples –

“A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another. ³⁵ By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.” John 13:34, 35

This commandment will be the subject of John’s next words.

O God, we have complete faith in You and in Your word. We know that Your promises are true even though we have never seen You. But we honestly struggle with loving our brethren. Give us the ability and wisdom to handle difficulties concerning them in a way which demonstrates our love for You. In Jesus’ name we pray! Amen.

Monday, 25 May 2020

We love Him because He first loved us. 1 John 4:19

Note: In case your Bible translates this differently and leaves off “Him,” it is because some ancient manuscripts don’t include that word. In this case, it would read “We love, because He first loved us.” This is not a point which affects doctrine, but it is good to note the variation. Understanding this, John says in this translation, “We love Him.”

The verb is present tense, indicative mood – we are loving him, and it is a certainty. However, in the coming verses, John will note those that do not love God, and he will state the reason for it. Therefore, for him to make the statement now must indicate an absolute change has been effected in us that allows him to say, “We love Him.” Otherwise, it would be a conditional statement, which it is not.

Therefore, like in the earlier verses, we see that the love spoken of is a part of our nature after coming to Christ. It is a love that is acceptable to God, not simply because of a change in our love, but because of a change in us. This is then supported by the words, “because He first loved us.”

God loves His people, meaning humanity – even before we love Him. Because He is love, His love doesn’t increase or decrease. It simply is. He first loved us, and because He did, He sent Christ Jesus to save us. In our salvation, we can now love. This is obviously not the act of loving, or of being loving, but it is rather the state of love which is defined by being a believer in Christ.

The tense of the verb “loved” signifies an action that occurred. Of course, we know what that action was – the cross of Jesus Christ. We love God because He demonstrated His love for us in the Person of Jesus. This goes for those before the cross, and for those after the cross, because Revelation 13:8 says that Christ Jesus is the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.

Those before the cross anticipated the Messiah. Those since Christ’s coming look back on that event. In both, faith in what God has promised is what sets the person apart. Thus, “He first loved us” shows that it was a love that always has been – God is love. Thus, our love is a love which evokes gratitude. It is reactive, owing its source to God, who first loved us.

Life application: As amazingly incomprehensible as it is, God united with human flesh – His creation – and walked among us, demonstrated holiness and perfection among us, and then willingly endured the cross in front of us. All of this was done to signify the immense love of God. There is simply no other explanation, and anyone who would attempt to lessen the significance of the cross is worse than a demon.

Those who attempt to connect the cross with material blessing, financial gain, prosperity, status, or any other thing have a perverse streak in them which is a complete departure from the Christian faith. The cross signifies our reconciliation with God and our sins removed. Therefore, our goal and desire should be to bring honor to Him and fellowship with other believers. We are free from enmity with God and we are able to love Him intimately, just as He first demonstrated His intimate love for us.

What a story! What a Savior! What a God! He is Abba who adores us, the Father that never fails, the Papa who protects, the Daddy who delivers. Set aside time today to simply walk and talk with this wonderful Creator who loves You so very much.

Heavenly Father, at one point in each of our lives, we were in a battle against You. We had a shield up and our sword out. But instead of destroying us where we stood, You sent Your Son between the battle lines. He demonstrated Your love in such an immense way that we could no longer rebel. Accept our fallible and failing offer of love in return for the marvelous love with which You first loved us. Amen.

Sunday, 24 May 2020

There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves torment. But he who fears has not been made perfect in love. 1 John 4:18

John has just noted that “the love has been perfected among us.” He continues that thought now, again placing an article before “love.” In fact, there are articles throughout the verse in the Greek, demonstrating the definite nature in which John is speaking.

Young’s Literal Translation states, “Fear is not in the love, but the perfect love doth cast out the fear, because the fear hath punishment, and he who is fearing hath not been made perfect in the love.” As “fear is not in the love,” it shows that it has no state of existence in the perfected love that he just referred to, and which he will again refer to with the (from Young’s) words, “but the perfect love dost cast out the fear.”

The very state of fear is cast out when the perfect love exists. The two are mutually exclusive and cannot dwell together. Understanding that John is speaking of the perfect love of God which comes through faith in Christ, John’s words apply in that context. In other words, one cannot say that there is no fear in a general state of love.

A person may love his wife. If she gets cancer, there exists a state of fear in both the wife and in the husband. Such things are not what John is speaking of. The perfected love is the love realized in a person when he comes to God through faith in Christ. Therefore, the fear which John refers to is a fear which is found in a separation from God.

In that separation, there is fear “because fear involves torment.” The word translated as “torment,” kolasis, is found only here and in Matthew 25:46 where it refers to eternal punishment for the unrighteous. It is “torment from living in the dread of upcoming judgment from shirking one’s duty” (HELPS Word Studies). When one is not in Christ, there is fear of punishment because a person can never know with certainty if he is right with God or not.

However, in Christ, there is the absolute assurance that He died for our sins, and that we are no longer imputed sin. Because of this, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Him. As there is no condemnation, then “the fear” has been cast out. This is the state that John is referring to. For those who are perfected in “the love,” there is no fear. But, as John notes (from Young’s), “and he who is fearing hath not been made perfect in the love.”

If someone has not come to Christ, he cannot know if he will make the standard set by God. Therefore, there remains a state of fear in him because of his state of imperfection in “the love.” God’s love does not abide in him, and therefore God does not abide in him, and he does not abide in God.

One could logically argue that a person who blows himself up as an offering to the false god of the Muslims is confident of his actions and he has no fear. But that is a separate issue of following a false god. To do this means that acceptance is predicated on one’s works in order to please his god. This is not the gospel. Rather, it is a false gospel based on the supposed demands of a false god.

If he knew of the true gospel, there would be fear because he would no longer know if his self-detonation would actually get him to heaven or not. Thus, the state of fear actually exists, even if it is not realized because of a lack of knowledge. This is not God’s fault. He has made the offer, even if the person doesn’t know it. His state of condemnation remains (John 3:18).

There is also the case that many saved Christians fear death, even though they have believed in Christ. This is a normal human emotion which is also not what John is referring to. Along with death often comes other things, such as pain, loss, and so on. But this is not the fear he is speaking of. He is referring to the fear of condemnation – something that happens after death, not during the process of death.

Our fear of death is a natural part of us, given to us as a protection. Our fear of condemnation is as well. It is given to us to seek God. When one seeks God, finds Christ, and is perfected in the love, the fear of death (meaning that which results in eternal punishment) is removed.

It is illogical to believe that Christ has granted believers eternal life just to remain in a state which still fears eternal punishment. The two are mutually exclusive. Thus, the doctrine of eternal salvation is a part of trusting in Christ. If a pastor, priest, teacher, or preacher teaches that salvation can be lost, he is teaching a falsity which does not cast out the fear. As this is so, one should not pay heed to any teacher of the Bible who teaches that one can, in fact, lose his salvation. It is poor theology, bondage, and it is a doctrine which has not been perfected in love, nor has it cast out “the fear.”

Life application: What John is telling us, is that as believers, we have boldness when judgment day comes because of the love which is in us, meaning the perfected love of God. As this is so, there should be no fear (for our eternal destiny) as we wait on that coming day.

As Christians, we are expected to know the perfect love of Jesus Christ. If God sent Jesus to the cross to pay the debt we owe and to suffer the torment we deserve, then the payment has been made and the punishment has been meted out – it is over. The cross is the ultimate expression of God’s love for us because it involved the torment of Jesus in our place. This perfect demonstration of love has removed, the anxiety of condemnation from us, and where anxiety is removed all fear (of eternal punishment) should also be done away with.

For the believer who has accepted Jesus Christ, but who has not completely comprehended what this means, his full realization of God’s love is still incomplete. This is the reason why he has fear when he sins – “Oh, I hope I don’t lose my salvation;” “O, I just know God will send me to hell for what I did;” “O, how could God ever forgive me for that?” All these involve fear and demonstrate that the individual lacks the fullness of God’s love in his Christian walk.

Jesus has (past tense) forgiven you for your sins when you have called on Him. Your judgment can never lead to condemnation, only a loss of rewards. This is the love of God which casts out fear. Do you believe it? Then act like it!

Lord Jesus, we struggle with sin in our lives, and we struggle with the thought that our sin is greater than Your forgiveness. We want so desperately to understand the doctrine of eternal salvation – completely and absolutely. We know that as the light shines on us concerning this, that all of our fears will truly be cast from our minds. Thank You for being patient with us as we grow in You and in the knowledge of Your infinite grace. Amen.

Saturday, 23 May 2020

Love has been perfected among us in this: that we may have boldness in the day of judgment; because as He is, so are we in this world. 1 John 4:17

John now begins a new verse with, “Love has been perfected among us in this:” The question is, “Is he speaking about what he just said, or about what he will say.” The two possibilities would be –

1) God is love, and he who abides in love abides in God, and God in him. It is in this that love has been perfected among us.
2) Love has been perfected among us in the fact that we may have boldness in the day of judgment.

The NKJV assumes the second option and places a colon after the first clause, indicating that it is so. However, this is incorrect. First, if it were not the first option, love would be a work required for salvation. Such an error in thinking could be assumed from 1 John 3:23, which seemingly makes both belief and love a part of being right with God. This also could be inferred from 1 John 4:8.

However, as was revealed in the commentaries there and subsequently, the love spoken of there is a result of salvation. Secondly, “boldness in the day of salvation” is not a perfection of love. Rather, it is a result of it. To say otherwise is to put the cart of boldness before the horse of perfected love. But to stand boldly before God on the day of judgment without being in Christ is an emblem of arrogance and pride, not of the boldness that comes through confidence in the Redeemer’s work. The thought is reflected in the letter to the Hebrews –

“Seeing then that we have a great High Priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. ¹⁵ For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin. ¹⁶ Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.” Hebrews 4:14-16

Even in our weaknesses and failings, we can be confident through Christ. But to come to God without His perfections is presumptuous and worthy of condemnation.

Understanding that John was saying of those who abide in love abide in God, and God in them, he now says, “Love has been perfected among us in this.” First, there is an article before “love.” It says, “The love has been perfected among us.”

Next, the word translated as “perfected” is teleioó. It is in the perfect tense, indicating that it is done and fully accomplished. However, John’s intent here is not that of absolute perfection in love, but rather a state of complete love or full development of our love. The word signifies “to consummate, reaching the end-stage, i.e. working through the entire process (stages) to reach the final phase (conclusion)” (HELPS Word Studies).

In coming to Christ, man’s love is brought to full development. Before coming to Christ, even if we loved, God could not accept that love because it was not rightly developed. However, in understanding God’s love in Christ, and coming to Him with that understanding, our love has become fully developed. Essentially, God can say, “You have seen the highest expression of love and have accepted it as such.”

We can see that it is not saying that the absolute perfection of love is evident because John says, “that we may have boldness in the Day of Judgment.” The fact that we will face a judgment (see 1 Corinthians 3:11-15 & 2 Corinthians 5:9-11) implies completion, not perfection. If we (including our love) were perfected when we came to God through Christ, there would be no need of further judgment.

In understanding this, meaning that our love is perfected in Christ, John says that we now know “that we may have boldness in the day of judgment.” There is an article before “judgment,” indicating a set day of judgment for believers, not an ongoing judgment as if we are being judged from day to day. Rather, we are living our lives, doing things according to how we feel concerning that day of judgment (the day of THE judgment), and we will receive our rewards and losses at that time.

Despite being the day of the judgment – and as Paul notes the terror of the Lord in the two references from 1 and 2 Corinthians above – John tells us that, at least in the aspect of perfected love , we may have boldness when we come before Him. The reason this is so is “because as He is, so are we in this world.”

John’s words are in the present tense. It is reminiscent of his other words, such as in 1 John 3:7, saying, “He who practices righteousness is righteous, just as He is righteous.” John notes that what is foundational in making us like Him is found in this perfected, fully developed love. Again, it is this which makes it possible for us to abide in God and God to abide in us. The love is not a requirement for salvation, but is rather a result of it.

In now possessing this love, we can have boldness – without fear – in the knowledge that we will meet Him for judgment. The meeting is certain, but it is to be one which will be handled perfectly, and the souls of those who have come to Him will not be condemned, even if they are a bit toasty after the judgment is over.

Life application: Our love is complete, or fully developed, in that we can be certain that on the day we stand before Christ Jesus, He will look upon us in favor and not condemnation – all because of our proclamation of faith in Him. Paul explains that we are free from condemnation in the book of Romans –

“There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit.” Romans 8:1

Though we have fully developed love because of our faith in Jesus, we still fall short in our daily walk and in our Christian life. The greater our deeds during this walk of faith, the greater our rewards when we face the Judgment Seat of Christ.

So, let us endeavor to live for Him as best we can. Let us contemplate the Lord throughout our days. Let us meditate on His word as we come in and as we go out. Let us praise God with every marvel our eyes behold. And let us pursue a right and holy life – to the glory of God, and for the benefit of our walk with Him.

Just as God is love, we are now included in that perfect love of God when we belong to Him. Our love is complete in the work of God through His Son, Jesus. Let us act as if it is so.

O God! What a bargain You have set before us – call on Jesus and receive eternal life! And added in with this is the complete and full love of God, promises of rewards, and freedom from any possibility of condemnation. What a supremely glorious Creator You are! All hail You Lord God Almighty! Amen.