1 John 4:13-19

13 By this we know that we abide in him and he in us, because he has given us of his Spirit. 14 And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent his Son to be the Savior of the world. 15 Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him, and he in God. 16 So we have come to know and to believe the love that God has for us. God is love, and whoever abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him. 17 By this is love perfected with us, so that we may have confidence for the day of judgment, because as he is so also are we in this world. 18 There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. For fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not been perfected in love. 19 We love because he first loved us.

(ESV)

STOP! Think a little 🤔 What is God saying to you?

  • What is the writer saying?
  • How do I apply this to my life?

💡How to do your quiet time


“By this” refers to John’s previous point that our abiding relationship is based on loving one another and we know we are abiding because He has given us [out] of His Spirit. We get to participate in the same Spirit He is, the spirit of love, because God is love.
In the opening of his letter, John spoke of the Life (Jesus) they, the apostles, had seen and testified to (1 John 1:2). Now John explains that through Christian love, we all are able to enjoy the fellowship the apostles experienced, fellowship with the Father and His Son, Jesus Christ as promised in 1 John 1:3. When Christians live in love for one another, then God’s love is seen and experienced and it testifies to the love of Christ who came as the Saviour of the world.
“The visible manifestation of eternal life through Christian love is an effective way to testify about the Saviorhood of Christ. Such a ‘seeing’ is a ‘seeing’ of faith expressed in the confession of Jesus as the world’s Savior.” (Z. Hodges).
As a Christian community we abide in the fellowship the apostles saw and heard when we love one another and confess that Jesus is the Son of God, thus keeping His commandment (1 John 3:23).

This abiding love gives us confidence for the day of judgement when we need to stand before our Saviour and give an account for how we have lived. The idea of standing before a holy God to give account should be sobering. But if we have fellowship with God, then the love God has for us and we have for God reaches its goal and will cast out fear. We will have the boldness to stand before Him because we are standing before the One we love and who loves us. But the disobedient Christian has reason to fear. He need not fear being denied entrance into heaven because that has been guaranteed by the Lord’s promise (John 5:24). The disobedient Christian fears disappointing his Saviour, rebuke for not producing fruit, and a loss of rewards. John says that this fear has to do with punishment and that punishment is a discipline that is also part of God’s love. When we respond to God’s discipline and we confess, we are able to return to fellowship with Him (1 John 1:8-10) and his love can be perfected in us. Ultimately our ability to love others and love God is based in Him, the source. We love because He first loved us!

As you think about that time when you will have to stand before Jesus and give an account for how you have lived, how do you feel? Do you have a sense of trepidation and fear? Let that fear be an early warning to make things right and move toward the life of abiding John has spoken so much about so that love can cast out that fear.


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