Perfect Love

Perfect Love
S- 1 John 4:18-21 (NASB)
18There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves punishment, and the one who fears is not perfected in love.
19We love, because He first loved us.

20If someone says, "I love God," and hates his brother, he is a liar; for the one who does not love his brother whom he has seen, cannot love God whom he has not seen.

21And this commandment we have from Him, that the one who loves God should love his brother also.

O - Love is a powerful thing. It sounds like the softer side of God that would command us to love, but in truth it is the most offensive and aggressive thing God has given us. Just listen to the scripture- perfect love casts out fear. Fear causes most of our sin or departure from God. This may be hard to believe or understand, because many would say our rebellious nature causes us to sin. But I would say Adam and Eve were not born with a rebellious nature, but rather feared what was not known to them. That is what satan used to tempt them "to know what God knows, surely that can't be a bad thing" (knowledge of good and evil). After thousands of years of sin and repentance, God sent His son to use perfect love to cast out all fear in us. If we do not love others, we must still have some fear in us that we have not allowed Christ to cast out, and that is why the scripture says if you do not love your brother you certainly can't say I know and love God.

A - The application for me is to understand that I am ensure that I have allowed God's perfect love, cast out all fear I may have in my life. I am and rest in peace and confidence that Christ's love is in me, and that because of that love, I can love all people. This is related to the progressive habits of effective Christians in that God desires us to get to know Him, and understand how His perfect love has allowed us to be perfected (2 Pet 5 - faith produces moral excellence- leads to knowing god, self discipline, patient endurance and finally godliness, all so we might be able to love others and reach the world for the Gospel.



P - Dear heavenly Father, thank you for today's devotions may it be sealed to my heart. I pray Lord that you would continue to help me apply your word, to my life, and my calling, and allow me to love all of your people in the world , so that your light my draw them to you, and that your love may cast out all fear in them. I pray this in Jesus Christ name, Amen.