In the previous post, I wrote that I had misread 1 John 2:15. If I was indulging in sin, in meant that God did not love. I realized that my sin was not stopping God's love for me at all. His love may have felt outside, alien to me, but His love was within me.
I will now apply this revelation to what I learned about 1 John 4:18.
For the longest time, I worked so hard to rid myself of fear. I needed to get rid of fear, because I did not want to "not be perfected in love."
Later, I recognized that this fearing has to do with a long-standing sense that God is going to punish me.
Then I began to meditate on this verse further. From last week to now, I recognized that, just like with what I learned in 1 John 2:15, that God's love does not disappear or suddenly vanish away because I feel fear.
His love has, IS always there for me, and there is nothing that can remove it, not even my feelings, not even my temporal worries.
God is not going to punish me for being afraid of anything.
His love for me does not depend on me at all--isn't that what "unconditional" means?
As in my previous post, I recognize that I used to believe that perfect love would mean that I would freely engage in every perversion imagineable.
How much the opposite is true! His perfect love is SO MUCH BETTER!
When we understand this perfect love, the fear is cast out, thrust out--GONE!
Now, what makes the love "perfect"?
Why, John answers that question before hand!
"Herein is love perfected among us, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment; because as He is, so are we in this world!" (1 John 4:17)
When I read this verse again, I understand why Pastor Joseph Prince writes: "This is not a game. This is truth."
We just don't allow this revelation to settle into our hearts. How much more can The Love of the Father rest in you than in this? That We are in Christ, and God sees us as dearly as His own Son?!
Now that's Perfect Love -- and it casts out ALL FEAR!
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