As we learn about God, we learn He is a just God. We gain an understanding of His wrath, but we also learn how Jesus gave His life to satisfy God’s wrath. In 1 John 4:17-19 he tells his readers that the perfection of love presents us as bold, confident and unafraid when he returns.
Bold
The Bible describes a day of judgement yet to come. However, we are like Jesus in the world. His love has been perfected in us. Because of this we have boldness. It is the sign of love’s perfection in us. This relationship we have with Him was His idea. “We love Him because He first loved us.”
Confident
We will stand not only bold but also confident. Although not mentioned here, In 1 John 2:28, John writes of having confidence when Jesus returns. He promised when he left the earth, that He would return. John writes further regarding this where Jesus says He is going to prepare a place for us and will come back to get us. We face His return with confidence and without shame. It is the fruit of abiding in Him.
Unafraid
“There is no fear in love,” he writes. God’s complete love sends fear away. In fear there is torment, a fear of punishment, a fear of God’s wrath. The person who has been made perfect in love, rests in the work of Jesus.
What blessing the Spirit brings to our heart as we contemplate the day of Jesus return, or the day of judgement. We know that in Him we won’t be ashamed, nor cowardly, nor full of fear. Because of the love of God the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, who dwells within us, we will stand, bold, confident and unafraid when He returns.
