1 John 4:16-18

"And so we know and rely on the love God has for us. God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in him. In this way, love is made complete among us so that we will have confidence on the day of judgment, because in this world we are like Him. There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love." 1 John 4:16-18

This is the real freedom that we have as Christ followers! To know and embrace that God has loved us with a perfect love and has called us to live a life of love brings complete freedom. Jesus Christ was the perfect example of a human who lived a life of love. He had compassion on people when it wasn't convenient for Him, He healed the broken, had patient with His followers, and ultimately took upon Himself the punishment for sin that we deserved. "There is no greater love than a man that lays His life down for His friends!" We are called to live the life of Christ, a life of love! When these two things come together, there is complete freedom. This is perfect love and it does cast out all fear! Why? Because of the great love of God, those who prove to be genuine followers of Christ (by their love) are seen as perfect or righteous or like Jesus. We will not be judged for our sin because its been paid for and we have a new identity before God. I have been discussing life issues with some who do not believe that there is a God and they always get hung up on the guilt thing. They think Christianity is all about guilt. While I understand what they are saying and agree that many Christians live a life of guilt, true Christianity is not a life of guilt. It is true that the Holy Spirit uses guilt to lead you back to fellowship with God when you do sin, but there is no fear of eternal guilt. I will not be held accountable for my sin because it has been paid for. This does not mean I will do whatever I want, because I wouldn't be living a life of love and probably wouldn't be a genuine Christ follower now would I. If you fear punishment on judgment day then you have missed the point of the Gospel and have not been made complete in love. Live the life you've been called to...A Life of Love! Love God/Love People!

God, this morning I come to you and thank you for loving me with a love that is so deep and powerful that it casts away all fear! To know that I live in Your love, because I live in You, is very freeing for me! It is strange to the world, but I am most free when I am serving You and living the life You have called me to live. Help me to genuinely love people today in all of my interactions. Whether it be at home, work, or the community, help me to love my neighbor just as Jesus did. Thank You God...The Lover of my soul!

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Navigating a Culture of "Pride" as a Christian

 June has been known as Pride Month ever since President Bill Clinton announced it back in 1999, and it has gained more and more steam since, particularly in the last 5 years.  It has made its way into small towns, into schools, and into the faith community as well.  In many ways it has become the loudest voice of the culture we live in, especially in the month of June.  It is a topic all over social media, the film industry, and media itself.  The agenda to normalize issues such as homosexuality and gender identity is pervasive.  You can hardly watch a series on main stream television, much less cable tv, without being confronted with these issues.  Some of the most prominent influences and influencers are now targeting children as their primary audience.  All of this has quickly shaped our culture, and anyone who thinks that the bombardment of these influences do not really have an effect on people, I would challenge them to learn about marketing.  The developments in the past 10 yea
Read more

Humanism in Christian Clothing

 I find myself more and more baffled by some of the things that I see posted on social media and how it seems to connect with so many.  I saw a post that quoted a pastor that said, "When your spirituality denies someone's humanity, it isn't spirituality, it's hatred wrapped up in religiosity."  The post attributes this to Mark Sandlin.  I don't know this pastor, if he really said it, or what the context was surrounding the quote.  However, it would seem reasonable to assume that the individual posting the quote was implying that if your spirituality leads you to conclude that homosexuality, transgenderism, or any other LGTBQ+ issue is sin, and you don't think it is the public schools job to normalize this, then you are denying someone's humanity, thus your spirituality is really not spirituality... it is hatred wrapped in religiosity.  This is a really odd statement for several reasons. 1.  What makes something spiritual?  Who defines what this is?  Is
Read more

Why Israel Still Matters in God's Plan

When someone professes faith in Christ and becomes a Christian, they enter in what the Scriptures calls the New Covenant.  This New Covenant is considered a greater covenant than the Old Covenant or Mosaic Covenant.  The Jewish people related to God through the Old Covenant for thousands of years.  Ultimately, this covenant pointed out one very important truth about life... Mankind naturally turns away from the living God and proves incapable of keeping the righteous demands of a Holy God.  As Biblical history unfolds, we find that Israel quickly abandon God and worshiped the gods of the surrounding nations.  They would have momentary bright spots, but even in those bright spots, the rebellious heart of man was on full display (King David anyone?).  The Law itself pointed out man's inability to keep the law and draws people to see that they need God's mercy.  Summary - Mankind needs a Savior because he sure can't save himself.   This is where Jesus comes in as a mediator of
Read more