Reading With the People of God #8 PeaceSample

1 John 4:18

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.

True love is Christ’s love, and all love is true insofar as it conforms to his love. Christ’s love has rescued us from what we were and made us who we are. Christ’s love has loved us, not because we were lovable, but precisely when we weren’t. Christ loves the unlovable. That’s his thing. But the moment he loves them, they become something new. God is love, and because Christ has loved us, we are God’s, and because we are God’s, we now love, and with true love at that, even if a pale reflection.

We love because Christ first loved us. We love, and that is no trite thing. It’s not easy to love in a fallen world. It’s not easy to love fallen people. It’s not easy to be loved by fallen people. And yet we now love, and we receive love because we have peace in Christ. Confident of his love, we are free. Love is vulnerable; it risks rejection, but we will never be rejected by Christ. So we can love indiscriminately. We can love all, whether they love back or not, because we have been so loved, and true love looks like Christ’s love to whatever degree it is true. Perfect love casts out fear. Perfect love was born in Bethlehem, and you have been loved with his perfect love. You need not fear. Your punishment has been paid. Heaven awaits. Your life is a gift. You are Christ’s reward. That might not seem like much to you for all he did, but he did it all for you. And that love that sought you, bought you, and taught you is now perfecting you, bringing you to your final end, which is the eternal beginning. What is there to fear when you are loved by God? There is nothing to fear and everything to love.

WE CAN LOVE ALL, WHETHER THEY LOVE BACK OR NOT BECAUSE WE HAVE BEEN SO LOVED.

Perfect love casts out fear. Are you afraid? Look to Love. Look to God. Remember who you are. You are loved by God, who loved you before you ever loved him before you were even lovable. Why would he who loved you in such a way stop now? Surely he won’t. So take heart. You are loved. Love freely, not to avoid punishment and not to be loved, but because Love has set you free.

Lord Jesus, you are love, and you love us. Cast out our fear and help us love with the love with which you yourself have loved us. Amen.