1 John 4:17-19

Mature Love Gives One Boldness in Judgment

When the love of God becomes mature in His children, like the ripening of fruit, they can face the judgment with boldness. Such boldness arises from the fact that Christians are of Christ in that they have taken on His great nature of love. When John says there is no fear in love, he speaks of the trembling fear of one who has done wrong and awaits punishment. When one abides in love, or in Christ, such fear of judgment is banished from his heart. When one is not seeking to fully keep the commandments of Christ, he can know love is not fully grown, or ripened, in him, which will result in the fearful wait for punishment common to the disobedient (1 John 4:17-18).

In 1 John 4:19, the American Standard Version has the better rendering, "We love, because he first loved us." The Christian's love for God, neighbor, enemy and brother, is a direct response to the love God first had for His children. Some have tried to make God an angry creator whom Jesus appeased by dying on the cross. This verse, along with John 3:16, and Romans 5:8, proves God loved lost mankind first and sent Jesus to die to satisfy the requirements of justice.