No Fear (1 John 4:15-18)
Gary McManus, 01/20/2019Part of the God's Love; Beyond Belief series, preached at a Sunday Morning service
Sunday January 20, 2019 1 John 4:15-18
“No Fear”
“Don’t be afraid.” --'most numerous command
in the Bible.’ --John Ortberg
See Luke 1:30
John’s letter outlines John’s themes including:
in obedience to the Lord is found completeness
of God’s love IN THAT person.
MATURITY is just as good a translation
for the same word.
Pastor’s issues = Pastor’s fault
Check other versions for help.
Bible study: The Life that God Rewards
Bruce Wilkinson
The Apostle Paul states: Romans 2:6
God “will repay each person according to
what they have done.”
(See also Psalm 62:12; Prov. 24:12,
Colossians 3:25, 2 Timothy 4:14,
Hebrews 10:30, Revelation 2:23)
Remember the 23rd Psalm:
--Psalm 23:4
“Even though I walk through the darkest valley,
I will fear no evil, for you are with me;
your Shepherd’s rod and staff, comfort me.”
We sing:
Because He lives, I can face tomorrow,
Because He lives, all fear is gone;
Our deeds will be judged (but the deeds
don’t save us: Matthew 12:36)
The deeds may be deeds of repentance
(Acts 26:20 and others)
1 Peter 2:12 states that good deeds
glorify God.
One scholar states that”the prospect of standing
before the seat of God’s judgment holds no terror
for those who are growing in love, translating
verse 18 this way:
“for when the love of God is properly known,
it calms the mind—a quote from John Calvin,
the great Reformer.
Christians do not mature in divine love under
the whip as if driven to do good.
The Holy Spirit, the Comforter, --the Holy Spirit
ACTIVATES that same love in our lives within
the church and towards a hostile world.
Divine love is not a human attribute
We LOVE BECAUSE he first loved us.
(1 John 4:19)
The BLOOD of the martyrs was the seed
of the church.
The Apostle tells us that those martyrs knew
perfect love. . .they had no fear.
Amen.
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