1 John 4:18

Memory Verse

There is no fear in the love, but the mature love casts out fear, because the fear has punishment. And the one who fears has not been made mature in love (1 John 4:18).

God’s love is brought to maturity in us when we realize that as those who are saved we will not face His wrath (1 Thessalonians 5:9). Therefore, we will have boldness on the day of judgment because as Christ is, we also will be (1 John 3:2). We will be the ones who stand before God blameless because we are in Christ (1 Thessalonians 5:23).

Because of God’s love for us, we are able to love Him (1 John 4:19). Our love for Him is expressed by how we love fellow saints (1 John 4:12). He sent His Son to be a propitiation for our sins (1 John 4:10). Therefore, if we love God, then we are obligated to love the brethren (1 John 4:11).

This is a type of love that seeks the best for the one loved, and can only be expressed by the Holy Spirit filling us up where we lack with His fruit (Galatians 5:22–23). This fruit enables us to seek the best for other saints in a manner that displays that we have a love for God, for in our love for God we obey His commandment (1 John 5:3). Therefore, as we abide in the desirous will of God for us, we will give ourselves to the Lord and other believers (2 Corinthians 8:5), be thankful in all things and for all things (1 Thessalonians 5:18), do good in every part of our manner of life (1 Peter 2:15–16), use our Spiritual gift for the edification of the saints (1 Corinthians 12:18), abstain from fornication (1 Thessalonians 4:3–5), and act as those who are mature sons (1 Peter 4:2), and thereby love the brethren.