1 John 4:11-18

1 John 4:11-18

Dear friends, if such has been the love of God, we, too, must love one another.  No one has ever seen God, but if we love one another, God lives in us, and his love comes to its perfection in us.  How may we know that we live in God and he in us? Because God has given us his Spirit.  We ourselves have seen and declare that the Father sent his Son to save the world. Those who confess that Jesus is the Son of God, God remains in them and they in God.  We have known the love of God and have believed in it. God is love. The one who lives in love, lives in God and God in him.  When do we know that we have reached a perfect love? When in this world, we are like him in everything, and expect with confidence the Day of Judgment.  There is no fear in love. Perfect love drives away fear, for fear has to do with punishment; those who fear do not know perfect love.

My Beloved, the Father has proved His love for us beyond the shadow of a doubt in Your incarnation, passion and death.  There was no other way that would speak so clearly of His love for us.  I in turn must love - I can do nothing less.  It would a slap in the face of God if I did not love my neighbor.  In loving my neighbor, God comes alive in me.  The closer I embrace You my Beloved to myself as the Son of the all Holy God, the closer will I become one with God. 

God is love.  How simple, how profound, how comforting.  If I live in love, I live in God and He lives in me.  Two important facts are revealed to me about love - 1) I know that I love perfectly when I am like You my Beloved in everything and 2) my ongoing, sincere effort to be like You, my daily struggles will be most pleasing to You. 

Lastly, there is no fear in love.  I will know that I have reached the ability to love perfectly when I am unafraid because then, I will have truly understood the love of God for me.