Confidence in God's Love

By this is love perfected with us, so that we may have confidence for the day of judgment, because as he is so also are we in this world. 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.

(1 John 4:17-18 ESV)

The perfected love John is speaking of is the abiding of God in us and we in God. When we are in Christ we have confidence for the day of judgement. We can know that we have eternal life, because it is God’s gift to us when we believe on His name and forsake our sins. We can know that our sins are forgiven and that our final destination is in heaven with Jesus. We have this assurance because it rests entirely on the person and work of Jesus and not ourselves.

Because God is love his love casts out any fear of death and judgement. We have peace with God because of his love displayed on the cross. Do you have this perfect love as a reality in your life? Do you have full assurance of your destination after death?  If you aren’t sure I highly recommended reading the book of John. 

John wrote his gospel so that we may know we have salvation in Christ.

Praise be to God that we don’t have to worry about doing enough good works to counteract our bad to get to heaven.  Praise God that we don’t have to do any type of ritual before death to ensure entrance into heaven. We, as Christians have no fear, because God’s perfect love has cast it out.

This reminds me of a song that I want to leave you with. The last verse of Christ alone written by Stuert Townend and Keith Getty:

No guilt in life, no fear in death,
This is the power of Christ in me;
From life's first cry to final breath.
Jesus commands my destiny.
No power of hell, no scheme of man,
Can ever pluck me from His hand;
Till He returns or calls me home,
Here in the power of Christ I'll stand.