Perfected by Love!

(1John 4:18) “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.”

Discipline may well achieve its objective in a believer’s life, but if it carries with it the banner of fear, it will never be perfected by love. What an amazing verse, trust our faithful brother John to give us this insight. I pray it may grip our souls and captivate our minds and with it bring forth its fruit in its season.

Fear is a reality for most and yet love casts out all fear.  I want us to seriously consider this. So many voices with gloomy messages of doom, and yet we instinctively turn a blind eye to those type of outcries. But the only time that would be to our benefit, was if, “wolf” was cried. Any message that carries truth on her wings must be well received, as it may mean the difference between life and death. However with many of these types of messages, they are simply designed to instil fear into the hearts of people. They come with a hidden agenda and with their master at the helm, yes Satan the mastermind behind so much confusion.

The Bible and those privileged enough to understand and teach us what will unfold through time; inform us that the Lord Jesus is coming back to earth to fetch His church (bride). It is referred to a gathering in the clouds and this will happen suddenly, in a twinkling of an eye, a blink. So we have a very clear instruction on this topic; how do you suppose the world will explain away this event? I cannot with certainty say, but what I am sure of is that doubt with its many foundational liars have and are being laid. Global warning, extinction, aliens and the like all seed of doubt sown into the hearts of people when and where needed to be presented as an answer for the unexplained. But the Bible has explained it simply and clearly. Hell will be a place that is real, but the smoke screens will only be effective while on earth, when people eventually end up there it will be too late and I wonder how many would have said that there is no such place? It is the same with the message of our planets potential destruction; one may say, “A comet may take us out”. No it won’t as that is not part of God’s plan. He is dealing with His creation and all of it according to His will and purpose, man will not determine its outcome. How does the creation have power over the creator, it doesn’t and never will although billions believe this, they are wrong! We are all left with two choices, will we believe the scientist with their convincing proof or will we believe the Word of God. It is not complicated, we are all left with a choice and it will eventually come down to an open confession on what side we stand. As for me, I have made my choice, nothing is more important that the Word of God. I may even run out of daily bread, but that will only sustain me for this life. It is eternity that captivates my mind and soul, more specifically it is the Lord Jesus my love who mesmerizes. It is too Him and Him alone that I pledge my allegiance. Remember that every day we will have to make a choice on whether we will believe man and his wisdom or the Word of God. Almost everything is designed to point us away from His Word. No matter the sirens that may sound, with their intent of sending us into hiding, we must always remember that our God is in control and that His love cast out all fear. So with the many giants in life if we look at them through the eyes of faith, they become but ants which can at times be a nuisance but no more than that. It is imperative that we begin to feast on God’s Word like never before, it is the sustenance needed for what is soon to come.

Let us now conclude with our teaching of love with Matthew Henry... (1Corinthians 13:8-13)     

“Here the apostle goes on to commend charity, and show how much it is preferable to the gifts on which the Corinthians were so apt to pride themselves, to the utter neglect, and almost extinction, of charity. This he makes out,

I. From its longer continuance and duration: Charity never faileth. It is a permanent and perpetual grace, lasting as eternity; whereas the extraordinary gifts on which the Corinthians valued themselves were of short continuance. They were only to edify the church on earth, and that but for a time, not during its whole continuance in this world; but in heaven would be all superseded, which yet is the very seat and element of love. Prophecy must fail, that is, either the prediction of things to come (which is its most common sense) or the interpretation of scripture by immediate inspiration. Tongues will cease, that is, the miraculous power of speaking languages without learning them. There will be but one language in heaven. There is no confusion of tongues in the region of perfect tranquility. And knowledge will vanish away. Not that, in the perfect state above, holy and happy souls shall be unknowing, ignorant: it is a very poor happiness that can consist with utter ignorance. The apostle is plainly speaking of miraculous gifts, and therefore of knowledge to be had out of the common way (see 1Co_14:6), a knowledge of mysteries supernaturally communicated. Such knowledge was to vanish away. Some indeed understand it of common knowledge acquired by instruction, taught and learnt. This way of knowing is to vanish away, though the knowledge itself, once acquired, will not be lost. But it is plain that the apostle is here setting the grace of charity in opposition to supernatural gifts. And it is more valuable, because more durable; it shall last, when they shall be no more; it shall enter into heaven, where they will have no place, because they will be of no use, though, in a sense, even our common knowledge may be said to cease in heaven, by reason of the improvement that will then be made in it. The light of a candle is perfectly obscured by the sun shining in its strength.

II. He hints that these gifts are adapted only to a state of imperfection: We know in part, and we prophesy in part, 1Co_13:9. Our best knowledge and our greatest abilities are at present like our condition, narrow and temporary. Even the knowledge they had by inspiration was but in part. How little a portion of God, and the unseen world, was heard even by apostles and inspired men! How much short do others come of them! But these gifts were fitted to the present imperfect state of the church, valuable in themselves, but not to be compared with charity, because they were to vanish with the imperfections of the church, nay, and long before, whereas charity was to last for ever.

III. He takes occasion hence to show how much better it will be with the church hereafter than it can be here. A state of perfection is in view (1Co_13:10): When that which is perfect shall come, then that which is in part shall be done away. When the end is once attained, the means will of course be abolished. There will be no need of tongues, and prophecy, and inspired knowledge, in a future life, because then the church will be in a state of perfection, complete both in knowledge and holiness. God will be known then clearly, and in a manner by intuition, and as perfectly as the capacity of glorified minds will allow; not by such transient glimpses, and little portions, as here. The difference between these two states is here pointed at in two particulars: 1. The present state is a state of childhood, the future that of manhood: When I was a child, I spoke as a child (that is, as some think, spoke with tongues), I understood as a child; ephronoun - sapiebam (that is, “I prophesied, I was taught the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, in such an extraordinary way as manifested I was not out of my childish state”), I thought, or reasoned, elogizomēn, as a child; but, when I became a man, I put away childish things. Such is the difference between earth and heaven. What narrow views, what confused and indistinct notions of things, have children, in comparison of grown men! And how naturally do men, when reason is ripened and matured, despise and relinquish their infant thoughts, put them away, reject them, esteem as nothing! Thus shall we think of our most valued gifts and acquisitions in this world, when we come to heaven. We shall despise our childish folly, in priding ourselves in such things when we are grown up to men in Christ. 2. Things are all dark and confused now, in comparison of what they will be hereafter: Now we see through a glass darkly (en ainigmati, in a riddle), then face to face; now we know in part, but then we shall know as we are known. Now we can only discern things at a great distance, as through a telescope, and that involved in clouds and obscurity; but hereafter the things to be known will be near and obvious, open to our eyes; and our knowledge will be free from all obscurity and error. God is to be seen face to face; and we are to know him as we are known by him; not indeed as perfectly, but in some sense in the same manner. We are known to him by mere inspection; he turns his eye towards us, and sees and searches us throughout. We shall then fix our eye on him, and see him as he is, 1Jo_3:2. We shall know how we are known, enter into all the mysteries of divine love and grace. O glorious change! To pass from darkness to light, from clouds to the clear sunshine of our Saviour's face, and in God's own light to see light! Psa_36:9. Note, It is the light of heaven only that will remove all clouds and darkness from the face of God. It is at best but twilight while we are in this world; there it will be perfect and eternal day.

IV. To sum up the excellences of charity, he prefers it not only to gifts, but to other graces, to faith and hope (1Co_13:13): And now abide faith, hope, and charity; but the greatest of these is charity. True grace is much more excellent than any spiritual gifts whatever. And faith, hope, and love, are the three principal graces, of which charity is the chief, being the end to which the other two are but means. This is the divine nature, the soul's felicity, or its complacential rest in God, and holy delight in all his saints. And it is everlasting work, when faith and hope shall be no more. Faith fixes on the divine revelation, and assents to that: hope fastens on future felicity, and waits for that: and in heaven faith well be swallowed up in vision, and hope in fruition. There is no room to believe and hope, when we see and enjoy. But love fastens on the divine perfections themselves, and the divine image on the creatures, and our mutual relation both to God and them. These will all shine forth in the most glorious splendours in another world, and there will love be made perfect; there we shall perfectly love God, because he will appear amiable for ever, and our hearts will kindle at the sight, and glow with perpetual devotion. And there shall we perfectly love one another, when all the saints meet there, when none but saints are there, and saints made perfect. O blessed state! How much surpassing the best below! O amiable and excellent grace of charity! How much does it exceed the most valuable gift, when it outshines every grace, and is the everlasting consummation of them! When faith and hope are at an end, true charity will burn for ever with the brightest flame. Note, Those border most upon the heavenly state and perfection whose hearts are fullest of this divine principle, and burn with the most fervent charity. It is the surest offspring of God, and bears his fairest impression. For God is love, 1Jo_4:8, 1Jo_4:16. And where God is to be seen as he is, and face to face, there charity is in its greatest height - there, and there only, will it be perfected.” (Matthew Henry)

Signing off

Tyrone