Our Sermons

Bible Passage: 1 John 4:13-21
Pastor: Pastor Schlicht
Sermon Date:  May 16, 2021

A family had worked for weeks on a 1,000 piece puzzle. But just as they were putting the final pieces in, they realized a few were missing. They looked all over. They checked every crook and cranny of the house with no success. Then they noticed some tiny scraps of the cardboard in their dog’s bed. The joy and satisfaction of completing the puzzle would never be theirs. Incomplete things bother us don’t they. There is something I do every now and then just to bother my poor wife on the piano. Let’s see if you can see why they bother her. [Play unresolved chords and melodies.] Nothing is more frustrating than something incomplete. And conversely, nothing is more satisfying than something that is perfectly complete. As you can imagine, the stakes are much more serious when we aren’t talking about a chord on the piano or an unfinished puzzle. 

Today in 1 John chapter 4, we explore what complete love means. More than just annoyance at an unresolved chord, incomplete love leaves us afraid of God and uncertain of our salvation. And complete love, more than just that feeling when you press in the final piece of a puzzle, gives us confidence in God’s presence now and forever.

Love is Defined in Christ Alone – John begins this way: God is love. Whoever remains in love remains in God and God in him. Biblically love is not originally a human attribute, but the essence of God himself. In other words, if someone knows God they know what love is; not the other way round. It isn’t that we see human love and then realize that God is loving. No, we look at God and what he does, who he is, and then we understand what love is. Love is the revelation of God. And the clearest revelation of God is Jesus Christ who gave his life for us. As John explained in verse 10: “This is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the atoning sacrifice for our sins.” This is foundational. Before we even begin to talk about what John means by complete love, we must know that the source of love is God’s love for us in Christ. Love is defined in Christ alone.

Now John talks about complete love in verse 17-18: In this way his love has been brought to its goal among us, so that we may have confidence on the day of judgment, because in this world we are just like Jesus. There is no fear in love, but complete love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who continues to be afraid has not been brought to the goal in love.” So here is the question, we understand what love is from God, but what is the difference between complete love and incomplete love? What is the difference between love that has been brought to its goal, and that which hasn’t been brought to the goal?  Well, in this context, the word “complete” doesn’t mean that we are always fully loving. Because if that were the case none of us could genuinely claim to be complete in love. No, John proposes that this complete love can and should be ours through Christ, sinful though we may be. Complete love in the way that John describes it seems to be that love which is expressed in our actions to others. As he said in verse 12: “No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us.” So love that is complete in this sense is love that flows from God through us to others. Complete love is the love of Jesus which took action on our behalf, so filling our hearts that we take action to love others around us. 

The Circuit of Love – Did you ever make one of those electrical circuits in school? You had to make sure that the battery was connected to the light bulb and the switch and then you had to make sure that the switch was also connected to the battery. [show diagram] All three had to be connected or else the bulb wouldn’t light up! It would be an incomplete circuit. That’s the same situation here: [show diagram]God is the battery, the power, the motivation. God loves me and he loves my neighbor, but unless I love my neighbor, God’s love will remain unseen. The light will not go on! It will be an incomplete circuit. More than annoying or frustrating, this is the opposite of God’s intention. It is an evil thing to withhold the love of God to others and deny his purpose. In fact, it makes us wonder if we are actually connected to the battery of God’s love in the first place… But if your love is complete, if your circuit of faith is complete, you will shine with God’s love, the Holy Spirit’s work in your life will be evident. As you love others in the way God has loved you the light bulb will be on. 

John says this not to shame us into loving better, but in a positive sense, as an assurance. In this way his love has been brought to its goal among us, so that we may have confidence on the day of judgment, because in this world we are just like Jesus. How can you be assured that the electrical current is complete? The light bulb will be shining, right? How can you see evidence of your salvation? Well, you will, in some way, be a reflection of Jesus! If he is in you through faith, then you don’t need to fear God’s judgment. 

Love and Fear are Incompatible – In fact, John says, “There is no fear in love, but complete love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who continues to be afraid has not been brought to the goal in love.” The Apostle John says that love and fear are utterly incompatible. Complete love overcomes fear. 

Now there needs to be some explanation on this point so that we don’t get things mixed up. Firstly, What about the command in the letter of the Hebrews about approaching God “with reverence and godly fear”? What about the statement that “the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom”? How do you reconcile these things? Well, what John is talking about is a terror or craven fear, which is a very different thing from godly fear, which is more akin to reverence and awe. There is always a sense of reverence in connection with love…if we love God, there is a sense of awe, holiness about it—there is true reverence in it. “Reverence and godly fear” is a very different thing from this fear that torments, a fear that cringes and trembles. That is the kind of fear that complete love drives out. John wants us to be free from that fear. when it comes to Judgment Day. 

The Relationship of Justification and Sanctification in Assurance – Second, we cannot mix up justification and sanctification. I’ll relate it to you in how I think about myself before God.  As I contemplate myself standing before God on the Day of Judgment, I know perfectly well I am a sinner. I have not loved him with all my heart, mind, soul, and strength. I have been guilty of sins against my neighbor and against myself. How can I stand there without fear? There is only one way in which I can stand:  that is to know and believe that God sent his Son to bear my sins on the cross. I cling to Christ alone—nothing else can give me peace at that point. There is only one thing, and it is Jesus. I am hiding in Him. I have no other hope as I contemplate the holiness of God and my own sin. That is the first thing to realize—the love of God and what he has done for me. As we say: Justification is by grace, through faith alone! Full stop.

Now, a secondary assurance of my being able to stand with boldness is that as I contemplate the Day of Judgment I can look at the evidence of God’s love in my life: what we call our sanctification, the process through which God’s Spirit works in us as his children. I believe that in spite of my unworthiness, I do want to know God better. I do want to love him more. And I seek to love others like he does and sometimes, only by the grace of God, I do! Therefore, I know that he has given me his Holy Spirit; he must be working in me or I would not be like that. I know something of this love of Christ, and though dimly, I can think of ways and times I have reflected it. I’ve seen the lightbulb turn on, so to speak. So as I contemplate facing God, I think of how his love has been brought to its goal in my life, how the current of his Spirit has flowed through me and I realize that my heavenly Father will not reject his child. He has promised he will not do so!

So, you see, in addition to my justification, not in place of it, my sanctification helps me. This is why we must always take justification and sanctification together, or we will fall out of balance. If I look at my own love as the primary assurance of salvation, I’ll dissolve into fear. I must always rely solely upon what Christ has done for my salvation. However, I also cannot forget that if I have faith I should be bearing fruit. I can’t think that because I am justified by Christ it doesn’t matter how I love others. John does not allow that. We love because he first loved us. 20 If anyone says, “I love God,” but hates his brother, he is a liar. For how can anyone who does not love his brother, whom he has seen, love God, whom he has not seen? 21 This then is the command we have from him: The one who loves God should also love his brother.

My friends, focus on the love of God in Christ and let God’s Spirit complete the circuit as you let that love overflow to others in your life. You will find yourself loving someone selflessly, and you will draw the correct conclusion: You won’t think “Ah, what a great Christian, I am!” You will humbly know the most satisfying truth, “This is Christ in me!” And you will come to the Day of Judgment with confidence. Let me end with Paul’s words from Philippians 1:6 “I am convinced of this very thing: that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.” 

Amen.