1 John 4:17

1 John 4:17 says, Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment: because as he is, so are we in this world.  John said our love is made perfect by loving God and loving as He loves.  He said if we have this type of love that we can have boldness on judgement day.  We will not have to stand in fear before God if we love as He does, and we can only love this way by accepting Jesus Christ as our Saviour and Lord and then being led by the Holy Spirit.  

Verse eighteen adds, There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love.  John then says there is no fear in love, which I believe means a God like love.  He said love casts out fear, and that if we live in fear, then we are not made perfect in love.  I think too often we let fear cast out love in our lives, and we are not made perfect in the love that God expects us to have for others if we are Christians.  

Verse nineteen continues, We love him, because he first loved us.  John says we love God because He first loved us.  We were all sinners, some more so than others when God sent His only begotten Son to die for us, and He expects us to love others even when they are sinners.  

Verse twenty states, If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar: for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen?  John then makes it very plain.  If we say that we love God, but we don't love our brother, which means all people, then we are liars.  He asks if we don't love our brother who we have seen, how can we love God Whom we haven't seen.  Followers of Christ should show the same love for people that He did, and He died for all people, even the worst of sinners.  

Verse twenty-one adds, And this commandment have we from him, That he who loveth God love his brother also.  John said it is God's commandment that if we are His people, then we will love our brother.  This is not an optional thing but a commandment.