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that believers shall have boldness in the day of judgment? Yes -- and yet no
-- for this is but a part of the glorious goal. We believe the verse should
be read as follows:
'In this is the love with us perfected (in order that we may have
boldness in the day of judgment); that as He is so are we in this
world'.
The love is perfected in this, that the believer in Christ is as He is.
God Himself knows no higher goal for eternity than that the believer shall be
as his Lord, and when these bodies of our humiliation are changed for bodies
like unto the glorified Lord, then perfect love will have found its goal.
Such is the 'grace wherein we stand'! Every believer equally perfect
in Christ! The weakest as the strongest, the babe and the full grown, all
are equally and altogether complete in Him. There are no 'ifs' here. This
is no more conditional upon our walk and life than is justification. Results
will necessarily follow, but let it always be remembered that they follow,
not come before. 'He that is righteous (in Christ) doeth righteousness (as a
result)'.
As He Is -- We Are (1 John 4:17).
As He Is -- We Shall Be (1 John 3:2).
'We know that when He shall appear, we shall be like Him'. Again we
deal with that which is absolute. 'We shall be like Him', and perfect love
will have reached its goal. Can we not better understand the reason why the
apostle introduces this marvellous subject with the words, 'Behold what
manner of love!' What is to be the outcome of this glorious position?
'Every one that hath this hope in Him purifieth himself, even as He is pure'.
According to many, possibly among them some who read these words, certainty
means licence. They think that it is presumption to 'know' that which God
has declared. Scripture does not veil the fact that there will always be
those who 'turn the grace of God into lasciviousness', but this by no means
alters the relations established between 1 John 3:2 and 3.
The reasoning of the heart will be, am I as He is, in Christ? Oh,
that
I may be more like Him in practice! Am I to be like Him in the future?
Oh,
for grace to be more like Him now! Keeping 1 John 4:17 in mind, we turn
to 1
John 2:5,6. Again we shall read of God's love being perfected, but this
time
dealing with the conditional side of sanctification:
'But whoso keepeth His Word, in him verily is the love of God
perfected: hereby know we that we are in Him. He that saith he abideth
in Him ought himself also so to walk, even as He walked' (1 John
2:5.6).
Even in this conditional setting the keeping of the Word is a proof of
our being in Him; not that the keeping of the Word either places us in that
blessed sphere, or secures us when we are there. By comparing 1 John 4:17
with 1 John 2:5,6 it will be seen that God's love to us, and our love to God,
meet together in the Lord Jesus Christ as their great goal; both point
forward to likeness to Him. The believer's love to God urges him to seek
more conformity to the image of His Beloved Son; and God's love to His people
has fixed its goal, perfect likeness to Christ in resurrection glory. Be it
noted that this verse does not say, 'We ought to be as He is', but it says,