Love is Perfected in the Cross

"Herein is love. . . ."

When John described what love really is, he did not break out Valentines, chocolates kisses, or warm hugs. He described God the Father giving up His Beloved Son:

"Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins." (1 John 4: 10)

Inspired by the Holy Spirit, the beloved disciple declared clearly God's love for us in terms of His Son:

"For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life." (John 3: 16)

God so loved the world -- you, me, and everyone else that was and is and ever will be -- that He gave His only begotten Son to die for our sins. By believing on Him, we receive His everlasting life, and all good things pertaining (Romans 8: 32)

When we understand what God has done, we then see our selves as "Beloved":

"To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved." (Ephesians 1: 6)

When we see ourselves as "Beloved" in Christ, then this faith produces obedience:

"Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another." (1 John 4: 11)

Even in this verse, John highlights that God "so loved" us, and so we are called to "love" one another, for any love that we offer cannot compare or measure up to God's love for us. Besides, our love springs from God's love for us:

"We love him, because he first loved us." (1 John 4: 19)

Now, how is God's love perfected, or completed, in us? How do we manifest this Finished Work in our lives?:

"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." (1 John 4: 17)

When we accept by faith that the death and resurrection of God's Son Jesus Christ has made us one with Him (John 17: 21), that God loves us as much as His Son (John 17: 23), that Jesus now lives in us (Colossians 1: 27), that He works through us (Philippians 2: 13), then we reign in life (Romans 5: 17) and in His power we always triumph (2 Corinthians 2: 14).

This perfection is in the Cross, for God's love has as its eternal token in the Cross, Jesus Christ the Propitiation of our sins!