The Pulpit Commentary — 1 John — Section 118

Yers. 17, 18.-Love's /,oldness in the day of judgment. Connecting link: 'fho Bpostle hn,1 boen spea~ing of God's love being porfocted in 11s. He now glances forward to the outlook of believers, ns_ bounded by the ,ra.pova-lc& and the rcpfou, and in so doing he shows that, as lo\'e alt:uns its perfection, all dread which might otherwise attend on t.he prospect is removed; so that the believer may have 7rap~71<1ia. oven on the judgment- day. As, however, in these verses there is some room for differences of interpretation, we must first st.nte wlrnt nppoars to us to be the mNming of soma of its clauses, since the entire structure of this homily clepends thereon. 1. "Herein is the love mnde perfect with us." "The love," i.e. God's love which (ver, 12) is p:!rfecting itself in the soul that loves. "With us." With whom? "With us, as believers, one towards another?" or " with believers and God ? " \Ve adopt tho latter view-God's own love consummating itself in working through believers; and their love consummating itself also in laying hold of God's. '' It is difficult not to feel that there is some subtle rererence to the idea of Gvd w.:th us." 1 "Love is not simply perfected in man by an act of Divine p◊1rnr, but in fulfilling this issue God works with man" (Westcott). 2. •• Because as he is, so are we in this world." In what sense are believers in the world as Christ is? or rather, what is the sense in which it is so intended here by the apostle? Is it not this-we arc looking forward to the day of judgment as the con- summation of our hope, and the Redeemer is working in the world with a view to the day of judgmcnt as the consummation of his mediatorial work? In this view we are confirmed by a remark of Cauon Westcott: " ''!'his world' as distinguished from ' the world' emphasizes the idea of transitoriness." Just so, Christ, in his redeeming work, and we in our believing hope, are working with the same goal in view-" the day of judgment." This world is but a passing phase of things. 3, "Fear bath punishment [ Authorized Version, 'torment']." '!'here is nothing here to suggest that "fear" has any disciplinary effect in inducing love. The apostle views it simply as the e"er-attendant penalty of unlovin~ness. He whose nature is out of harmony with God's must dread him everywhere and always. Spirits in league with evil will seek rest in vain. 'l'hey will tremble. But in the perfecting of love all this is done away. L THE PRESENT PERIOD rs BUT A TBANSlTION ONE. 'l'his is the day in which our Lord Jesus is carrying on his saving work in the world, and his educating process in the Church; and all with a view to " the great day." Believers, too, are only in the preliminary period of their training, and hence they too believe and hope and love with a view to" the great day." As their Lord is, so are they in this passing world, looking to and preparing for what lies above and beyond it. Hence such passages as these: Matt. :x:..xv.; Mark xiii. 35-37; Luke xiii. 24, 25; xviii. 8; xxi. 36; John xiv. 3; Acts ii. 20, 21; Rom. xiv. 9-12; 1 Cor. iv. 5; 2 Cor. v. 10; Phil. i. 6, 10; Col. i 28 ; 1 Thess. v. 23; 2 Tim. i. 12. · • lL THE DAY TO WHICII WE AilE LOOKING FORWARD IS "THE DAY OF JUDGMENT." It is the day of the Lord, when be shall be manifested. It may be as lengthened a period as the present one, which is "the day of salvation." As the day of jungment, it will close the probation of the race; while for those who are looking for our Lord it will briog in the saivation which is ready to be revealed at the last time. In tLe woril "judgment," however, much more is included than at first sight appears. "J u~gment_" is indeed a. rectification, an adjustment; but then what that may mean Ill detail depend,; on the person or thing to be judged. If, e.g., any one is unlawfully bound, judo-LDent would be liberation. If any one be deprived of a right, bis judgment would me:o r"storation. If unjustly acc11sed, vindication. If misunderstood or misinter- preted, manifestation. If good and evil are mixed up together, judgment would be separation ; and e.s the result, for tLe bad condemnation, and for the righteous glorifi- cation. J udument is in fact, the restitution of all things, not necessarily in the sense attributed to"that ph;ase by advocates of universal restoration, but in a far higher sense, eveo that of rendering to every man according as his work shall be (cf. Acts xvii. 31). Ill lF THAT DAY BE DREADED ON OUR PABT, IT IB EVIDENT THE!lE 1B SOME DEFICIENCY rs- OUR LOVE. That auuht so solemn as the final destinies of a race can be contem~ plated without a foeliJg of awe-an awe that is sometimes overwhelming-is n~t dcsiraLlc, even were it possible. Reverence, indeed, forbids it otherwise. But this holy, reverent awe must not be confoundfd with the servile dread referred to in th@ 1 So ' Speaker's Coiamentary,' in loc.; but is the reference "111~btlo "7 OH. IV, 1-21.] 'fllE FIRS'£ EPISTLE GENERAL 0.Ii' ,JOrrn. 115