The Pulpit Commentary — 1 John — Section 137

as we believe, have we experience of the love: and, however much we have experience of it, there is still room for the exercise of faith. (2) Restatement regarding the natwre of God. "God is Love." In neither case is the statement made to stand out; it is introduced as though it were a familiar thought to the writer. "Pnre, universal Love thou art." One bearing of this is that God cannot love partially, loving one and not loving another. '"For the dear God who loveth us, He made and lovcth all." Another bearing of it is that God cannot love feebly. Even in bis reserve there ici strength. He rests in his love (Zeph. iii. 17); but it is because he is conscious of his strength. He had infinite repose in view of the entrance of sin into the worhl; but it was because he was conscious of his power to defeat it for his own glory on the cross. And we must think of him as having infinite reposP- in view of the final issue of tbinc;s. That he is Love means this to us-that all means will be used to overcome the evil of our hearts. (3) Inference regarding fellowship with God. "And he that abideth in love abideth in God, and God abideth in him." If God is Love, as the Spirit gives us to see in the Incarnation, then he who moves habitually in love as the sphere of his being, keeps up fellowship with God. III. THE DUTY RECOMMENDED FROM LOVE WORKING TOWARD BOLDlfEBB. 1. Consum- mation. "Herein is love made perfect with us, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment; because as he [that One] is, even so are we in this world." It is a most solemn thought that there is before us all the day of judgment. "It is appointed unto men once to die, and after this cometh judgment." '!'here is a final and authoritative judgment to be pronounced on the value of our life. What has there been in it of obedience to God? How far have we received Christ into it? Upon that the sentence must turn. Love is now with us; i.e. joined to us as an influence in our life. What is the greatest thing that it can do for our future? It is this, to inspire us with boldness that day when we stand before the judgment-seat of Christ. The gronnd of our present confidence is likeness to Christ. That One who is to be on the judgment- eeat was once in this world in bodily form; he is still in the world in spirit, lovin;; those who are his people, and seeking to embrace all others within the number of his people. According as we are in sympathy with the movements of his love-love h!s people, and seek to embrace others within the number of his peopl~an we assw-e our hearts in view of the day of judgment. 2. Imperfection on the way to the con- summation. "'!.'here is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear, because fear bath punishment; and he that feareth is not made perfect in love." The opposite of boldness is fear : this is excluded from love. It is of the nature of fear to shrink back from a person; it is of the nature of love to be attracted toward a person. Tb.ere is naturally fear in us to be cast out. According as love takes possession of us does it cast out fear. Men may have a certain fear of each other on first acquaintance ; but let love be drawn out, and fear is gradually expelled. So we have a feeling of fear toward God, while our relations to him are not satisfactorily determined, while we have not satisfactorily discovered his feelings toward us. We are startled when we think of our sin, when we think of the Divine indignation against sin. But when we think of God as in infinite compassion making provision for us as sinners, we are emboldened. "He is near that justifieth me; who is he that will conteud with me?" And a, we realize more of the greatuess of redeemiug love, there is less room left for fear. 'l'here 1s a punitive office fulfilled by fear. It is God in a painful manner dealing with us for our imperfoct lovti, and telling us that we must love better. 3. Love that is operative is caused by anticipa ~iue love. "We love, because he first loved us." There is an affirmation here, and au explanation. The affirmation is, " We love" (without definition of object). There are multitudes who, without untruthfulness and without presumption, can say, "We love." Can we say this? The love of parents to their children is acknowledged to be real. We are not long in a home before wtt see that love is, in no feigned manner, operating. The parents cannot suffer their children to be long out of their sight. 'l.'hey have doubts and fears about them in many ways. And they are always planning for their well-being. Do we love all round in the same way? Would we be conscious of a great blank in our existence if we bad not I G,,,l to love? Would the light of our I.lye, the joy of our heart, be gone ·1 Do we deligr., 134 THE FIRST EPISTLE GENERAL OF JOHN. [en. 1v, 1-21.