Charles Spurgeon Commentary 1 John 4:17

"Herein is love made perfect with us, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment; because as he is, even so are we in this world." — 1 John 4:17 (ASV)

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.

If we can be to the world, in our poor feeble measure, what God is to it, – fountains of love, dispensaries of goodness, – then we need not be afraid of the verdict even of the great day of judgment.

In this is our love made perfect, that we may have a boldness in the day of judgment:

That is a wonderful expression, "boldness in the day of judgment." According to some, the saints will not be in the day of judgment. Then, what is the use of "boldness in the day of judgment"?

As I read my Bible, we shall all be there, and we shall all give an account to God. I shall be glad to be there, to be judged for the deeds done in my body; not that I hope to be saved by them, but because I shall have a perfect answer to all accusations on account of my sin. Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea, rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us. If I am a believer in Christ, –

"Bold shall I stand in that grand day,
For who anything to my charge shall lay?
While through your blood absolved I am
From sin's tremendous curse and shame.
Because as he is, so are we in this world."

Happy Christian men, who can say that? If you live among men as Christ lived among men, if you are a Saviour to them in your measure, if you love them, if you try to exhibit the lovely traits of character that were in Christ, happy are you.