Expositor's Bible Commentary 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)

The perfection or completeness of love brings “confidence” (GK 4244), confidence relating especially to the time of judgment (cf. 2:28), though John probably believed that it was the mark of a believer in every relationship to God (cf. 3:21; 5:14). He may have introduced the judgment theme in the context of the commandment to love because Jesus himself made this command so specific and established love as the basis for judgment. Not to love, therefore, is to disobey Jesus and to spurn the Father’s own love in sending Jesus. To live in love, however, is to live in God, and this results in complete confidence for prayer and judgment.

The meaning of “because in this world, we are like him” is uncertain. In view of the context, it is best to understand these words to mean that just as Jesus “abides” in the love of the Father (cf. Jn 15:10), an abiding that already marked his earthly existence and gave him “confidence” before God in the face of temptation, trial, and death, so “in this world” we also may abide in the Father’s love and share in that same confidence.