What do we do to experience perfect love?

“Such love has no fear, because perfect love expels all fear. If we are afraid, it is for fear of punishment, and this shows that we have not fully experienced his perfect love.”

1 John 4:18 NLT

Scripture says if we are afraid whether in general fear of anything or of punishment, it shows we have not fully experienced God's perfect love. When we abide in perfect love, there is no fear of any kind for such love cast out all fear. The perfect love of God transcends and overwhelms all worries and fear. How can we experience God's perfect Love? We know God loves us but how can we experience His perfect love? We know God loves us because the bible tells us so. We know God loves us in theory but how can we experience His Love in practical life? We must practice His Love to achieve the experience of His perfect Love.

The bible says we must live in the Love of God and as we live in Him our love will grow perfect. How do we live in Him? We live in Him as we follow His commandments. To follow His commandments shows and proves we love Him. The perfect love of God grows to perfection. It is not a one time event or a one time granting in the ability to love in perfection. Our relationship with God is a union and a communion. 

How does His Perfect Love come to full completion expressed in us? When it is fully expressed in us, then His Love is perfected and we no longer walk in any fear. His Perfect Love comes to completion as we practice or exercise loving one another. 

“No one has ever seen God. But if we love each other, God lives in us, and his love is brought to full expression in us.”

1 John 4:12 NLT

In the same chapter of 1 John 4, scriptures attempts to illustrate to the reader how God loves us. While we were still sinners HE sent His Son to die for us. God had paid the highest price of all creation and the heavens. We are to love one another in such a way. We are not loving each other because we are being loved by them. True love sets no condition. True love sacrifices at their own cost. God did not send His Son to die for us because we had loved God first. In fact, we were still enemies to God and sinning as He had sent His only Son. 

“Beloved, if God loved us so [very much], we also ought to love one another.”

1 John 4:11 AMP

We can say "I love you" with words all day long but that in itself will not have the love of God perfected in us. We must love with our actions. We must love as it will cost us time, money, resources, energy, serving, and etc even though the recipient may not love us or have the ability to love back. As we practice loving one another which may cost us something dearly, God's love will become perfected in us. Attaining perfect love will require much sacrifice whether in resources or of ourselves. As we practice God's love, we will learn and experience His faithfulness in our personal lives thus casting out all fear. 

Pastor Steve