"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." (1 John 4:17). This profound declaration from the Apostle John stands as one of the boldest statements in the entire New Testament. It is not a hopeful wish or a distant aspiration; it is a radical, present-tense reality. But how can mere mortals, prone to struggle and imperfection, be genuinely likened to the glorified Son of God, even now and here, and what does this have to do with boldness in the face of judgment? The answer lies wholly within the majestic truth of
Christ's finished work and the boundless, super-abundant grace—what some critics term "Hyper-Grace"—that flows from it.Yet, this truth is the bedrock of our identity, our security, and our empowerment. It is a truth that liberates us from the treadmill of performance and ushers us into heirship and divine rest that enables our appropriation of dominion authority and genuine, Spirit-led living, free from the fear of condemnation taking charge of our circumstances.
The Context of Love in 1 John 4: Perfected Love and Boldness
To truly grasp 1 John 4:17, we must understand its immediate context. John's epistle, particularly chapter 4, is a deep dive into the very nature of God as Love (ἀγάπη, agapē – divine, unconditional love, often translated as 'charity' in the KJV). He begins by urging believers to "try the spirits whether they are of God" (1 John 4:1) and then immediately shifts to God's essence: "Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God. He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love." (1 John 4:7-8).
John then illustrates this love's ultimate expression: "In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him. Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins." (1 John 4:9-10). Here, the finished work of Christ – His propitiatory (ἱλασμός, hilasmos, meaning 'atoning sacrifice' or 'propitiation') sacrifice for our sins – is presented as the supreme demonstration of God's love. It is because He first loved us and made peace that we can now live through Him, no longer under the condemnation of sin.
This leads directly to John's declaration in verse 17: "Herein is our love made perfect (τελειόω, teleioō - to bring to an end, to complete, to make perfect, to accomplish, to fulfill)..." (remember this post on tetelestai?) This "perfection" is not about us becoming morally flawless in our own strength. Rather, it refers to God's love achieving its full purpose in and through us. As His love is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost (Romans 5:5), and as we abide in Him, His love is fully actualized in our experience, our appropriation, enabling us to love others from a pure heart. This perfect love then produces an incredible outcome: "that we may have boldness in the day of judgment."
The "Day of Judgment" and Our Present Reality: nderstanding Krino, Krisis, and Krima
The word "judgment" in the Bible carries rich layers of meaning, often translated from three distinct Greek words: κρίνω (krino), κρίσις (krisis), and κρίμα (krima). Understanding these nuances is vital to grasping the profound freedom afforded by Christ's finished work and why believers have "boldness in the day of judgment."
Firstly, κρίμα (krima) refers to the finality of judgment, an irrevocable verdict or sentence, often associated with condemnation. This is the judgment of eternal separation from God. For the believer in Christ, this krima has been definitively dealt with on the cross. Christ's finished work is the ultimate krima in our favor. As John 5:24 (KJV) proclaims, "Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life." Here, 'condemnation' is also krima. We have passed from death to life; the final, damning sentence is no longer upon us because Jesus fully bore it.
Secondly, κρίσις (krisis), from which we get our English word 'crisis,' means 'a separating,' 'a choosing,' 'reasoning,' 'reckoning,' 'deciding,' or 'a time of decision.' In 1 John 4:17, when John speaks of "the day of judgment" as krisis, for the believer, it is not a judgment of condemnation for sin, for that krima has been eternally settled by Christ's sacrifice. Instead, this krisis for the believer refers to a divine evaluation or manifestation—a consideration of our present circumstances, specifically, our application of dominion authority in light of and in reliance upon Jesus' finished work in averting the krisis. As Romans 2:6 (KJV) states, "Who will render to every man according to his deeds." For those who reject Christ, this krisis is indeed fearful, revealing their reliance on their own works which will never measure up. But for us who are in Christ, our "works" are a demonstration of salvation, an outflow of His life in us. This "judgment" reveals the true nature of hearts—whether they relied on self or on Christ.
For believers, this krisis points to the Judgment Seat of Christ (also known as the Bema Seat), mentioned in 1 Corinthians 3:13-15 (KJV): "Every man's work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man's work of what sort it is. If any man's work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward. If any man's work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire." This is a krisis of reward or loss of reward, not a krisis of eternal damnation. Our salvation is eternally secure in Christ. Our boldness in that day comes from knowing we stand in Christ's perfect righteousness, and that our deeds are measured against His perfection, not our own striving.
Lastly, κρίνω (krino) is the root word, meaning 'to separate,' 'to split,' 'to part asunder,' 'to arrange,' 'to investigate,' or 'to search out.' It often relates to probationary trials, testings, and corrections, which are applicable in our present life here on earth. Grace does not mean we are free from all difficulties or evaluations; rather, it empowers us to navigate them victoriously. We are able to "judge ourselves" (1 Corinthians 11:31 KJV: "For if we would judge ourselves, we should not be judged.") not in a spirit of condemnation, but in humble self-evaluation and alignment with God's Word and Spirit and in an authoritative judgement of every situation as and when it occurs. This krisis (decision/discernment) is a healthy process of growth, a response to grace, exercising our restored authority in Christ. It also leads us away from sin and into greater conformity to Christ. So, this krino extends to our dominion authority in the world. As 1 Corinthians 6:2-3 (KJV) boldly states, "Do ye not know that the saints shall judge the world? and if the world shall be judged by you, are ye unworthy to judge the smallest matters? Know ye not that we shall judge angels?" This isn't about human condemnation, but about discerning righteousness, exposing darkness, and operating with Christ's authority in the affairs of life. Our present dominion authority, rooted in Christ's finished work, empowers us to influence, discern, and bring divine order into chaotic situations, fulfilling this aspect of 'judging' the world.
Our boldness, our confidence, our absolute assurance in the face of any form of krisis—whether future divine evaluation or present earthly challenges—springs directly from our identification with Christ, whose perfect love and finished work have fully absorbed and removed all condemnation and established our place of dominion.
Unpacking "As He Is": The Glorified Christ and His Dominion
The phrase "As He is" points unequivocally to Jesus Christ in His current, resurrected, ascended, and glorified state. It is crucial to understand that John is not merely referring to Jesus in His earthly ministry, nor His suffering on the cross. While those were foundational, "He is" (εἰμί, eimi – "to be," signifying a continuous, abiding state) refers to His present, triumphant reality at the right hand of the Father.
How is Jesus now? He is:
Perfectly Righteous: He is the embodiment of divine justice and moral perfection.
Completely Holy: Absolutely set apart, unstained by sin.
Fully Victorious: He has definitively conquered sin, death, hell, and the law's condemnation (Colossians 2:15, 1 Corinthians 15:54-57).
Infinitely Beloved: The Father's delight, eternally embraced in perfect communion (John 17:23).
Supremely Powerful: Possessing All Dominion Authority. He declared, "All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth." (Matthew 28:18). This power (ἐξουσία, exousia - authority, jurisdiction, power to act) is synonymous with dominion. He reigns over all things.
This glorious, finished state of Christ and His dominion authority is the standard, the template, the ultimate reality against which our present identity is measured.
Unpacking "So Are We": Our Radical Identification and Delegated Dominion
Now comes the breathtaking part: "so also are we" (οὕτως, houtōs – "thus, in this way, so," indicating direct correspondence and identity). This is not about our effort; it is about our identification with Christ, moreover, it is His identification and state with and in us, a reality secured by His finished work. When Jesus declared "It is finished" (τετέλεσται, tetelestai - 'it has been completed,' 'it stands completed') on the cross (John 19:30), He completed everything necessary for our full salvation, transformation, and our restoration to the dominion authority lost in Eden. This includes a radical change in our spiritual status, making us like Him in our standing before God and in our inherited authority.
Righteousness (δικαιοσύνη, dikaiosynē): We are righteous in Him. This is perhaps the most astounding facet of this truth. Our righteousness is not a self-generated quality, but an imputed one. 2 Corinthians 5:21 (KJV) powerfully states: "For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him." This is God's own righteousness, the very צֶדֶק (tzedek - righteousness/justice, as found in the Old Covenant) of God, credited to us through faith. This means that God looks at us and sees Christ's perfection. We do not strive to become righteous to be accepted; we are righteous, accepted, and therefore live from that position of unshakeable right-standing. This is the heart of "Hyper-Grace"—the radical, unearned, and complete nature of our righteous standing before God because of Christ's finished work. It is the foundation for all inherited authority.
Holiness (ἁγιότης, hagiotēs / ἅγιος, hagios): We are holy. Just as He is holy, we are set apart to God. Hebrews 10:10 (KJV) declares, "By the which will we are sanctified [made holy] through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all." And Hebrews 10:14 (KJV) reinforces, "For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified." Our holiness is a completed work in Christ, not an ongoing struggle for acceptance. We are not striving for holiness as a condition for divine favor, but living from a position of holiness that enables us to genuinely walk in purity and exercise dominion out of love and gratitude for His finished work.
Beloved: We are loved with the same love the Father hath for the Son. In John 17:23 (KJV), Jesus prayed that the world "may know that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them, as thou hast loved me." This staggering truth means that there is no more or less love for us based on our performance. As He is eternally beloved, so are we, right now. This secure identity in love is foundational to exercising love and authority without fear or insecurity.
Victorious and Empowered with Dominion Authority: Since He conquered sin, death, and all spiritual enemies, we share in His victory and dominion. Ephesians 2:6 (KJV) tells us, "And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus." To be seated with Him means to share in His authority and rule. We are not struggling for victory over temptation or circumstances; we live from a position of established victory. His victory is our victory, made accessible by His finished work and the Spirit He poured out. This is the basis of our dominion authority in this world – we are operating from His throne, His position of power.
"In This World": Exercising Present Dominion
Crucially, John emphasizes that this identity and position is ours "in this world" (κόσμος, kosmos – referring to the ordered system of human society, often characterized by its chaos as a result of rebellion against God, but also simply our present earthly sphere of existence). This is not a future hope contingent on our arrival in heaven; it is a present reality for every believer.
This means that today, amidst challenges, opposition, and a fallen world, we are equipped to exercise dominion authority:
We operate from a position of righteousness and acceptance, giving us the right to take charge over circumstances and rule.
We live from a place of holiness, empowered to reflect His character and manifest His power.
We are recipients and conduits of His unending love, which is the very nature of His rule.
We carry His victory and authority to take charge of our circumstances and influence the world around us.
This understanding liberates us from the constant self-assessment and striving that characterize so much of religious effort. We are not trying to become like Him; we are like Him in our standing, our authority, and being because of what He has already done. This truth transforms our daily walk, our interactions, how we look and interact along with our response to adversity. We are called to live as ambassadors (2 Corinthians 5:20), ministers of reconciliation, light in darkness, and salt of the earth – not out of burden, but out of the overflow of His life as lavished upon us by means of our inheritance, which includes dominion authority. How? We are empowered and commissioned to speak to mountains, rebuke sickness, and command circumstances, knowing we stand in Christ's authority.
The Source: Hyper-Grace and The Finished Work's Dominion
This radical identity – "as He is, so are we" – and the dominion authority that flows from it, is purely a gift, a manifestation of χάρις (charis, grace), specifically ὑπερπερισσεύω (huperperisseuō, super-abounding grace). It has nothing to do with our works (ἔργον, ergon – 'work', 'deed', which can refer to both physical hard labour and spiritual doing, encompassing appropriation, seizure, execution of a plan, devotion, and allotment).
Romans 6:14 (KJV) proclaims, "For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace." This grace is not a license to indulge in sin (ἀνομία, anomia – 'lasciviousness' in KJV, as found in Jude 1:4 - see previous post). Rather, true grace, in its "hyper" expression, is the very power that breaks sin's dominion and transforms us as we apply and exercise it. It is a freedom we could never imagine, yet bestowed upon us for the purpose of life in abundance. This freedom underpins our ability to exercise dominion over sin and every circumstance the enemy throws our way.
Because Christ's work is finished (τετέλεσται), our standing is secure. We are not justified by faith plus works, but by faith (His faith) alone in His complete work. This understanding liberates us from guilt, shame, and the exhausting cycle of striving to earn God's approval or to gain authority. When we grasp that "as He is, so are we," we can cease striving and begin resting in His accomplishment, activating the dominion authority He has already given us. Our transformation then flows naturally from this rest, a grateful response to a love so profound it made us one with Him and restored our rightful place of rule.
Living Out Our Dominion Identity
The declaration "as he is, so are we in this world" is the joyful crescendo of the Gospel. It is the ultimate expression of love perfected in us, leading to complete boldness in our walk and our rightful place of dominion. It calls us to live from our true identity, fulfilled and perfected by Christ’s finished work. It is an invitation to shed the weight of self-condemnation and religious human effort, and instead, boldly walk in the righteousness, holiness, victory, belovedness, and dominion authority that is already ours in Him.
No comments:
Post a Comment