1 John 4:17-19 (NKJV) Love has been perfected among us in this: that we may have boldness in the day of judgment; because as He is, so are we in this world. There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves torment. But he who fears has not been made perfect in love. We love Him because He first loved us.
Peace is the absence of fear. As Christians, peace belongs to us, even though the devil would attempt to steal it from us through the sifting process or by sending tribulation our way to steal the Word from our hearts. What hinders us from experiencing that peace is anxiety. The knowledge of the Word gives us peace, especially when we know that, as believers, we have Jesus’ peace and His perfect love casts out all fear.
The fear of death may be the greatest source of anxiety in life, and it is deeply distressing when someone doesn’t know how they will face a holy, righteous and just God. God first loved us, and His perfect love is unconditional, meaning He loved us while we were yet sinners, imperfect and worthless. He knows our condition but still loves us regardless. God’s perfect love towards us gives us perfect peace and absolute security.
Believers are set free from fear because if God is not against us but for us, there is nothing to fear! Our salvation is purely by God’s abundant grace towards us, not by works. This means we cannot add anything to our salvation through our actions. Nothing can separate us from the love of God, whether in this life or in the life to come! If we are not anxious about death and have victory over it because of the blood of Jesus Christ, there is absolutely nothing we should be anxious about. If God can give us His only begotten Son, He will not withhold any good things from us.
The opening passage says, “as He is, so are we in this world”. The “He” in this verse refers to Jesus while He was walking on this earth. Jesus is righteous and holy; the Son of God connected to the Heavenly Father. “As He is” means we have access to all the spiritual blessings in Christ Jesus.
Our sins have been forgiven because of the blood of Jesus, and we have the right to be His children (John 1:12). We are seen as righteous and holy because God sees us in Christ. Therefore, as Jesus is, so are we in this world, because of God’s love and Jesus’ work of atonement on the cross. This is a positional truth given to us in Christ that is unchanging. God’s perfect love has cast out the fear of death. If God accepts us, we are not afraid of death or of meeting God. This will grant us peace with God and enable us to experience God’s peace amid the storms of life.
Reflection: If you believe God has already given us perfect love and perfect peace, why are you still easily affected by fear or anxiety?
Sermon Series: 2026 CG Campaign – Up! (Part 2)
我们无需惧怕
约翰一书 4:17-19 这样，爱在我们里面得以完全，我们就可以在审判的日子坦然无惧；因为祂如何，我们在这世上也如何。爱里没有惧怕；完全的爱把惧怕除去，因为惧怕里含着刑罚。惧怕的人在爱里未得完全。我们爱，因为神先爱我们。
平安就是没有惧怕。作为基督徒，平安是属于我们的，即使魔鬼会试图通过筛动的过程，或借着患难来到我们生命中，想要夺走神的话语，来偷窃我们的平安。阻碍我们经历这份平安的，就是焦虑。对神话语的认识能够带给我们平安，尤其当我们知道，作为信徒，我们拥有耶稣所赐的平安，并且祂完全的爱能够除去一切惧怕。
死亡的恐惧可能是人生中最大的焦虑来源之一。当一个人不知道自己将如何面对一位圣洁、公义且公正的神时，这会带来极大的痛苦。神先爱我们，而祂完全的爱是无条件的，意思是即使我们还是罪人的时候、不完全的时候、毫无价值的时候，祂仍然爱我们。神知道我们的光景，却仍然不改变地爱我们。神对我们的完全的爱带给我们完全的平安和绝对的保障。
信徒已经从惧怕中得释放，因为如果神不是与我们为敌，而是站在我们这一边，我们就没有什么可惧怕的！我们的救恩完全是出于神丰盛的恩典，而不是靠我们的行为。这意味着我们无法通过自己的行为在救恩上添加任何东西。无论是在今生，还是在将来的生命中，都没有任何事能够使我们与神的爱隔绝！如果我们因着耶稣基督的宝血，不再为死亡焦虑，并且已经胜过死亡，那么我们绝对没有任何事情需要焦虑。如果神连祂的独生子都赐给我们，祂也不会留下任何美好的东西不给我们。
开头的经文说：“祂如何，我们在这世上也如何。”这里的“祂”指的是耶稣在地上行走时的状态。耶稣是公义且圣洁的，是与天父相连的神的儿子。“祂如何”的意思是，我们可以在基督耶稣里得着一切属灵的祝福。
我们的罪因着耶稣的宝血得以赦免，并且我们有权柄成为神的儿女（约翰福音 1:12）。因为神是在基督里看我们，所以祂看我们为公义和圣洁。因此，因着神的爱以及耶稣在十字架上的赎罪工作，正如耶稣如何，我们在这世上也如何。这是在基督里赐给我们的身份真理，是永不改变的。神完全的爱已经除去了对死亡的惧怕。如果神接纳我们，我们就不惧怕死亡，也不惧怕面对神。这将使我们与神和好，并使我们能够在生命的风暴中经历神所赐的平安。
默想：如果你相信神已经赐给我们完全的爱和完全的平安，为什么你仍然容易被惧怕或焦虑影响？
讲章系列：UP! 细胞小组活动 2026 第二部分