Perfection

“Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. No one has ever seen God; if we love one another, God abides in us and his love is perfected in us.  - 1 John 4:11-12

This is an interesting concept.  No one has seen God; well at least survived having done so.  Yet, we are told that “if we love one another” then “God abides in us” and “his love is perfected in us.”

Perhaps one of the main criticisms of Christ followers is that they do not demonstrate love readily.  No doubt, I have been guilty of that.  We don’t show it enough.

Yet we follow and trust in the one that so demonstrated his love for us that he went to the cross for us.  But John here hints – no it’s not a hint, he says that his love for us is perfected when we love one another.  That God abides in us when we allow the love of Christ to work through us.  OK.  I added that last part.  Because I don’t think any of us is completely capable of loving one another in the way God would want without his love first working in and through us to begin with.

 As a matter of fact, that is what John says a few verses later.  “We love because he first loved us.” (visit 1 John 4:19)

As we head towards the holiest day of the Christian year, let us reflect on what Christ has done for each and every one of us, and respond…in kind. 

Love one another.  And be amazed at what God’s perfected love will accomplished with and through us.  That will be perfection.  May Jesus Christ be praised!