We can know that God approves of our lives and that we are
in right standing with Him. There is no need for fear.
Rom 8:14-16
(KJV)
For as many as are led by the
Spirit of God, they are the sons of God. For ye have not received the spirit of
bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we
cry, Abba, Father. The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we
are the children of God.
(CPV)
If by the Spirit you utterly smash
your selfishness, you will live. For God’s sons are they who are led by God’s
Spirit. Listen, you all didn’t get an old master-slave relationship based on
fear; instead, you got a father-son relationship in which we are entitled to
call God "Father." The Spirit himself sings out with our spirit that
"WE ARE GOD’S CHILDREN."
This is speaking of true believers,
God’s children. Jesus said, “You can know the truth and the truth will set you
free!” (John 8:32) There are many immature believers who are afraid of judgment
day thinking God will say, “Depart from Me, I never knew you!” (Matthew 7:23)
But this not what the Bible says will happen to true children of God; this
exhortation is for false believers—liars! True believers are not to live in
fear and condemnation.
These next verses are in the
Amplified Bible. Each verse is pregnant with gold, read them slowly—do not flippantly go over them! Allow them to
radically change your life forever—this is Discipleship 101:
1 John 4:16-21 (AMP)
16 And we know (understand,
recognize, are conscious of, by observation and by experience) and believe
(adhere to and put faith in and rely on) the love God cherishes for us. God is
love, and he who dwells and continues in love dwells and continues in God, and
God dwells and continues in him.
17 In this [intimate union and
communion with Him] love is brought to completion and attains perfection with
us, that we may have confidence for the day of judgment [with assurance and
boldness to face Him], because as He is, so are we in this world.
18 There is no fear in love [dread
does not exist], but full-grown (complete, perfect) love turns fear out of
doors and expels every trace of terror! For fear brings with it the thought of
punishment, and [so] he who is afraid has not reached the full maturity of love
[is not yet grown into love’s complete perfection].
19 We love Him, because He first
loved us.
20 If anyone says, I love God, and
hates (detests, abominates) his brother [in Christ], he is a liar; for he who
does not love his brother, whom he has seen, cannot love God, Whom he has not
seen.
21 And this command (charge, order,
injunction) we have from Him: that he who loves God shall love his brother [believer]
also.
So we see here that fear
brings the thought of punishment— full-grown (complete, perfect) love turns
fear out of doors and expels every trace of terror! This is how to get rid
of terrorism once and for all! By trusting God! God bears witness with our
spirits that we are His children, He loves us! Now we may have confidence for the day of judgment, NO FEAR of
condemnation. It will be a day of rejoicing!
References:
Translations are retrieved from http://www.biblegateway.com/ unless noted BibleGateway.com © Copyright
1995-2010 Gospel Communications International
Amplified Bible (AMP)—Copyright ©
1954, 1958, 1962, 1964, 1965, 1987 by The Lockman Foundation
Cotton Patch Version (CPV)—Copyright
© 1968 by Clarence Jordan—Retrieved from e-Sword www.e-sword.net —Copyright ©
2000-2012 Rick Meyers All Rights Reserved Worldwide; for more works by Clarence
Jordan go to http://rockhay.tripod.com/cottonpatch/index.htm
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