“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.”
that we may have boldness
The word “that” indicates purpose. The person who engages in fellowship with the Lord by loving fellow Christians will have confidence at the Judgment Seat of Christ. “Boldness” means confidence (2:28). This believer will have freedom in the presence of God because he has nothing to hide, nor does he have any shame. The word “have” conveys present possession. We have boldness now about the future judgment. We can have “boldness” at the Judgment Seat of Christ if we trust God’s love for us.
in the day of judgment;
The “day of judgment” is the Judgment Seat of Christ and not the Great White Throne judgment. The Great White Throne judgment is for non-Christians. The Judgment Seat of Christ is the place of evaluation of the effectiveness of the Christian life. There is no punishment at this judgment because Jesus took all the punishment for every Christian.
However, God will evaluate the works of Christians at the Judgment Seat of Christ for rewards. If Christians walk in fellowship in time by manifesting love to other Christians, they can have confidence in the “day of judgment” that God will reward them.
PRINCIPLE:
Confidence about reward at the Judgment Seat of Christ revolves around our fellowship with God in time.
APPLICATION:
Spirit-filled Christians can have confidence at the Judgment Seat of Christ (1 Co. 3:12-15; 2 Co. 5:10). The believer who does not walk in the Spirit consistently will receive no or little reward at the Judgment Seat.
Thank God that the Christian will never go to court to be tried as a candidate for hell. His case was settled out of court. Jesus paid the price for his sin. His case will never come before the Father. The Christian has boldness for the future because he knows that his case will never come up at the Great White Throne judgment. His case was settled on the cross once for all. That is the good news of the gospel.
Ro 8:1, “There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus…”
The non-Christian will go on trial because he rejected God’s solution to his sin problem.
Mt 11:24, “But I say to you that it shall be more tolerable for the land of Sodom in the day of judgment than for you.”
Mt 12:36, “But I say to you that for every idle word men may speak, they will give account of it in the day of judgment.”
Ro 2:16, “…in the day when God will judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ, according to my gospel.”
The non-Christian will receive judgment because since they rejected the punishment Christ took for their sins, they must bear the punishment themselves. They will be cast into the Lake of Fire eternally.
