1 John 4:17
[17] “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.”
There are a lot of future events that I look forward to in eternity, but I have to be honest that there is one I greatly dread. I both fear and dread that great judgment morning. Standing before the creator, and giving account for the deeds I have done, and the life I have lived, is not something I’m looking forward to when I leave this world.
The Bible says we can have boldness in the day of judgment. Doesn’t that sound strange in light of a day that looks so dreadful. The confidence that we can have on that day is not in us, but in Christ. We can have boldness in Him! We can have boldness in what he has done for us, and through us. We can also have boldness in the fact that he loves us, and that love will be complete on judgment day.
Think about how parents deal with their children. They see all, hear all, and know all when it comes to their little ones. They know the faults and failures, and the many short comings of their child. They remember the times that they have been disappointed by them. A parent knows more about that child than any investigator or court of law could ever bring up. However, when all is said and done, the parents still love them, and will deal with them, out of love. The child can stand before them with boldness, knowing that love will rule over them.
The same is true about a bridegroom and his bride. He may know all of her imperfections and mistakes, but love gives the bride boldness, that she can stand before him in spite of her imperfections. On judgment day our love will be made perfect as we stand before the throne with boldness, understanding that the one who will judge us is the one who loves us with an eternal love. He will judge righteously with a heart of love!