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I JOHN

"LOVE THAT EXPELS FEAR"

I. PERFECT LOVE.
        A. What are attributers of "perfect love?"
                1. Joy, peace, long-suffering, gentle, trusting, temperate or even.
        B. How is "perfect love" attained?
                1. 1 John 2:5, Obedience to Christ's commands.
                        a. Realizing our total unworthiness, yet seeing He loves us enough to
                           die for our sins kindles spark.
                        b. Love desires to please, so we read His words to see what His 
                           desires are. Love grows unto perfection.
                2. l John 4:12, By His indwelling.
                        a. Note: His love is perfected.
                                1. Human love can never be perfect.
                                2. It must be His love or it is not perfect.
        C. What will perfect love do?
                1. Expel fear of judgment.
                        a. Its fact.
                                1. "It is appointed unto man once to die after this the 
                                   judgment."
                                2. "For we must all stand before the judgment seat of Christ."
                                3. "Knowing therefore the terror of the Lord we seek to 
                                   persuade men."
                        b. Its victims:
                                1. "We must all..." (Christians)
                                2. "And I saw the dead small and great..." (sinners)
                2. Expel fear of death, "Ye, though I walk through..."
                        a. The fear of death is the judgment that follows.
                        b. Man in his boasting likes to disclaim a fear of death, but facing
                           death different issue. ("Oh death please come.")
                3. Upon what basis are these fears removed.
                        a. Our righteous standing in Christ.
                                1. "As He is, so are we."
                                        a. "The righteousness of Christ through faith."
                                        b. "And God made Christ to be sin for us that we might
                                           be made the righteousness of God through Him."
                                2. Fear of judgment might cause you to keep the law, but it
                                   cannot make you righteous.
        D. "Who may receive perfect love."
                1. Any one who will respond to God's love.
                        a. "If any man will hear my voice and open the door."

I JOHN 1:1

I. THE SUBSTANCE OF THE GOSPEL (Summed up in Christ).
        A. He is Divine and Eternal.
        B. He is human and historical.
        C. He is life giving and unique.

II. THE GUARANTEE OF THE GOSPEL.
        A. Apostolic experience vs. 1.
        B. Apostolic testimony vs. 2.
        C. Apostolic declaration vs. 3.

Ill. PURPOSE OF THE GOSPEL - FELLOWSHIP.
        A. With whom is this fellowship?
                1. Father and Son.
                2. With us.

IV. RESULT OF THE GOSPEL.
        A. The fact of Joy.
                1. Joy of retrospect.
                2. Joy of aspect.
                3. Joy of prospect.
        B. The Source of Joy.
                1. Fellowship.
        C. The Extent of Joy.
                1. Joy might be full.