Confident in the Day of Judgment | 1 John 4:17-18

Lord's Day: September 21, 2025  Preacher: Carlos Montijo  Series: First John  Topic: End Times  Scripture: Ecclesiastes 3:7; Psalm 86:15; James 1:19–21; Matthew 20:16; Acts 20:27; Matthew 28:20; 5:13–16; Ephesians 5:11; 1 John 4:17–18; 1 Corinthians 2:16; 1 John 3:1–3

¹⁷By this, love has been perfected with us, so that we may have confidence in the day of judgment, because as He is, so also are we in this world. ¹⁸There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves punishment, and the one who fears is not perfected in love. 1 John 4:17–18

• Some Christians and pastors started complaining that if your pastor does not address Charlie Kirk’s assassination, you should leave the church

I.  There is wisdom in taking time, to reflect and pray and mourn in silence, especially before making drastic public statements or decisions

• We are called to a higher standard, to the upside-down kingdom, where the first will be last, and the last will be first (Matt. 20:16), where our weakness is perfected in God’s strength, to the theology of the cross, the cross-oriented life
• It is important for elders and pastors to address issues like these in a timely and responsible manner, but there are more biblical reasons for considering when to leave a church
• Many churches are reluctant to speak out on current and political issues, even the ones that affect Christians and the church
• That is one of the reasons why we are a free, unincorporated church, because the church needs to be a prophetic voice, like John the Baptist was, in the culture and in society, we are called to be salt and light (Matt. 5:13-16)

II.  Confident in the Day of Judgment

• 1 John 4:17 is a long chain of clauses, refers to the doctrines of Assurance, Sanctification, Glorification and our final state, Day of Judgment

III. By this, love has been perfected with us…

• By virtue of the sanctifying, mutually abiding, loving fellowship of God and His beloved, by which our minds are married to God’s mind, in a marriage of minds, so that we have the mind of Christ (1 Cor. 2:16)—“By this,” God’s love has been perfected [τετελείωται teteleiōtai] with us [toward us] already
• 1 John 3:1–3

IV. Without fear of what?

• A good grasp of the law and gospel distinction corrects imbalanced zeal and legalistic imbalances, and strengthens our assurance and peace of mind
• Baptist Larger Catechism, Q.82: What shall believers receive at the Day of Judgment?
  A: At the Day of Judgment, believers will be caught up with Christ in the clouds1 and placed on His right hand, where they will be publicly acknowledged and acquitted.2 They will join Christ in the judgment of reprobate angels and men,3 and be received into heaven.4 There they will be completely and forever freed from all sin and misery,5 filled with unimaginable joy,6 and made perfectly holy and happy both in body and soul, in the vast company of each other and the holy angels.7 They will be particularly blessed in the visual presence and enjoyment of God the Father, the Lord Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit, forever.8 1. 1 Thessalonians 4:17; 1 Corinthians 15:42-43 2. Matthew 25:33; Matthew 10:32 3. 1 Corinthians 6:2-3 4. Matthew 25:34-46 5. Ephesians 5:27; Revelation 14:13 6. Psalm 16:11 7. Hebrews 12:22-23 8. 1 John 3:2; Romans 8:29; 1 Corinthians 13:12; 1 Thessalonians 4:17-18
• Know Your Enemy: The Devil’s End | Revelation 20

The night is dark but I am not forsaken / For by my side, the Saviour He will stay
I labour on in weakness and rejoicing / For in my need, His power is displayed

To this I hold, my Shepherd will defend me / Through the deepest valley He will lead
Oh the night has been won, and I shall overcome / Yet not I, but through Christ in me

No fate I dread, I know I am forgiven / The future sure, the price it has been paid
For Jesus bled and suffered for my pardon / And He was raised to overthrow the grave

Join us on Sundays for worship at 10:00am:

• ThornCrown Covenant Baptist Church
  4712 Montana Ave
  El Paso, Texas 79903

Contact us at:

• web: ThornCrownCovenant.Church
  call/text: (915) 843-8088
  email: ThornCrownCovenantBChurch@gmail.com

Scripture quotations taken from the (LSB®) Legacy Standard Bible®, Copyright © 2021 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. Managed in partnership with Three Sixteen Publishing Inc. LSBible.org and 316publishing.com