Perfect Love drives out Fear - 1 John 4:18

"There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear: because fear has to do with punishment. He that fears is not made perfect in love."

I have recently been pondering this scripture, one that I have read many times over the years as a Christian. But it was only today that I realised in my own life I was operating in fear rather than in love in how I raised my children.

As a child, I was fearful of what my own father was capable of doing and often did when it was time to punish me and my siblings for our poor behaviour. This is in no way saying that correcting those who have done wrong is incorrect, we all need to know that we have wronged in life. My own father was often very good at explaining why we were being smacked or punished for our behaviour, yet this did not stop me from becoming fearful and in the same way making my own children fearful when they misbehaved.

Being married to a Swedish woman who I have always respected for her ability to do things in a softer and gentler way than myself, we often took on the Swedish way of disciplining our children. One such thing was to place our children on a "naughty chair or step" for a short period of time to reflect on their behaviour and to apologise afterwards. It was truly amazing just how effective this practise was. I however wasn't always as patient as my wife in using this discipline and on many occasion used the angry look in the car mirror to stare down my children when they misbehaved when driving to and fro. Whilst this practise did work, causing our children to at least curb their behaviour for a short while, what I believed it also did was instil in them a sense of fear towards me their father rather than a sense of love.

I loved my father but was always fearful of what would happen if I displeased him in some way. This developed a belief and attitude in my own life towards my heavenly Father that he too was always waiting to correct me or discipline me for my own wrong doings.

It has only in recent years that I have felt a renewed sense of my heavenly Fathers love for me that has changed my belief and attitudes towards him. God the Father (Pappa) loves me and though at times I may need correcting, all that He does is grounded and comes from His great love for me.

In 2 Corinthians 13:14 Paul closes with these words "The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit, be with you all. Amen." I believe this is one of the most comprehensive scriptures which describe the work and relationship that the Lord Jesus, our Heavenly Father and the Holy Spirit desires for all of God's creation.

I now know that I have a heavenly Father that truly loves me and in the same way desires me to love Him and all of those I come in contact. This of cause begins at home, with my own beautiful children and amazing wife. I now pray that my future relationships with my children and others is based in love rather than in punishment.

I pray you also have this revelations!
God Bless

Romans 8:14 They who are led of the Spirit are the sons of God

Those who are Led by the Spirit are the Sons of God

Taken from the book Birthright by John Sheasby

Romans 8:14 – For those who are led by the Spirit are the Sons of God.

Introduction

Throughout scripture we find many different verses which describe the kind of people and therefore relationship that God desires with his creation. From literally being called Creation, Son of Man; Servants; Children; Child; Infants; Sons & Daughters; Friend; Temples of the Holy Spirit and even The Church. All of which at various times are important to show the progression in intimacy that our Heavenly Father wants with us.

When I first come to know the Lord at seventeen years of age, just the privilege of knowing God existed was enough for me. But to later understand that He also wanted to be a friend was not only foreign but also immensely scary. To think that the God of the universe whom I had known as a child as a angry old man with a stick that wanted to smack me for every wrong doing made me quiver.

It’s probably fair to say that my image or understanding of Father God was somewhat distorted by the images I had of my own Father. One who was to be feared knowing that as soon as he came through the door each night that our mother would immediately yell out our sins for the day so that our earthly father could measure out his wrath upon us children. Growing up this was the norm in our household and I became very good at placing blame upon others for my own misgivings. Little did I know at the time that my mother would do this to divert her own fears of our father and what he was capable of doing when intoxicated?

A Spirit of Adoption
Many of us, though born again bring into our relationship with our heavenly Father these kinds of distorted or disfigured views. The inner working of the Holy Spirit is an ongoing everyday work of God’s Spirit to bring us to that place and understanding of Sonship. Not just a concept or theory but an inner transformation from slavery which comes from the world into the outer workings of true Sons of God with all its privileges both in state and standing.

John 8:34-36 the Motivation of the Servant

When we consider the very parable of the prodigal son, even at this early stage there is one obvious difference with the returned son and those who were servants in the household of the Father. They, the servants, were only there to fulfil a role or job whilst the son was to abide forever.

This can also be seen in the differences from the old and the new testaments. Whilst the old was a temporary solution to achieve the redemption from sin for God’s people the way of the New Testament is all about permanency. The old was literally redeeming slaves from their bondage whilst the new is all about the intimacy and closeness God desires with those who are not just slaves but sons. The motivation of the son is Love, whilst that of the servant is reward or payment for services.

As sons however, we must also understand that God chastens those loves. He corrects and prunes or lifts up those he loves so that they bear more fruit in their lives. (See Hebrews 12:5-10)

Luke 15:29 the Reward & Task Oriented Servant

When we hear the words of the older son in vs.29 we see clearly his focus was not in love for the father but on the reward he felt he should receive as servant or even a slave. The word the son uses for lamb in this context means skinny goat, almost mocking the father.

Whilst the son’s motivation was love, the servant’s motivation is task oriented. Once his task is completed the servant expects a reward or payment whilst the son know that everything he does benefits himself in the long run as he will receive it as inheritance from his father in due course. The son’s motivation in doing his father’s will was motivated as a consequence of his relationship to his father and not on the reward he would receive.

This reward focus often comes from a distorted view of our own fathers. I saw God as someone who wanted to punish me from my sins as this is exactly what my earthly father did. This can also be seen in the example of Mary and Martha, one who wished to enjoy fellowship with Jesus as opposed to the other who felt they needed to do things for him. (See Luke 10). This parallels with the older sons words “All these years I’ve worked like a slave for you. I’ve never disobeyed one of your commands.”

John 15:15 Jesus said “But no longer do I call you servants...but I have called you friends, for all things I have heard from My Father I have made known to you.” And it was Jesus’ successor who would continue to lead us and walk us through this journey. (See John 14:17)

Romans 8:15 the Living Quarters of the Servant

“But you received a Spirit of Adoption by whom we cry out “Abba, Father””. As sons we remain in the Father’s house whilst the servants go home. Everything that Jesus has is ours and indeed scripture tells us that Jesus himself has gone to prepare a place for us. We see this also in Jewish custom of the Ketubah or betrovel ceremony.

As sons of God and brothers to Jesus we have access to everything within the Father’s household and even his kingdom (See 1Pet).

Vs.16 says “the Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God”.  Just as we cry out Abba father so too does the Spirit of God join with us in unison.

Hebrews 2:10 “You are not a servant but a son! You are a daughter!

Romans 9:16 the Mercy of the Father

“It does not, therefore depend on man’s desire or effort, but on God’s mercy”.

The people of Israel like the older son pursued righteousness under the law through works. Whilst the gentiles found Mercy like the younger son.

Gal 3:2-3 says “Did you receive the Spirit by observing the law or by believing?

The attitude of the older son similar to the Israelites under the law can be seen in his questioning of the Father “...you didn’t even give me a skinny goat...”.

God (Jesus) loved to be around sinners (Luke15:2), not because they were righteous but most probably because they knew they were not righteous. Their attitude was one of gratitude whilst the Israelites and more particularly the Pharisees had a pious or self righteous attitude because of their works.

Jesus said “It is the sick not the healthy that need a physician”. I think this could also be translated it is the sick who know they need healing were as the self righteous feel they are fine. Zaccheus was a classical example of this, an outcast in society who when was accepted by Christ was transformed into this giving and loving person.

Luke 15:2 & 20-24 the Acceptance of the Father

“And the Pharisees and scribes complained, saying, “This man receives sinners and eats with them.”

The prodigal son came to his senses, meaning he realised how stupid he had been, he repented and literally turned for home.  But it was the Father who was looking out for the son all this time. See vs.20-24.

In the same way when Adam and Eve sinned in the garden, it was they who hid themselves from God and it was God who was looking for them. See Gen 3:9.

God’s response to Adam and Eve was similar to that of the Father in the prodigal son, “who told you that you were naked?” The Father almost ignores the son’s opportunity to repent orders the servants to get the party going. The Father expected the son to do nothing, simply receive all he had for him.

The robe, the ring, the sandals and the fattened calf all speak of the restoration of relationship and covenantal blessings which came from it. None more powerful than the slaughtering of the fattened calf which was kept for special occasions and when covenants were made. See blood covenants!

Jesus loved sinners and they loved him for it, but Jesus is the very reflection of the Father!

Luke 7:34 the Joy of the Father

“The Son of man came feasting and you say..., “Here is a lover of food and wine, a friend of tax collectors and sinners.””

Is this the picture we have of the Father, not me, yet it is the very picture they Jesus gives. Is it therefore Jesus who had it wrong or is it me with my distorted figure of the Father? I think the latter, Jesus came to change this distorted figure I had into the real picture of “in the presence of the Lord is fullness of joy.”

The father even enjoys a good wending where there is good wine despite what all us self righteous Christians might think. Jesus’ first ever miracle of turning water to wine. (This is not advocating intoxication).

Jesus said that if you have seen him, then you have seen the Father. See John 14:9

It was this very grumbling about Jesus by the Pharisees that prompted the three parables of the lost sheep, lost coin and lost son. Yet after each parable we see a similar response, rejoice with me for finding my lost sheep, coin and my son who was dead but now is alive.

The older son could not understand the Father joy or the reason to celebrate. He was trapped in his own legalistic and slave mentality.

This can also be seen in the church of Laodicea of revelation 3! Jesus said “...you...wretched, miserable, poor, blind and naked.”

Even John the Baptist was confused about Jesus, asking if he was truly the one?

Luke 15:31a the Position of the Son

And he said to him, “Son, you are always with me, and all that I have is yours”. In this verse Jesus uses the noun “teknon” for the word son not the usual “huios” which spoke of adopted sons. ‘This is to emphasis the son’s position not by behaviour but by birth right through the Father.

We are God’s children not because of what we have done but what he has done for us!

We are born of incorruptly seed (See 1Pet 1:23), not of human seed or blood but by God (See John 1:12-13.

Vs.31 says “Son you are always with me”. In the same way the Spirit is always with us as a seal of the Father’s love and adoption of us. This position of intimacy is only for his children, not strangers or hirelings or even neighbours.  See the parable of the three loaves in Luke 11:5.

Luke 15:31 the Possessions of the Son

“...and all that I have is yours.” The older son’s response in grumbling about not have a skinny goat comes to light when really all along he had full access to all that the Father has.

I Pet says we have “everything pertaining to life and godliness” and Ephesians 3 says that we are “blessed in heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing”.

This includes heirs of eternal life (Matt 19:29); salvation (Heb 1:14); promise (Heb 6:17); Kingdom (James 2:5); grace of life (1Pet 3:7); blessing (1Pet3:9); all things (Rev21:7).

The estate of the King of Kings has been willed to us, we are heirs of all that belongs to the Father and by birthright, and every spiritual blessing is ours.