Whosoever?

                                    When I read, 1 John 4:15-18 quoted below, my initial thoughts are:

John 3:16  For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

              My first thought is the word “whosoever” and its implication.  A “whosoever” is anyone regardless of their faith, religion, or lack of religion.  A “whosoever” is anyone regardless of their sin, when they were born, or what they have done in their personal lives. 

            The second word I mulled over is how the word “fear” is used.  It is as we might surmise, fear and trembling.  However, it is more of a “doubt in our mind.”  All this “fear” concerns our personal lack of faith.  (I don’t want anyone to think that we should not “fear” the LORD with trembling knees, because in our reverence we should know what He is capable of allowing.)  

            When we have sin (small or great) come into our lives, we suddenly find a fear of where we stand.  We start doubting (“fear hath torment”) our faith, our God, and our Saviour Jesus the Christ.

            We find ourselves out of the Will of God, (out of church, out of the Bible, out of our prayer life) and cannot seem to find our way back.  All that is required to rekindle the flames of God’s love is to go back to where we walked away from Him.

            Drop to your knees, beg God for forgiveness, repent of your sins, and now know the love of God that exceeds the love of anything. 

            It is not that God departed from you, because once called upon in faith, He dwells within you.  Rekindle your love for God, step back into His Will, and know that love that He is.

Bro. John R. E Chastain

1 John 4:15-18  Whosoever shall confess that Jesus is the Son of God, God dwelleth in him, and he in God.  (16)  And we have known and believed the love that God hath to us. God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him.  (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.  (18)  There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love.