Love has been perfected among us in this, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment.
Because, as he is, so are we in this world.
As Jesus is, so are you.
Not as you hope to be someday, not for when you get to heaven someday.
As Jesus is right now, so are you right now in this world.
And if that feels like too much, I understand.
But this is not one isolated verse making a bold claim.
This is a theme woven throughout the entire New Testament.
Scripture says it over and over again in different ways.
You died with him, Romans 6, 8.
You were raised with him, Colossians 3, 1.
You are seated with him in heavenly places, Ephesians 2, 6.
Your life is hidden with Christ in God, Colossians 3, 3.
Christ is in you, Colossians 1, 27.
You are in Christ, 2 Corinthians 5, 17.
You have been given his divine nature, 2 Peter 1, 4.
You have the mind of Christ, 1 Corinthians 2, 16.
Died with, raised with, seated with, hidden with, in him, him and you, his nature, his mind.
This is not a metaphor.
This is the reality of union.
And 1 John 4, 17 is simply the conclusion of what these verses are saying.
As he is, so are you in this world.
This is not ignorance.
This is not arrogance.
This is agreement.
This is agreement with what God did for you.
Your job is to believe it and receive it and walk in it.
Walking in this newness of life, it means the next time that someone or something tries to define your identity outside of Christ,
you let God's word, Jesus' finished work, answer instead.
That's the practice.
One moment, one truth, one response at a time.