Commentaries:
Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown
(Compare I John 3:19-21.)
our love—rather as the Greek, "LOVE (in the abstract, the principle of love [ALFORD]) is made perfect (in its relations) with us." Love dwelling in us advances to its consummation "with us" that is, as it is concerned with us: so Greek. Luke 1:58, "showed mercy upon (literally, 'with') her": II John 1:2, the truth "shall be with us for ever."
boldness—"confidence": the same Greek as I John 3:21, to which this passage is parallel. The opposite of "fear," I John 4:18. Herein is our love perfected, namely, in God dwelling in us, and our dwelling in God (I John 4:16), involving as its result "that we can have confidence (or boldness) in the day of judgment" (so terrible to all other men, Acts 24:25; Romans 2:16).
because, etc.—The ground of our "confidence" is, "because even as He (Christ) is, we also are in this world" (and He will not, in that day, condemn those who are like Himself), that is, we are righteous as He is righteous, especially in respect to that which is the sum of righteousness, love (I John 3:14). Christ IS righteous, and love itself, in heaven: so are we, His members, who are still "in this world." Our oneness with Him even now in His exalted position above (Ephesians 2:6), so that all that belongs to Him of righteousness, etc., belongs to us also by perfect imputation and progressive impartation, is the ground of our love being perfected so that we can have confidence in the day of judgment. We are in, not of, this world.
Other Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown entries containing 1 John 4:17:
Song of Solomon 6:10
Matthew 25:20
2 Corinthians 1:5
2 Corinthians 5:21
Ephesians 5:2
1 Timothy 3:13
James 2:22
1 John 2:28
1 John 4:7
1 John 4:12
1 John 4:18
1 John 5:14
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