Lutheran Lens Commentary: 1 John 4:17-21

## Lutheran Lens Reading of 1 John 4:17-21

### Tradition-Specific Interpretation

We read 1 John 4:17-21 through the lens of Law and Gospel, emphasizing God's perfect love revealed in Christ as the Gospel promise that casts out fear. The passage underscores our inability to love perfectly (Law) and the assurance of our standing before God through Christ's love (Gospel). The text also highlights our baptismal identity in Christ, where love for one another flows as a fruit of faith, not as a condition of God's love. Theologically, we see this as an exposition of the simulative nature of the believer — simul justus et peccator — fully righteous in Christ yet struggling with the old Adam.

### Key Language Decisions