Here is a verse which tells us something about the present time, and about that future judgment time also. It speaks of boldness then and freedom from torment now. It speaks of imputed righteousness now and completed salvation then.
The love here spoken of is the Christian's love to the Saviour (which needs to be perfected) in response to His perfect love towards us. Greater love hath no man than this than a man lay down his life for his friends. Christ's love for His people, expressed supremely in His death, is designed to accomplish for them a real and actual redemption. Sins are really removed, and that forms the basis of boldness in the day of judgment.
Jesus is alive, having risen from the dead, and is at the right hand of God. He is sinless now, and has always been so. He was without sin before He came to earth. While He was upon earth He had no sin of His own, but was made sin with the sin of sinners, to bear it away. When that was accomplished He returned to heaven, victorious over sin, as the Captain of our salvation. His merits in heaven are ours now. His righteousness is counted as ours, because of our solidarity with Him and His identification with us. We are in Him, and He in us. So we are as He is.
Love makes us to be now, what Jesus is eternally.
There is not space to think of all the torment which afflicts the children of men. But think of the particular torment of a troubled young love. Does my fiancee really love me? Would he desert me? With such fears many torment themselves; in some cases, perhaps, with justification. But all such fears about our Saviour are groundless.
His love is designed to take away the believer's present fears about the judgment day. It is no longer to be feared, because Jesus has merited our full pardon, and God is not angry with the believer any more. Indeed, He rejoices in the Beloved's completed work and in the believing response of those who put their faith in His dear Son, Jesus.
Now, freedom from fear of death and the judgment which follows is a totally acceptable attitude with which to face life. It is not arrogant, insufferable or unjustified; but is precisely what Jesus accomplished for believers on Calvary.
Come, savour these words. There is no fear in love. And are we so timid? When a young child, after toddler stage, goes through that time of coyness, do we not feel it to be mildly irritating rather than sweet? Shall we be coy about the Saviour's proffered love? Many 'spend all their lifetime in bondage through fear of death'; but it is a glorious thing to be brought into the perfect freedom of the believer. If we have fears, even little misgivings perhaps, there is still work to do. He that feareth is not made perfect in love.
Spend these days treasuring Calvary love; let the redeeming love, which prompted the Saviour's work, captivate our souls.