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Fearless Love? How's That?

 1 John 4:18 There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love.

Did you ever read this verse and feel like you were less spiritual because you were afraid of something? The inner conversation goes something like this, "I'm afraid, and the Bible says that 'perfect love casts out all fear...' so, I must be sinning." If you've been there and done that, then let's look closer at the meaning of this verse. 


As with all Bible study, we must remember that there is a context with each verse. The type of literature, the time period, the author intent and theme, all play a critical role in our understanding of each text. Sometimes just a quick look at the provided headings in each chapter will help you better understand the context. In my Bible app the given heading of this section is, "God's love and ours"


In 1 John 4 there is a lot of love going on in fact, this chapter is the pinnacle of John’s “love talk”. Love is key to a relationship with God. He is love and thus we, as believers are to, or rather, will, love each other. 


In 4:7 John says, "Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God." 


Further on in this passage we have some key quotes to help us discover where fear and love join to help us understand our initial question. Notice what he says in summary form.


"... since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. ... if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us.... the Father has sent his Son to be the Savior of the world. ... so we know and rely on the love God has for us. God is love. If we live in love we live in God, and God in us.  This is how love is made complete in us, ... thus that we have confidence on judgment day. :.. . (We aren't afraid of Judgment day because) There is no fear in love. ... perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love."


There is no fear (of the final judgment) because God’s love for us drives it away. Being in God’s perfect love helps us to see that His Son was sent to be our Savior and take our judgment. His salvation calms our needless fears.


Did that help? Hope so.
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