The key to overcoming fear is total and complete trust in God. These admonishments cover many different aspects of the “spirit of fear.” God tells us not to be afraid of being alone, of being too weak, of not being heard in our prayers, or of being destitute of physical necessities. To help us be complete in love, God has liberally sprinkled encouragement against fear throughout the Bible. If, as a child of God, we still fear God’s punishment, we have not yet reached the point of maturity in love. The one who fears is not made perfect in love” (1 John 4:18). But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. Sometimes this “spirit of fear” overcomes us, and to overcome it we need to trust in and love God more completely. A spirit of fearfulness and timidity does not come from God. “God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind” (2 Timothy 1:7, NKJV). That divine love should take away our fear: “Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father has been pleased to give you the kingdom” (Luke 12:32). God’s love for those who trust in Christ is why He holds them in His hand and promises never to let them go (John 10:29). God’s love for sinners is why Christ died on the cross. God’s love does not wax and wane it is not a fickle, emotional sensation. The Bible says that nothing can separate the believer from the love of God in Christ (Romans 8:38–39). The only person who must fear judgment is the one who rejects Jesus Christ: “Whoever does not believe stands condemned already because they have not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son” (verse 18). Jesus spoke often of His mission: “God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him” (John 3:17). Jesus’ sacrifice propitiated (appeased) God’s justice and won His good favor (1 John 2:2, ESV). Part of understanding the love of God is knowing that God’s judgment fell on Jesus at the cross so that we can be spared: “The Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all” (Isaiah 53:6). He is reconciled to God, and “there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus” (Romans 8:1). The person without Christ is under judgment and has plenty to fear (John 3:18), but, once a person is in Christ, the fear of judgment is gone. The dismissal of the fear of judgment is one of the main functions of God’s love. We know that Judgment Day is coming, but those who are in Christ know the love of God, which drives away fear of condemnation. The “fear” that perfect loves casts out is the fear of God’s judgment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love.” The context here is important: verse 17 says, “This is how love is made complete among us so that we will have confidence on the day of judgment: In this world we are like Jesus.”
But perfect love casts out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. In the Greek, this word is agape, and it refers to a benevolent and charitable love that seeks the best for the loved one.įirst John 4:18 says that “perfect love casts out fear.” The whole verse says this: “There is no fear in love.
There is a distinct word for the type of love that God displays. Everything God does is impelled and influenced by His love. The Bible says that “love is of God” and “ God is love” (1 John 4:7–8) in other words, love is a fundamental characteristic of who God is.