GOD IS LOVE Devotion 28 of 34 "There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love." (1 John 4:18) – Tomorrow:
"He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love . . . God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him." (1 John 4:9,16)
The Spirit now elaborates on our boldness in the day of judgment. He will show us that love, particularly the love of the brethren, works certain effects in us. There is a spiritual culturing that is taking place in the person who genuinely loves, and it is marvelous to consider.
NO FEAR IN LOVE
Here the Spirit is contrasting true spiritual life with the administration of Law. Under the law, the people were themselves at variance with God. They did not think like God, and thus could not act in harmony with Him. Law assisted them in addressing the manner of their conduct by threatening them with death, should they choose to disobey God. Thus fear rose in the hearts of the people. Of this situation the Spirit says Jesus came to "release those who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage" (Heb 2:15). In summation, the Law shouted, "The soul who sins shall die" (Ezek 18:4,20). In fact, the very first commandment given to man was of this order: "But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die" (Gen 2:17). It has always been true, "The wages of sin is death" (Rom 6:23).
Now the spirit affirms "there is NO fear in love." The individual who loves is not MOTIVATED by fear. He is neither serving nor obeying God to avoid condemnation, but because he has a PREFERENCE to do so. He worships and serves the Lord because he WANTS to, or "in spirit and in truth" (John 4:23-24). Some view the text to which I have just referred as a statement something like this: "We are to worship God according to the commandments He has given to us." However, Jesus was not speaking of procedural manners, but of worship that genuine, flowing from a heart that both perceives and loves the Lord. Further, the more completely a person loves the Lord, the less fear will dominate him. Fear and love, in this sense, cannot mix.
PERFECT LOVE CASTS OUR FEAR
There is a certain violence seen here. Love is aggressive to rid the individual of sinful fear. It does not throw "the fear of the Lord" out, for that is the result of perception, not threatening. The NIV version reads, "perfect love DRIVES out fear." That is, "perfect love" fills up the heart, so that there is no more room for fear. "Perfect love" is an expanding and filling love. It permeates every part of the being. This we read of loving God with "ALL thy heart" (Matt 22:37). Such love drives fear out by expansion, for there is no longer a place for it.
FEAR INVOLVES TORMENT
What a statement this is! "Fear hath torment!" Other versions cast additional light on this remarkable statement. "Fear involves torment" (NKJV), "Fear involves punishment" (NASB), "Fear has to do with punishment" (NRSV,NIV).
Fear, in this case, has to do with the prospect of being punished. Attempts to obey or do good are done in an effort to avoid the punishment of God. To the natural man, this makes a lot of sense. It is not uncommon for men to induce respect and obedience by threats. And, indeed, when men are "in the flesh," this is certainly in order. However, as the Spirit says to those in Christ Jesus, you are "not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you" (Rom 8:9).
If you have ever been dominated by a fear of facing God, being judged by God, or being consigned to hell, you know the effect that has upon the soul. Were it not for God sending Jesus into the world, we would be confined to such a state. Those before Christ who served God out of love did so because they believed the promise of a coming Savior. Throughout all history, those who were ignorant of God's provision of redemption, whether during the time it was being anticipated, or after it has been accomplished, have been dominated by fear.
THE ONE WHO FEARS
The person who fears, at this point, is not condemned. The Spirit now makes a strong appeal to our hearts. "But he who fears has not been made perfect in love" (NKJV). The words "has not been made perfect," or "IS not made perfect" awaken hope within our hearts. They mean the fearing soul is not yet shut up, or confined, to fear. Love can yet yield a bountiful harvest in the one presently dominated by fear.
But such a one must acknowledge the truth. It must be admitted that a deficiency in love exists, and effort expended to correct that situation. No person lacking love is spiritually mature, regardless of how much they profess to know. However, that does not mean they cannot be mature. There is grace in Christ to effectively meet and conquer this situation.
PRAYER POINT: Father, in the name of Jesus, search my heart, try me, and see if there is any wicked way in me. Help me to see and understand You more completely, that I may love You more heartily, thereby eliminating a place for fear in my heart.