There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear.
– 1 John 4:18
An often-repeated command in Scripture is “fear not,” or “do not be afraid.”
Love and fear are incompatible. In the context of today’s verse, John is saying that believers who have been born-again in Jesus Christ are free from the fear of the judgment to come. Why? Because of perfect love.
The only perfect love is God’s love.
“In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins”
(1 John 4:10).
Jesus was the sacrifice that took away your sin.
“For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his steadfast love toward those who fear him; as far as the east is from the west, so far does he remove our transgressions from us” (Psalm 103:11-12).
As a believer, you no longer have fear when you realize that kind of sacrifice and that kind of love.
“Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God! I will strengthen you; I will help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand” (Isaiah 41:10).
When you trust His love and His promises, your fear dissipates.
Theologian Charles Spurgeon said, “Fear not… because it injures yourself. Nothing can weaken you so much, nothing can make you so unhappy, as to be distrusting. Nor is this a small thing. … For your own sake, for your neighbor’s sake, for the church’s sake, for the world’s sake, for Christ’s sake, for God’s sake, fear neither be dismayed.” The hymnist wrote, “Trusting Him whate’er befall, Trusting Jesus, that is all.”
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