“There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. For fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not been perfected in love.” (1 John 4:18)
Ever connected fear and punishment? How about the connection between faith and love? Both of these combinations typically influence us daily… whether or not we realize or acknowledge this. Look back on just the last couple of days… can you see some of the actions and your words that can be traced back to our motivation based in fear, punishment, faith, love?
Bottom line is that we are a self-preservation creation – though I defy that this was the Father’s initial intent. Remember back to the when Adam and Eve sinned – what was Adam’s response? “And he said, “I heard the sound of You in the garden, and I was afraid,” (Genesis 3:10, ESV). Adam and Eve’s motivation was fear. I doubt that they realized the consequences of their act and what the ramifications would be. Fear – Punishment. They go hand in hand. Granted. Not every ‘fear’ we experience is based on the subsequent reaction to fear – punishment. But many of our fear actions is concern about the punishment that may/will occur.
When you consider ‘love’ do you ever have a concern that fear or punishment will be the end result? No. That’s because love and fear do not coexist. They can’t. The scripture states that perfect love casts out fear. The problem? We are always in the state of perfecting, it’s never one and done. That’s why fear can lurks around the edges. We can grow in love however and in this growth, we are in a perfecting process.
GotQuestions.com states:
“The Bible says that “love is of God” and “God is love” (1John 4:7–8); in other words, love is a fundamental characteristic of who God is. Everything God does is impelled and influenced by His love.”
That is one of the most succinct comment about God and love. Now if you remember that you were created in love by God, then love is part of your DNA. You can choose to walk, live, be love in the world you live in. Love is the antithesis of fear and punishment. And this only begins to scratch the surface of this discussion. But… please remember you can choose to act in love rather than act in fear.
