1 John 4:1-6, 13-18
No Fear in Love

Beloved, don't believe every spirit, but test the spirits, whether they are of God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world. By this you know the Spirit of God: every spirit who confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is of God, and every spirit who doesn't confess that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is not of God, and this is the spirit of the Antichrist, of whom you have heard that it comes. Now it is in the world already. You are of God, little children, and have overcome them; because greater is he who is in you than he who is in the world. They are of the world. Therefore they speak of the world, and the world hears them. We are of God. He who knows God listens to us. He who is not of God doesn't listen to us. By this we know the spirit of truth, and the spirit of error.



By this we know that we remain in him and he in us, because he has given us of his Spirit. We have seen and testify that the Father has sent the Son as the Savior of the world. Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God remains in him, and he in God. We know and have believed the love which God has for us. God is love, and he who remains in love remains in God, and God remains in him. In this love has been made perfect among us, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment, because as he is, even so are we in this world. There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear has punishment. He who fears is not made perfect in love.

World English Bible

There are many meanings to the word "fear", not only in English but also in the Hebrew and Greek languages in which the Bible was originally written. "Fear" can mean great respect. "Fear" can go even further to mean deep reverence and awe, and we all owe God that kind of fear. "Fear" can be caution that encourages a measured response instead of a hasty one. Most often, though, we use the word "fear" to mean a terror that pushes us towards debilitating panic.

When we consider fear, we should also consider some circumstances that can bring about fear. Thinking about potential natural disasters, whether floods, tornadoes, earthquakes, or hurricanes, we can understand how natural forces could evoke respect, awe, and caution if observed from a safe distance, and terror if we are too close. We cannot predict the timing of an earthquake, and although building codes minimize damage, our best human efforts cannot save us from great loss if we are at the wrong place when an earthquake hits. The forces unleashed during an earthquake are far beyond human scale, and we are horrified at the destruction it can cause. In the face of devastating forces of nature, we are so small, so powerless, and so unable to protect ourselves.

Fear, even in the face of a natural disaster, actually does not come from outside of us—fear is our internal response to external circumstances. Fear can come from concern that we are not able to manage whatever it is that we perceive is threatening us, or concern that whatever we are facing is so much more powerful than we are. Because fear comes from inside, our fear can even build on itself, with anxiety breeding more anxiety.

The "fear" that is deep reverence to God will not take us into a cycle of anxiety. Our awe and respect of God reinforces that we are small and powerless compared to God, but it also assures us that God's awesome Love is greater than any threat we will encounter. We are not in control, but the essence of faith is to obediently follow and trust the One that is in control. With God, we do not need to feel fear—"there is no fear in Love."

How is it, then, that we are still fearful? In some cases, we bring fear on ourselves by attempting to exercise control on what we cannot. We try within our power to overcome fear by commanding every aspect of our environment, when the better and Godly way to overcome fear is by faith.

As John alluded in the first paragraph of this chapter, Evil will prey on our fears. Evil encourages us to doubt ourselves, to feel threatened, and even to succumb to our fears and yield to feelings of inferiority and inadequacy. These are forces that will deceive us so that our faith will grow weaker and God's influence on our lives will fade. One of the ways we can recognize Evil is by feelings of fear. "There is no fear in Love", so whatever is encouraging us to be fearful is not from God. "Do not be afraid", said the angels so many times in the scripture, and this angels' greeting still applies today. We should live our lives filled with awe and reverence because of the infinite Love that God has planted in us, but we must be on prayerful guard that fear will not have influence on us and divert us from the Way God is leading us.