Overcoming Fear | casm.org

"There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves punishment, and the one who fears is not perfected in love."
1 John 4:18

Introduction:

One way to crack open the inner meaning of a text is to surround it with questions-to talk to it and ask God what truth it holds and what He wants to say through a particular passage. There are many questions that arise from this verse which, once unfolded, will shed great light on the subject of overcoming fear. Some of these questions are

What is meant by fear?
What kind of fear does John speak of here?
Where does this fear come from?
Why is there no fear in love?
What kind of love does John speak of here?
What were these Christians fearful of?
What is perfect love?
Where can this love be found?
How does it cast out fear?
Why does fear involve punishment?
What kind of punishment is fear furnished with?
What are the consequences of being in bondage to fear?
How can I be free of such fear and be perfected in love?

In asking these questions, we must always be grateful for the chance to explore and examine the truth found here. Yet, we must remember that our search of truth must never be for a few nuggets or tips, or for the Sunday school lesson only, but for our own souls and our own hearts. Doctrine and application must always go together. Therefore, we must approach our study with an attitude of expectation and hope and a spirit of wonder and love. We must not hurry too quickly or skip small things because our desire is to know God. God cannot be loved unless He is known, and a real and saving knowledge of Him contains a deep love for Him, because-"the one who does not love does not know God, for God is love" (1 Jn.4:8). This is why it is said, "to know God is to love Him," and the more we love God, the more we will be like God.

Many interesting and different things have been said about fear. President Franklin Delano Roosevelt made what is perhaps the most famous statement about fear when he said, "the only thing we have to fear is fear itself." Yet, in divine things, it is different. As we comb through the Scriptures, we discover that the Bible speaks of Christians possessing a proper kind of fear when it says, "the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom" (Prov.9:10). The Apostle Peter said, "honor all men; love the brotherhood, fear God, honor the king" (1 Pet.2:17). The Apostle Paul said a similar thing when he said, "Render to all what is due them: tax to whom tax is due; custom to whom custom; fear to whom fear; honor to whom honor" (Rom.12:7). Jesus spoke of a proper kind of fear when He said, "And do not fear those who kill the body, but are unable to kill the soul; but fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell." (Matt.10:28).

On the other hand, we as Christians are to have a proper lack of fear of certain persons, incidents, or things that are hostile to us. When the disciples were caught in a raging storm, it was Jesus who came to them, walking on the water, and said, "take courage, it is I; do not be afraid" (Matt. 14:27). You recall that David said, "Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I fear no evil; for Thou are with me; Thy rod and Thy staff, they comfort me" (Ps.23:4), and again in Psalm 27:1, "The Lord is my light and my salvation: whom shall I fear? The Lord is the defense of my life; whom shall I dread?"

So there are things for which we are to have a proper fear, and other things for which we are to have a proper lack of fear, but what does John speak of here in his first epistle, when he says,

"There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves punishment, and the one who fears is not perfected in love."

This verse can be divided up into two headings: first, we discover the incompatibility of fear and love, and second, we see the operation of perfect love.

The incompatibility of fear and love

John says in 4:18 - "There is no fear in love..."

What is meant by the word "fear" here? The Greek term for "fear" (Gk. phobos) has two meanings: one is that of "alarm, dread or fright," like that which a criminal who has done wrong might possess (Cf. Rom. 13:3); or it could also speak of a "reverence or respect." The Bible speaks of fearing God with this reverential awe and holy respect and that it keeps us from doing things which displease and grieve Him (Cf. Jer. 32:40).

The fear that is spoken of here in 1 John is a craven fear, a fear that looks suspiciously at others, or a fear that trembles in anticipation of pain. This is the kind of fear that has no confidence before God. Augustine speaks of this fear as "a needle, sharp and painful." (J.B. Figgis, the Anointing, p. 76)

Now where does this fear come from? Craven fear or fear of punishment as John calls it comes from one of three places.

First, this fear is the inevitable result of living in a fallen world. If this life were perfect and peaceful, there would be no need for fear. No one knows when the next calamity will strike or the next hardship will come, whether it will be through natural, criminal, or even spiritual means; and, therefore, fear becomes for us a means of preservation. We brace ourselves for the trouble we are sure to face in our world. Knowing that this world is full of so much crying, sighing, and dying, fear becomes sort of a defense from sin's destructive influences and difficulties.
Second, this kind of fear can be stirred by our wrongdoing. Proverbs 28:1 says, "The wicked flee when no one pursues but the righteous are bold as a lion." A wicked man is always looking over his shoulder because his conscience lives with this constant fear of punishment. Sin produces an awful guilt that always undermines joy and hope. The lost man can be thought of as a sin addict, and this lifestyle of practicing sin makes the heart, as well as the thoughts of God, grow darker and foreboding.
Finally, this kind of fear arises from ignorance. A child is often unafraid of things that they should be afraid of because they are ignorant. Ignorance is often the cause of a lack of fearfulness if we are not aware of the dangers. For example, the person who is ignorant of electricity is not as careful as the one who knows its power. However, the more people know, the more dangers they see. On the other hand, many do not fear certain things because they are ignorant of their reality or power. Some simply choose to ignore certain threats, in hopes that they will go away, yet they still remain fearful.

Why is there no fear in love?

The reason why there is no fear in love is that love and fear are opposites. They are incompatible. Fear is based upon the consideration of some possible personal evil consequence coming upon us. Love is based upon the forgetfulness of self altogether. Love looks away from self to others. Fear looks into itself and wonders, what will happen to me? Love is the going out of my heart, but fear is the turning in of my heart upon self. Love inspires, fear enslaves. Love and fear are as incompatible as oil and water. In heaven, love will absorb all fear, but on earth, fear and love can work together in certain aspects, like loving God. Not the craven fear of punishment, but the reverential awe. No one can love God properly without fearing Him. "There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves punishment..."

What kind of love does John speak of here?

If you were taking a seminary class from John the Apostle, he would conclude his teaching about the divine love of God in this letter by saying, "when we think of the love of God, it should be primarily theological." In fact, the definition from John on the love of God is not a definition that has to do with sentiment, romantic love, or the affectionate kind of love that is so often spoken of today. For John, to say, "God is love" (4:8), is to say that He sent the Lord Jesus Christ to be the propitiation for our sins (4:10). This is the Apostle's definition of divine love. So when John says, "there is no fear in love," remember, he is not talking about romantic love or sentimental love, but the love that sent the Son to be the propitiation for our sins. There is no fear in this kind of love. In other words, there is no fear in the person who knows this kind of divine love.

Now what are the marks of this kind of divine love? There are two marks of the love of God. The first is a confidence before God. Verse 17 puts it this way, "By this, love is perfected in us, that we may have confidence in the Day of Judgment; because as He is, so also are we in this world." When a person has confidence before God, he has the possession and enjoyment of the love of God. And this confidence is particularly connected to "the day of judgment."

The second mark of the love for God is a love of the brethren. "If someone says, 'I love God,' and hates his brother, he is a liar; for the one who does not love his brother whom he has seen, cannot love God whom he has not seen" (v. 20).

In other words, one can see another's love for God by his love of the brethren. Can someone see by your love of the brethren, a love for God? We must ask ourselves this question if we will ever arrive at the place of application: Can someone really see the love of God as reflected in my love of the church? Or does your attitude toward the brethren raise questions about your love for God?

What were these Christians fearful about? John tell us in verse 17:

"By this, love is perfected in us, that we may have confidence in the Day of Judgment; because as He is, so also are we in this world."

What do we know about the Day of Judgment? The doctrine of judgment is one of the greatest and mightiest matters that ever confront us in Scripture according to Dr. Martyn Lloyd Jones-it is a theme that is taught in the Bible from beginning to end. What does John have in mind as he thinks of the Day of Judgment?

The Day of Judgment is not merely a figurative expression of what happens when we die. Death is a judgment, in a sense, because once we die our fate is determined; but death does not determine our fate.
Death just puts us into that place and position in which we can do nothing about it any longer. There is no second chance in the Bible. (Heb.9:27) Our destiny is decided by God in eternity, but expressed in the course we follow in this life and world of time.
The Day of Judgment is not death; it is rather a great event that will take place at the end of the world or at the end of time. (Rev.20:11)
The Day of Judgment will be something of a formal event, in that, individual names, not groups of people will be summoned. Each individual soul will be called to give an account. Books are opened and sentences are pronounced.
The Day of Judgment will be legal. God is seen as a Judge sitting on His throne. (Rev.20:11) This is why books are opened and used. It will be a day of perfect accounting.
The Day of Judgment will be a visible and public event. (Rev.20:12; Eccles.12:14)
The Day of Judgment will be final. It is a day which we are all facing and toward which we are all approaching.
The Day of Judgment will be administered by Christ Himself. (Jn. 5:27; Matt. 25:31; Acts 10:42, 17:31)
In the Day of Judgment, fallen angels will be judged. (1 Cor. 6:3)
In the Day of Judgment, every human being that has ever lived, both believers and unbelievers, will be judged. (2 Cor. 5:10; Rom. 14:10; Rev. 20)
In the Day of Judgment, the standard used will be the revealed will of God. (Jn. 12:48) Gentiles will be judged by the light they have in their conscience (Rom.2:12-14), which Paul called "the work of the law written in their hearts." Jews will be judged by the Old Testament. Christians will be judged according to the gospel they claim to believe and there will be degrees of judgment and reward. (Lk. 12:47-48)

The issue that John is dealing with in this chapter is assurance or confidence before God in the Day of Judgment. The Day of Judgment will be a great day of terror and fear for the wicked, but it need not be that for the Christian. However, some Christians will have fear in judgment, and this is why John spoke of gaining this confidence by abiding in Christ in 2:28-"and now, little children, abide in Him, so that when He appears, we may have confidence and not shrink away from Him in shame at His coming."

How do you really know that you know God and have been accepted by Him? How do you know if you really believe in Christ savingly? How do know that God really loves you? There are so many false prophets in the world (4:1), so how do you know if you have been deceived or not? Do you just have intellectual knowledge, or is the knowledge that you have a saving knowledge? Now we discover the operation of perfect love.

The operation of perfect love

What is perfect love? Again, John wants us to know that he is not talking about romantic love or sentimental love, but the love that sent the Son to be the propitiation for our sins.

How is this love perfected in us? John tells us in verses 16-17

"And we have come to know and have believed the love which God has for us. God is love, and the one who abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him. By this, love is perfected with us, that we may have confidence in the Day of Judgment; because as He is, so also are we in this world."

John says, "by this, love is perfected with us"... by what? In other words, the one who abides in divine love - the love that sent the Savior, the love God has shown that we might live in Him and with Him, the love that sent Jesus, it's in that love that God is seen as love, and our love for Him is evident. It is in that mutual love that we enjoy God's love of us, our love of God, and our union that we have in that love that leads to boldness in the day of judgment.

We have no fear in the day of judgment if it is true of us that we dwell in love.

The purpose of this mutual indwelling in love is to give us confidence in the Day of Judgment. Perfected love climaxes in boldness in the day of judgment. This is the crowning blessing for the saint. Boldness in the day of judgment! Not simply confidence for that day, but confidence in that day. Why do we need it in that day? Because that's the day of shame and terror for the wicked, but it's the day of boldness or confidence for the saints who dwell in divine love.

What is the ground of our confidence? "Because as He is, so are we in this world." In other words, our great covenant Head, who acts for the people of God in His life and death, who stands for the people of God in His resurrected glory, He is the ground of our confidence. It is as "He is," not as "He was," and not as "He shall be"; but as "He is" right now at the right hand of the Father, interceding and fulfilling His duties as our High Priest and King. This is the One who stands for us in the presence of God (Heb. 9:24). This is the One who has our name written upon His hand and engraved on his heart (Is. 49:15-16). To realize this is to know that our confidence rests upon a sure foundation.

"There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves punishment, and the one who fears is not perfected in love."(1 John 4:18)

How does perfect love cast out fear? This is the force of the language here: understanding and abiding in this kind of love casts out fear by throwing it out of the door. It casts out fear by raising our reverence for God in light of His love. Perfect love takes out of the heart all that bitter sense of possible evil coming upon us and leaves us thankful, humble, and full of trusting faith in God.

Perfect love clings to the cross of Christ. It rests in the bosom of Jesus. It causes us to look forward to the day of Judgment with courage and boldness.

What are the consequences of not being perfected in love?

You will live a carnal and unfruitful life.
You will shrink back from good works because of the difficulties.
Your soul will be weakened and deprived of spiritual energy.
Your obedience will be without joy and peace.

How can the Christian be free from fear?

First, the Christian must realize the love of God toward him in the person and work of Christ. Or to put it another way, the first way to get rid of fear is to understand the doctrine of justification by faith alone. It is by apprehending the love that God has toward us in the great gospel that this love becomes ours and a love for Him that we can never be separated from is established in our hearts. This love sweeps away the fear that chokes the spiritual life of many Christians, and frees them to be all that Christ has called them to be.
The second way to be free from fear is to love the brethren and examine your life in light of God's word.

The love that casts out fear is not a vague emotion, nor is it the result of a man's willingness to conjure up an acceptance by God; but this love arises in the heart because of knowing and believing the love that God has for us. Since God has gone to inconceivable lengths to save us, we should love Him and never live with enslaving fear.

This confidence comes from understanding what God has done for you in Christ, and by loving the brethren. To help us test ourselves to see if we are in the faith (2 Cor.13:5), Dr. Martyn Lloyd Jones gives us 10 questions for personal examination:

Are you increasingly aware that you owe everything to the Lord Jesus Christ, and that you are utterly dependant upon Him and the perfect work that He has done for you in His death, life and resurrection?
Do you possess a loss or absence of that sense that God is against you?
Is there a feeling and sense that God is for you and that He loves you?
Do you have a sense of sins forgiven?
Do you have a sense of gratitude and thanksgiving to God?
Is there an increasing hatred of sin?
Is there a desire to please God and to live a good life because of what He has done for you?
Do you desire to know Him better and to draw closer to Him?
Do you possess a conscious regret that your love to Him is so poor, along with a desire to love Him more?
Do you delight in hearing these things and in hearing about Him?

Christians should not fear the day of judgment because Christ has become to us wisdom from God, and righteousness, and sanctification and redemption. (Cf. 1 Cor. 1:30)