Love that casts out Fear

Both love and fear are emotions that we have. But why do we have love in us? Why do we have fear in us? Being created in image of God as stated in Genesis 1:26-27, we inherit Love because God himself is Love [1 John 4:8]. Man was created for a harmonious relationship in abiding and rejoicing presence and communion of God forever. However, the dice just turned to chaos and everything got spoiled when they disobeyed God. The result of their disobedience randomized their capability to live under God’s will. The relationship of divine and human was broken down. The first human couple had to bear heavy price for their disobedience. They had to undergo spiritual death or separation from God and the law of God demanded strict justification.

Generations passed away and people began to move further far away from God into a chaotic state. They lost God and ultimately the authority given by God to rule over the planet being his representative.[i] Having detachment from the source of life, people now felt loneliness and forgot who they were. They found a paralysis state in living their own life independent of God. Regardless of God’s provision of prophets and judges and rules granted to direct a way of living under his will, people rather began to fall in sin [Romans 7:7-9].

What shall we say of fear in context of 1 John 4:18? It is certainly the fear connected with the judgment [vs. 17]. Fear is associated with punishment.[ii] Man was heavily ruled by the dominion of sin [John 8:34] and they were deprived of access to God. They were laden with loads of rituals and rules. They were loaded with fear concerning their life.[iii] The greatest of all fear was the eternal separation from God awaiting for every human beings until God himself came down to be a partake of human beings in their suffering and solve the entire root of all generated problems.[iv]

John 3:16, Romans 5:8, 1 John 4:10, Romans 8:1, etc. have a clear annotation that God did not leave his people alone but made a provision of redemption.[v] His unexplained and intense Love laid down the sacrifice of God-Man Savior on the cross as the only possible justification for the sins of human beings. He made such a provision under his grace that today he grants his spirit to lead us.[vi] That love casts out the fear every human mind has.

The love of God transforms us and sets us free from the bondage of sin enabling access to God. Finally, in Jesus we are declared righteous[vii] and there is no longer we need to fear God’s wrath. He took our place because of the same intense love and abolished death and eternal punishment. The love of God today we have, gives us a certainty of eternal life with him again. This love of God indwells in us and enables us to rejoice in him. Ultimately the fear gets no space to fit in.

References:

1. https://www.bibleref.com/1-John/4/1-John-4-18.html

2. https://dailyverse.knowing-jesus.com/1-john-4-18

3. Elder PA Thomas, God’s eternal plan for man and the world. (Equippers Bible Study facebook page private group: 28 August, 2019)

[i] Genesis 1:28

[ii] https://www.bibleref.com/1-John/4/1-John-4-18.html

[iii] Rev. Dr. Balkrishna Sharma, Major Religions of the World, a Nepali Perspective. (ITEEN in partnership with OM Nepal , 2015), P. 8-11

[iv] 2 Cor. 5:18-19

[v] Genesis 3:15

[vi] Galatians 3:13, 14

[vii] 2 Cor. 5:21