Fear Vs Love...

 

 An adaptation on our book study, looking at the importance and benefits of fearing God (amongst other things), based off beginning chapters of "The Joy of Fearing God" by Jerry Bridges.

 

 

1 John 4:18 says "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."

 

Hang on... I thought your previous article advocates fearing God!?

 

Fear and love have always seemed to be at odds, even exemplified by the quote above. The former tends to be less popular than the latter and is often viewed as a negative thing. The latter, an over familiar concept, gives off welcoming and positive vibes. Overall, we think they are as different as apple and pear.

 

So, should we love or fear God?

 

 

The answer to this is that we should first fear Him, then, like a newborn child growing up into a strong adult, daily growing to love Him AND others (Matthew 22:36-40). Our previous article drives home the point from the Bible that "the fear of God is the foundation of knowledge and wisdom" (Proverbs 1:7, 9:10; Job 28:28). In other words, the fear of God is the base; it is the ground where we take the first steps up. It is unthinkable to walk or climb the stairs without the ground.

 

John wrote, "For fear has to do with punishment". Punishment is a well-taught concept that we know from young. Contrary to some modern parenting ideas that punishment has no place in a progressive world, thus singularly replacing it with encouragement and reward instead, society requires punishment to even function at all (think of laws and regular news flash on offenders sentenced to prison, and imagine a lawless society where all the offenders do not even bother hiding the crimes but do it openly). Because - whether people want to acknowledge or not - the reality is that all of us are sinners and naturally disobedient (even before we could run!). Hence, there is a place for punishment to set us in order.

However, in the same sentence, John wrote this "...whoever fears has not been perfected in love". The keyword he mentioned is "perfected", which he also mentioned the root word twice in this verse — perfect.

 

Matthew 5:48 says, "You therefore must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect." Perfection is the goal. We are called to be perfect as children of God, because our heavenly Father Himself is perfect. In Genesis, God created the world and evaluated everything to be very good. After the fall, no one is even good (Mark 10:18). And Jesus is telling His followers — be PERFECT.

But how can we, sinners, be perfect?

John has already written for us the solution: LOVE.  ...perfect love casts out fear... ...perfected in love. (1 John 4:18)

Let us reflect on these verses, however familiar:

 

“For God so LOVED the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him." —John 3:16-17

Do we know the weight of this?

Sinners who do not even think or care about the God who made them and provide for them for life... Sinners who destroy His world and kill His creations... Sinners who break His rules and justify them... Sinners who defame Him and tarnish His name...

God wants to save them all.

Do we want to save from the gallows those who murdered our family members and friends? Or love those who trample all over you, who slander and mock you, taking over your house like it is theirs?

Naturally, no. But spiritually we must, in order to be like our Father in heaven.

Perfection, in God's definition, is NOT being perfectionistic i.e. making zero mistakes and being flawless. It is loving others who are as hateful as we are in His eyes. Jesus expounded on this in His command for us to be perfect like God:

"You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven. For he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? And if you greet only your brothers, what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same?" —Matthew 5:43-47

 

In conclusion, as growing Christians, we need to "graduate" from fearing God and love the unlovable, so as to be perfected in love. If we are not perfected in love, then are we actually children of God?

Further Reflection:

Think of an unlovable person in your life now. How can you love him or her?