‘’There is no fear in Love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love’’ 1 John 4:18
In this one Scripture alone, the word ‘’fear’’ appeared 4 times. Throughout the bible the word ‘’fear’’ appeared at least 300 times and some of it pertains to fearing God. But when you read this scripture, it says ‘’perfect love drives out fear’’ what does this mean? I thought God wants us to fear him, yet why is he asking us to get rid of fear? How can we fear God when he asked to expel fear from our lives?
You see, throughout the bible there are lots of examples of how fearing God is a positive rather than a negative thing. For example, Moses chose leaders who were God fearing and accepted no bribes (Exodus 18:21), Moses telling the Israelites that God revealed himself to test them, so that the fear of God will be with them to keep them from sinning (Exodus 20:20). The day of Pentecost, God brought his kingdom here on earth to God fearing Jews (Acts 2:5), God blessing Job because he feared him (Job 2:5), and Paul telling us to work towards complete holiness because we fear God (2 Corinthians 7:1). So it’s clear from this passages that, good things happen when people fear God. We tend to trust people who say they fear God, because if they do, they’re likely to treat us kind and keep their words.
In Romans 3:18, the bible says that our chief sin is that we have no fear of God. So, what kind of fear does God wants us to get rid of? The Greek word for Fear that’s used in 1 John 4:18 is ‘’Phobos’’. The word Phobos means: fear, dread, terror at that which strikes terror to withdraw from or separate oneself. So what John is saying, is that; there is no Phobos (terror) in Love. But perfect love expels Phobos, because Phobos (withdrawing) has to do with punishment. This is the fear God wants us to get rid of. Phobos fear strikes terror and separate us from God. Because he’s not out to punish us but to save us. And if we love him, we will not separate ourselves from him despite our circumstance. When I was little, I had a Phobos fear for my dad because he used to punish me whenever I misbehave, get bad grades (technically it was B’s but to him it wasn’t good), or not give him the proper respect he deserved. Sometimes he would yell at me and beat me up for just the slightest things. I feared him. His voice, his presence and his discipline. Lots of times, I didn’t want to be around him. This strict discipline made me bitter, hardened my heart, unloving and mean. It really affected my way of loving people, and treating people.
So when I became a disciple, it was harder for me to fall deeply in love with God and his people. I would close people out, build shallow relationships, all because I had this fear (Phobos) in my heart. In my relationship with God, I wasn’t growing because I saw God’s discipline as that of my dad’s, with no love. A year ago, I wanted to just do the bare minimum, just show up to church as if I’m not there, don’t share my faith, careless about his church and give into sin. All because of the trials I was going through. What those very trials and discipline from God exposed in my heart was that, I lack the true fear (Theosebes) for him. This fear has nothing to do with punishment but the grace and power of God, in know who he is and what he did on the Cross for us. The word Theosebes is a Greek word which means: reverence for God, godly respect. And this Theosebes fear produces wholeness, love and freedom from self-indulgence. It replaces fear for love because we’ve now accepted Christ as Lord and Savior, hence no more punishment.
William D. Eisenhower put it this way: As I walk with the Lord, I discover that God poses an ominous threat to my ego, but not to me. He rescues me from my delusions, so he may reveal the truth that sets me free. He casts me down, only to lift me up again. He sits in judgment of my sin, but forgives me nevertheless. Fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, but love from the Lord is its completion.
I didn’t realize that God was slowly taken away my ego and the damaged goods this fear (phobos) had done in my life, since my childhood. Philippians 1:6 ‘’being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus’’. He wants me to grow in every area of my life, so HE eliminates every worldly characteristics. He wanted me to grow out of my selfishness and entitlement and desire him more instead of sin. He will not stop until he has conformed me into the image of Christ (Romans 8:29), because he wants me to be with him heaven.
For you, I don’t know what God is teaching you today in your life, what type of sin he’s getting rid of. If life is tough for you right now, things aren’t going the way you plan, your trials may seem too heavy, don’t give up but slow down and be still because there’s something he wants you to change. The bible says ‘’the Lord disciplines those he loves and accepts as his’’ (Hebrews 12:6). Because at the end it will produce a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it.
– Michael Sesay
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