Living to love with Jesus casts out fear

1 John 4:18 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. What an encouraging verse. Let’s see if we can follow John’s reasoning. He had written that God’s love is perfected or completes its course when we abide in His love, He abides in us, and we love others. God’s love flowing through the lives of believers is the proof that they know God and is their confidence in the day of judgment. Before someone knows God, he lives in fear of death. But when he experiences His love through the indwelling Holy Spirit, believes in Jesus as the Son of God sent for the propitiation of his sins, and experiences the Holy Spirit enabling him to love with the supernatural love of God, that fear is cast out. He knows he’s forgiven and that there is therefore now no condemnation or punishment for his sins. Instead of fear, he has confidence before God. That’s what John meant when he wrote that perfect love, love which completes its course through us, casts out fear. John helps and encourages us greatly by telling us what God’s love accomplishes in His children. It casts out fear, and if fear of God’s punishment still exists, then love has not completed its work. This should encourage us to ask ourselves: Are we afraid of God’s punishment? If we are, then we haven’t really experienced God’s love and we aren’t living for the purpose for which God loves, namely, to transform us to live to love with Jesus for the glory of God. He bestows His love on His children so that they become expressions of His love in this world. They have no fear because they trust in the love of God, and therefore His love flows freely through their lives. May we live today without fear, loving with Jesus for the glory of God.