There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love. 1 John 4:18
2007-06-02 07:40:38 · 18 answers · asked by Anonymous in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
It may be easier to look at it in a translation that isn't King James. I read the NRSV (New Revised Standard Version). Read the verse in this version.
"There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear; for fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not reached perfection in love." 1 John 4:18
The 1 John 4:7-21 are making the point that God is love. 1 John 4:8 states plainly, "God is love." With God, there is no reason to fear. Fear is associated with the fear of punishment, as the verse says. The punishment is referring to eternal punishment or eternal damnation. If we truly love God, we should not be loving him or following just based on the fear of going to hell. We should not be Christians because we are afraid of God or afraid to be punished. God is love. That love is perfect. It is unconditional. That unconditional love has not fear. That love should cast out any fear that is within us. vs 16 says that those that abide in love also abide in God. In other words, again, God is love. We should not live our life in a spirit of fear. Rather, we should be bold! 1 John 4:17 says, "Love has been pefected among us in this: that we may have boldness on the day of judgment, because as he is, so are we in this world." We have no reason to fear. 2 Timothy 1:7 states, "For God did not give us a spirit of cowardice (fear), but rather a spirit of power and of LOVE and of self-discipline."
In true love, there cannot be fear.
2007-06-03 10:01:23 · answer #1 · answered by One Odd Duck 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The perfect love mentioned is the perfect love of God. If we have His love in Our hearts then we do not have fear. Fear is cast out by His perfect love. This is reinforced by the statment that fear torments a person and that anyone who has fear in their heart, has not yet experienced the fullness that comes from having Gods perfect love in our heart.
2007-06-02 08:02:19 · answer #2 · answered by movedby 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Proverbs 1:7
The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and discipline.
Notice if you will fear is the beginning not the end. We all start out with fear and as your verse says in NIV punishment. We wish to please God out of fear and reverence; to avoid hell and other disciplinary measures.
As we grow in faith and understanding we see more of the Love and less the punishment. My children fear my hand and discipline I deal out, but as they grow older they will come to see the love that moved my hand and punishments. I yelled when they neared a street to stop them in their tracks. They never got to experience the car coming. This is the way it is with God. He says do not do...we only now know some of the health benefits or other benefits we get from following his directions.
Perfect love means we see the bigger picture in regards to our relationship with God and even our fellow man. This love drives out the fear and makes it a non issue because we are to busy with the love of God. No longer do we stay awake at night wondering "what if." Torment of our soul, both by us, others, and Satan, fades away. We become the people we were meant to be.
2007-06-02 08:14:34 · answer #3 · answered by crimthann69 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
If you thump a bible seven times and chant woopee moopee woolee moolee six times the answer you seek will appear to you over a plate of cold spaghetti. The bible is full of crazy stuff like this. Ministers interpret the words and make us all better people when they tell us what it means. That is why we have to go to church to understand anything. May you be blessed by something sometime in the near future.
2007-06-02 07:52:55 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
It means that God's worshipers and servants can seek his face without any feeling of morbid fear and dread. Such perfect love spoken of in the scripture casts out fear, grants “freeness of speech.” Here the context shows that John is speaking of “freeness of speech toward God,” as in prayer.
Hope that helps.
2007-06-02 07:49:48 · answer #5 · answered by SisterCF 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
you should read not just this verse but read it in context with the rest of the passage. i think it means that God loves us so much and so perfectly that when we come to love God it casts out any fear that we may have and that is when we will be "perfect in love". we don't have to fear God's judgement or judgement/persecution/etc from others either. hope this helps.
2007-06-02 07:49:09 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
When you doubt Gods love for you, you will fear. Trusting God is part of loving God. So, even when God doesn't make sense, we need to trust in Him. So, in our doubts, we fear, & that is because we aren't perfect yet.
So, if we doubt, we bind the doubt & cast it out. Also, if we get in unforgiveness, we will also be tormented, so learn to walk in forgiveness when others hurt our feelings. Return the curses dipped in Gods love, to sender.
If you trust in the Lord & claim verses that God has promised to never leave or forsake you, that God keeps you in His care, then you overcome fear. The devil rules by intimidation & fear. So submit to God, resist the devil & the devil flees.
2007-06-02 07:46:31 · answer #7 · answered by t_a_m_i_l 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
It means that when you have perfect love for God and His Word that fear can and will cease to be part of your life. I know a man who has had no fear or worry in his life for ten years and he lives by faith so he has plenty of opporunity to do so.
He simply knows Jesus and loves him and the Word and belives it therefore he has no fear.
Hope that helped
2007-06-02 07:56:27 · answer #8 · answered by Matthew Payne 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I think the fear is the worldly fears of either small or big things. Smaller things like food and clothes. Bigger things like doubting God's mercy. True love of God does knock them out of the ballpark. Just love and trust God and you need not fear.
2007-06-02 07:44:43 · answer #9 · answered by Elisha 3 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Within the bounds of unconditional love, there is nothing to be afraid of. Within perfect love you find protection, sustenance, perfection, support, encouragement. When you allow yourself to be filled with unconditional love, surrounding yourself with those who truly live it, and truly give it yourself, there is really no room for fear.
2007-06-02 10:46:54 · answer #10 · answered by dancing_in_sunlight 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋