1 John 4:13-21: a reflection

13By this we know that we remain in him and he in us, because he has given us of his Spirit. 14We have seen and testify that the Father has sent the Son as the Savior of the world. 15Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God remains in him, and he in God. 16We know and have believed the love which God has for us. God is love, and he who remains in love remains in God, and God remains in him. 17In this, love has been made perfect among us, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment, because as he is, even so we are in this world. 18There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear has punishment. He who fears is not made perfect in love. 19We love him, because he first loved us. 20If a man says, “I love God,” and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who doesn’t love his brother whom he has seen, how can he love God whom he has not seen? 21This commandment we have from him, that he who loves God should also love his brother.

John writes about the love of God, and he makes some of the most profound statements in Scripture: God is love, and whoever abides in love abides in God, and God in him. We love because he first loved us. And in the midst of this comes a promise about what God's love does to our fear: There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. The love of God, received and abided in, drives out fear, even the fear of judgment.

Notice what perfect love does: it casts out fear. Fear and the full experience of God's love cannot coexist; as we come to know and rest in how deeply God loves us, our fear is driven out. This is not that we work up love to banish fear, but that we receive God's love, which is perfect, and that love, taking hold of us, casts out our fear. And John reminds us of the ground of it all: we love because he first loved us. Our love, and our freedom from fear, flow from being first loved by God.

That is deeply freeing. Many of us are ruled by fear, including a lingering fear of God's judgment, a sense that we are not truly accepted, not safe in his love. But John says that God's perfect love casts out fear; the more we know and rest in how completely God loves us, in Christ, the more our fear is driven out. Do not try merely to suppress your fear; let God's perfect love cast it out. Rest in how deeply you are loved by God, who first loved you, and let that love drive out your fear. And let the love you have received overflow into love for others, for the one who abides in love abides in God. Perfect love casts out fear; rest in being loved, and be freed from fear.

Lord, John writes that you are love, that we love because you first loved us, and that there is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. Free me with that truth. Fear and the full experience of your love cannot coexist; as I come to know and rest in how deeply you love me, my fear is driven out. I do not work up love to banish fear; I receive your love, which is perfect, and that love, taking hold of me, casts out my fear. Many of us are ruled by fear, including a lingering fear of your judgment, a sense that we are not truly accepted, not safe in your love. But you say that your perfect love casts out fear. Keep me from merely trying to suppress my fear; let your perfect love cast it out. Help me rest in how deeply I am loved by you, who first loved me, and let that love drive out my fear. And let the love I have received overflow into love for others. Perfect love casts out fear; help me rest in being loved, and be freed from fear.