1 John 4:18-19 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. We love because he first loved us.

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Perfect Love casts out fear. Fear casts out love.

God loves because He Himself is love and His love is perfect, without flaw. We love so that we may become love, and that Christ may dwell with in us and give us confidence on the day of Judgement.

Love gives grace when it’s not deserved, love sacrifices to his enemy, love lays down his life for the sinful, and love looks upon the widow and orphan with mercy and favor. Whereas fear casts judgment where grace should be given, looks upon his enemy with hatred, saves his life and in doing so loses it, and turns his back on the weak and the hurting. God is love, and any lack of surrender to God, is therefore a lack of love, and a lack of love is an abundance of fear—Fear of loss, fear of death, fear of loneliness, and fear of judgment. But if you abide in God who is love, He will abide in you and so will his love.

Love casts out our fear of judgement, ushers us into the hope of future glory, and demands that we surrender all. 

Fear casts out any hope for salvation, leaves us striving for things we can never attain, and demands us to be self seeking.

Does your knowledge of God cause you to love or cause you to fear? What is your faith rooted in? Do you “love” God because of what He can do to you, or do you love God for what he has done for you. Do you claim to abide in God because you are fearful of the cup of wrath that He can pour out upon you in judgment, or do you love God because that cup of wrath was poured upon His only son when he surrendered His life on the cross, in your place? If our love for God is rooted in fear, it’s not love, because perfect love casts out fear. FEAR HAS NO PLACE at the table of love! Our love must be rooted in Christ love for us. It says, “We love because he first loved us,” not, we love because He can judge us. What is your love for Christ truly rooted in? The fear of the fiery gates of hell, or the love for the promised glory at the gates of heaven? One isn’t love—it’s fear, and fear can’t love.

Surrender all that you are and all that you have to Christ because of all that He has given and all He promises.

Love because He first loved you.

Surrender because He first surrendered all for you.

Extend grace to your enemy, because He extended grace to you when you were His enemy.

Love because you know the ONE who is love.