Fear
is a God given emotion. It keeps us safe when danger approaches. Our mind
reacts to dangerous situations by triggering a cascade of hormones that get us
ready to survive through fight, flight or freeze. Fear has a place in life. So
if someone tells you that fear is something to be eliminated, tell them they
are wrong.
But
there is fear that is non-useful fear. If we carry fear from past events, where
the fear reaction kept us safe, into the present moments of our life, where the
fear reaction doesn’t serve the purpose of keeping us alive, then that fear It
is non-productive fear. The current fear simply gets in the way of experiencing
life to its fullest. It can be crippling.
Often
people with compulsive behaviors are stuck in non-productive fear. A past
circumstance keeps invading the present moments, locking them in a cycle of crippling
repetitious behaviors. Many people who suffer from anxiety and depression are
stuck living with the reactions from past events. Their brain can’t seem to
move beyond that horrible moment.
Our
text has been used by well-meaning preachers over the years as a way to shame
people. They have said that if fear exists in their lives, they aren’t living
the faith-filled life they are supposed to be living. Love drives out all fear,
so get in touch with God’s love more and the fear will disappear.
But
the context of the verse tells a different story. The fear spoken about here is
a fear connected with God’s judgment of believers at the end of the age. For
Jesus-followers there is no fear of judgment. Jesus took the judgment we
deserve. There is no judgment waiting for us when we arrive. No double payment
is necessary. If we are in Him, there is no need for fear.
The
reason some people fear that future judgment is because they don’t understand
the extent of God’s love. Perhaps their human parents didn’t provide them with
a model of safe and healthy love. Or other people who claimed to love them hurt
them, so they can’t imagine someone who could love safely and securely. Their
picture of love always comes with conditions and limits. So to imagine a love
that is without bounds, is beyond their ability to imagine.
But
the boundless love of God has been demonstrated. He does love us, even with all
our quirks and foibles. Our current struggles don’t take Him by surprise. He
paid for all our sin, past, present and future. And when we rest in that
forgiveness, grace becomes real. We could never deserve His love, and yet He
offers it to us freely. What cost Him everything is given to us without cost.
We could never pay the bill. So out of gratitude we strive to live in obedience
to Him. As a way to show we understand grace, we offer grace to those around
us.
And
when we walk this kind of love out in our lives, fear of judgment is
eliminated. The Holy Spirit confirms this fact in our hearts. We are set free
from this kind of fear. We will still fear when someone almost runs us off the
road, or when a gunman enters our place of business, or a hurricane siren sounds.
Love doesn’t take away our ability to survive.