There is no fear in love

Why do I fear?

The fear referred to here is often more hidden than fear about the future, sickness, death, work situation and finances etc. It is a fear that I am not “good enough” for God and that He has something against me. Where does this kind of fear come from? Can it be because I do things that I know are wrong? “… because fear involves torment. But he who fears has not been made perfect in love.”

One who has come to this perfect love has nothing to fear. Perfect love is something completely different from the illusion of love that is sung about in countless songs. Love that takes away fear is love for Jesus. To love Jesus means keeping His commandments. (John 14:21.) Then fear has no power over me.

Made alive together with Christ

If I want to lay hold of this perfect love, I need to wholeheartedly turn to Jesus. Then I will experience that I am “made alive together with Christ.” Read Ephesians 2:1-9.  Here we see the grace received by those who give their heart wholly to Jesus – without having done anything to deserve it! It is not because of my works, but only by grace. In other words, it is only a gift from God – and thereby only God’s honor and God’s work.

To be “made alive together with Christ” is a fantastic liberation for a person who has lived as a slave to their own lusts. Now I must start living in this perfect love that we read about. That is to keep His commandments. Because I still have an evil nature that does not want to be obedient to God’s laws, it is a battle to keep His commandments. If I am fighting this battle, I have the perfect love that casts out fear. Here we have Jesus Christ and His power on our side.

Our adversary, the devil, tells us that this battle can never succeed, but the devil has been a liar since the beginning. If I listen to him, it won’t succeed. If I stand fast in this battle, I will experience that after a short time, I will be perfected, established, strengthened, and settled. (1 Peter 5:10.)

All of this is a work of God. Now we who are saved without works must start doing the works that are prepared for us – that we should walk in them. (Ephesians 2:10.) This is a life in perfect love and without fear.