No Fear

There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love. We love because he first loved us. Whoever claims to love God yet hates a brother or sister is a liar. For whoever does not love their brother and sister, whom they have seen, cannot love God, whom they have not seen. And he has given us this command: Anyone who loves God must also love their brother and sister.

I John 4:18-21

Love does not fear: punishment, abandonment, treason, abuse. Love gives. Love gratefully receives. Love trusts. Love is characterized by a relaxed mental attitude in any circumstance. This is not gushy emotionalism, brethren. It is warm, relaxed, peaceful, serene, secure, confident. We don't wake up one day loving. We grow up into agape, which is God's own kind of love. We start out being childish and emotional in our relationship to God, and perhaps afraid of losing what He has given us, or of not attaining what He has promised. We are not relaxed, in the early stages of our salvation. Our salvation was complete the moment we believed in Jesus, however, and as we grow in grace and knowledge of Him, we learn to relax in Him. We come to love the same way He loves and our love is perfected, or matured, driving out all fear. This kind of love eliminates prejudice and hatred. Love is multiplied, not divided. That's why a mother can love one child or ten, and all their offspring. So the determining evidence is this: if you have hatred and prejudice against your fellow believers with whom you interact daily, how can you say you love God, Whose Person is not visable to you? God loves because of Who He is. We learn to love because of who we are IN HIM. Relax. Don't be afraid to love.