1 John 4:17 - Forerunner Commentary

1 John 4:17

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Articles, Bible studies, and sermons that contain 1 John 4:17:

I John 4:17-18
Excerpted from: Love's Greatest Challenges

It is difficult to conclude which of these two major challenges—laziness or fear—is the greatest. Both of them are difficult to deal with, but it is my personal opinion that love's greatest challenge is the second one—fear. Let us go back to a scripture that we have been spending a great deal of time in.

Consider the principle that John is espousing because it contains much of the answer we need for overcoming fear. Think of this: humanly, the more two people love each other, the less they fear what the other will do. Why? Because they know the other person, inside and out, we might say. John is trying to get us to know God, inside and out. And the reason they do not fear is because trust, confidence, in each other grows. The more perfected in love, the less anxious we are about loss before people because our trust is in God and His reaction, and our trust is in the truth of His Word. And we grow then because we know He is going to approve and give us strength.

Fear is the most self-centered of all emotions. The cure for fear lies partly in removing external threats to our security. And we do that. We lock the doors to our house. We make sure that when we are walking in certain areas we walk in the light, or we walk by the safest route that we can possibly find. So we do move to try to remove threats to our security physically.

But the real cure is eliminating excessive consciousness of the self. This is the principle that John is espousing. Love does this because the essence of love is self-denial and self-surrender. Love casts out fear because it gradually casts out self-consciousness.

The "fear involves torment" in verse 18 is contrasted to "boldness" in verse 17. In this context, love and fear are opposites. Love's closest companion is confidence, boldness. When we are completely confident we do not fear that we can do what is required of us. That is the way two people in a marriage who really love one another are. They know each other so well they are absolutely confident of what the other’s action, reaction, words, thoughts might be. Right? Confidence is there. Maybe even boldness.

In relation to God, if we really know God and we are really loving God, we are not cutting ourselves off through fear, but we are challenging the fears and we are overcoming because of it and our relationship with God is growing closer and closer. The problem here is that we are not yet perfected in love, so we fear.

The only way to meet and overcome our fear is to grow. Each day we have to take advantage of the opportunities to exercise ourselves in small acts of love. Just as a musician practices every day, an athlete practices every day, artists practice every day, a person becomes confident in his speaking ability because his skills grow little by little by doing a great deal of speaking before groups. We are talking about the principle here that practice makes perfect—taking advantage of each day’s little opportunities to show love. Our practice is aimed toward becoming skilled at living God’s way of life. As we practice extending ourselves in love to others, the fear of loss or suffering or rejection begins to lessen. Our confidence in God and His truth will build until we can even become bold.

I John 4:17
Excerpted from: The Paradox of Terror and Rejoicing

The absence of fear in love does not exclude the presence and positive influence of the fear of the Lord, which is the beginning of knowledge. Here, John refers to fear of death and final judgment. However, he notes in the previous verse that love gives us boldness on the day of judgment.

So God's perfect love for His people drives out the fear of wrath and final judgment. Love that is complete, or love that is allowed to exert its proper influence on the heart and mind delivers the mind from anxiety and with love. When love exists in an absolute perfect state, it is entirely free from all dread, everything dreadful.

Articles
Faith to Face Our Trials  (4)
Faith to Face Our Trials  (4)
How Much Does God Love Us? (Part One)
How Much Does God Love Us? (Part Two)  (3)
Sin, Christians, and the Fear of God  (2)
The Offerings of Leviticus (Part Eight): Conclusion (Part One)  (2)
The Offerings of Leviticus (Part Nine): Conclusion (Part Two)
The Offerings of Leviticus (Part Two): The Burnt Offering

Bible Studies
Basic Doctrines: Going On to Perfection
Love

Essays
Is Patriotism Biblical?
You Shall Love Your Neighbor (Part Three)

Sermons
The Spirit of Bondage
God's Perseverance With His Saints (Part Three)
Using God's Given Authority
Church Unity Despite the Spirit of the World
Four Views of Christ (Part 2)
Promised: Protection and Healing
Limiting the Holy One of Israel (Part 2)
Offerings (Part Three)
Judgment is a Merciful Blessing
Philippians (Part Five)
John (Part 25)
Whatever We Ask
We are Called to Liberty
Passionate Patience
No Failsafe Needed
Offerings (Part Seven)
The Love of Christ
Sin Defined and Overcome
The Faithfulness of God (Part 2)
The Feast Brings Hope
Qualifications of a Godly Judge
No Real Love Without God
How Much Does God Love You?
Knowing God: Formality and Customs (Part 7)
Philippians (Part Five)
Parables of Matthew 13 (Part 2): Leaven
The Sacrifices of Leviticus (Part 3)
Four Views of Christ (Part 7)
Four Views of Christ (Part 6)
Four Views of Christ (Part 3)
Our Affinity to Christ

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